Teratorn Aircraft, Inc. (named for the extinct ice age soaring bird) was an American aircraft manufacturer based in Clear Lake, Iowa. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of ultralight aircraft in the form of kits for amateur construction and ready-to-fly aircraft under the US FAR 103 Ultralight Vehicles rules.Cliche, Andre: Ultralight Aircraft Shopper's Guide 8th Edition, pages B-60, B-106, E-40. Cybair Limited Publishing, 2001. Teratorn Aircraft: 1984 Teratorn Tierra II The Legend Continues..., Teratorn Aircraft pamphlet, 1984.Teratorn Aircraft: Tierra Ultralight, Teratorn Aircraft pamphlet, 1984.
The company was formed as Motorized Gliders of Iowa, Inc. in 1976 and located in a production facility. The company first produced the weight-shift Teratorn Aircraft Teratorn and the follow-up Teratorn T/A single seat ultralight motorglider designs. In 1983 it introduced the Tierra and Tierra II.
After Teratorn went out of business in about 1989, Golden Circle Air of De Soto, Iowa took up production of Terratorn's designs.Purdy, Don: AeroCrafter - Homebuilt Aircraft Sourcebook, page 168-169. BAI Communications. Bertrand, Noel; Rene Coulon; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2003-04, page 142. Pagefast Ltd, Lancaster OK, 2003. Downey, Julia: 1999 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 15, Number 12, December 1998, page 50. Primedia Publications. Downey, Julia: 2001 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 17, Number 12, December 2000, page 54. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. Downey, Julia: 2002 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 18, Number 12, December 2001, page 43. Kitplanes Acquisition Company. Newby-Gonzalez, Tori: 2004 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 20, Number 12, December 2003, page 59. Belvoir Publications. Downey, Julia: 2005 Kit Aircraft Directory, Kitplanes, Volume 21, Number 12, December 2004, page 61. Belvoir Publications. Golden Circle Air went out of business in circa 2006, the designs were acquired by Bret Kivell's Indy Aircraft and put back into production from 2011 to 2021.Vandermeullen, Richard: 2011 Kit Aircraft Buyer's Guide, Kitplanes, Volume 28, Number 12, December 2011, page 56. Belvoir Publications. Bayerl, Robby; Martin Berkemeier; et al: World Directory of Leisure Aviation 2011-12, page 61. WDLA UK, Lancaster UK, 2011. Johnson, Dan: "Oshkosh 2022 – Day 0… T-Bird is Back; Two-Seat Aerolite; and More As the Show Prepares to Open," July 25, 2022, ByDanJohnson.com, retrieved June 20, 2023 In 2021, Matt Shubat incorporated Tbird Aircraft, LLC, and acquired the T-Bird rights and assets of Indy Aircraft. The company offers kits and parts for the T-Bird I and II, refurbishes old aircraft and are developing a new FAR Part 103 ultralight, the Tbird TU."Tbird Aircraft LLC," OpenCorporates.com, retrieved June 20, 2023
Terratorn's Tierra and Tierra II designs have a reputation for structural strength and robustness in service. Though slow compared to other aircraft of comparable weight and power, they are reportedly comparatively "docile" and "predictable" with excellent short-field capability, and an unusually roomy cabin and good visibility. More than 4000 have been completed and flown.Johnson, Dan: "Oshkosh 2022 – Day 0… T-Bird is Back; Two-Seat Aerolite; and More As the Show Prepares to Open," July 25, 2022, ByDanJohnson.com, retrieved June 20, 2023
Aircraft
Model name First flight Number built Type Teratorn Aircraft Teratorn 1970s Single seat ultralight motor glider Teratorn T/A 1980s Single seat ultralight motor glider Teratorn Tierra 1983 more than 1500 Tierras Single seat ultralight aircraft Teratorn Tierra II 1983 more than 2500 Tierra IIs Two seat ultralight aircraft
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