Key facts
- JetZero is constructing a full-size blended-wing demonstrator aircraft.
- The new design aims to reduce fuel consumption by up to 50% compared to conventional jets.
- The company has secured early investment and interest from United Airlines and Alaska Airlines.
- The U.S. Air Force is providing partial funding for the demonstrator project.
- JetZero aims for commercial production to begin around 2030.
Inside a hangar in California's Mojave Desert, startup JetZero is constructing a full-size demonstrator of a blended-wing commercial jet, a design that merges the fuselage and wings into a single lifting surface. This novel aircraft, shaped like a manta ray, aims to significantly cut fuel use by up to 50% and could challenge the dominance of established manufacturers like Airbus and Boeing in the lucrative middle-of-the-market segment.
The test plane, scheduled for its first flight by the end of next year, is being built by Scaled Composites, a Northrop Grumman subsidiary, and will use Pratt & Whitney engines. The project has garnered early interest and investment from airlines such as United Airlines and Alaska Airlines, with United potentially buying up to 200 aircraft. The U.S. Air Force is also providing substantial funding, selecting JetZero for a $235 million, four-year effort to develop the demonstrator.
JetZero CEO Tom O’Leary stated that the company is leveraging over 30 years of NASA research and existing technology to bring this concept to fruition. The design replaces the traditional tube fuselage with a wide, flat cabin, offering new interior possibilities and mounting engines above the rear for reduced noise and improved efficiency. The company aims for commercial production to begin around 2030, contingent on certification timelines for the innovative design.
However, significant hurdles remain. Richard Aboulafia of AeroDynamic Advisory noted that JetZero must first prove its promised efficiency gains and then secure billions of dollars in funding for certification. Aeronautical engineer Bjorn Fehrm suggested the design might be better suited for military applications requiring stealth and cargo volume rather than passenger transport. Despite skepticism, JetZero successfully raised $175 million in a recent funding round and plans further rounds, with a potential public listing by 2028, capitalizing on investor interest in aerospace innovation.