Phase 2
After Fossett's death in 2007, it appeared for a time that the Perlan Project was on permanent hiatus. However, a new team gradually reassembled around Enevoldson and partial funding was secured thanks to commitments from partners in the United States and Australia. A great deal of design work has been done by Greg Cole of Windward Performance to show that a sailplane for 90,000 feet is relatively straightforward, while 100,000 feet is possible, although more difficult and expensive. Windward Performance will build the sailplane of high performance pre-preg in production-quality tooling. The sailplane requires relatively high-end design, analysis, and construction, to be flutter-safe at very high true air speeds, and strong enough for the potentially heavy turbulence that could be encountered at 90,000 feet. It must also have well-proven, fail-safe pressurization and cabin air re-cycling systems. Design and construction are ongoing as of May 2011 in Bend, Oregon, with a $2 million gift by space tourist Dennis Tito helping to keep the project funded. Flight testing is scheduled to begin in California City, California, in spring 2013, while the first attempts to reach 90,000 feet will be launched from El Calafate, Argentina, deep in the south of Patagonia, in the Southern Hemispheric late winter and spring later that year.
In 2010 Jim Payne, holder of numerous world soaring records, joined the project as chief pilot.
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