JetZero

Last updated
JetZero
Industry Aerospace
Founded2021;4 years ago (2021) in Long Beach, California
Founders
Headquarters
Long Beach, California
,
U.S.
Website www.jetzero.aero

JetZero is a startup company in the aviation industry founded in Long Beach, California, in 2021. [1] It focuses on blended wing body aircraft. [2] [3] The U.S. Air Force, NASA, and a small group of private investors supplied the initial funding. [4]

Contents

Tom O’Leary is a co-founder and the CEO. Mark Page is a co-founder and the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). [4] The company announced it will invest $4.7 billion to build its first manufacturing plant near Piedmont Triad International Airport in Guilford County, North Carolina, which will produce its next-generation middle of the market passenger aircraft, the Z4, creating over 14,500 jobs. [5]

History

A rendering of the JetZero blended wing body aircraft prototype for the US Air Force JetZero blended wing body aircraft prototype concept art.jpg
A rendering of the JetZero blended wing body aircraft prototype for the US Air Force

In 2023, JetZero announced its Z4 project, designed to carry 250 passengers, targeting the New Midmarket Airplane category, to use existing Pratt & Whitney PW2040 43,000 lbf (190 kN) engines. [6] [7] [8] In August 2023, the U.S. Air Force announced a $235-million contract awarded over a four-year period to JetZero, culminating in first flight of the full-scale demonstrator by the first quarter of 2027. [9] The goal of the contract is to demonstrate the capabilities of BWB technology, giving the Department of Defense and commercial industry more options for their future air platforms. [10] [11] In January 2024 the company began moving into a 275,000 sq ft (25,500 m2) space at Long Beach Airport formerly occupied by Gulfstream. [1] In March 2024 its Pathfinder 1:8 scale demonstrator received its airworthiness certificate from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), clearing the aircraft for test flights at Edwards Air Force Base in California. [12] [13] [14]

The Demonstrator aircraft is being built in partnership with Scaled Composites (Northrop Grumman). [15]

It will use the PW2040 engine. [16]

References

  1. 1 2 Richardson, Brandon (January 9, 2024). "Aircraft developer JetZero to take over long-empty Gulfstream space at Long Beach Airport". Long Beach Business Journal.
  2. ↑ Prisco, Jacopo (August 21, 2023). "JetZero: Is this new plane design the future of aviation?". CNN.
  3. ↑ "Blended Wing Body Aircraft". Northrop Grumman.
  4. 1 2 Karlin, Susan (May 31, 2023). "How JetZero aims to be the 'SpaceX of aviation'". Fast Company.
  5. ↑ "JetZero plans to build $4.7B plant in North Carolina, aims to create 14,500 jobs". Associated Press . 2025-06-12.
  6. ↑ Norris, Guy; Warwick, Graham (April 21, 2023). "JetZero Unveils Midmarket Airliner And Air Force Tanker BWB Plan". Aviation Week. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  7. ↑ Roza, David (May 2, 2023). "As USAF Considers a Blended-Wing Body Tanker, New Startup Reveals Its Concept". Air & Space Forces Magazine.
  8. ↑ "RTX powers JetZero's fuel efficient aviation leap". RTX Press Release. March 6, 2025.
  9. ↑ Richardson, Brandon (August 16, 2023). "Long Beach-based JetZero awarded $235M government contract to develop new aircraft prototype". Long Beach Business Journal.
  10. ↑ Marrow, Michael (August 16, 2023). "Air Force picks startup JetZero to build blended wing body demonstrator". breakingdefense.com. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  11. ↑ Alcock, Charles (August 16, 2023). "JetZero's blended-wing body aircraft boosted by U.S. Air Force contract". futureflight.aero. Retrieved August 17, 2023.
  12. ↑ Cormack, Rachel (March 27, 2024). "This New Blended-Wing Jetliner Was Just Cleared for Test Flights". Robb Report.
  13. ↑ Norris, Guy (February 22, 2024). "JetZero Scaled Demo BWB First Flight Imminent". Aviation Week.
  14. ↑ Prisco, Jacopo (April 4, 2024). "JetZero: Groundbreaking 'blended-wing' demonstrator plane cleared to fly". CNN.
  15. ↑ https://www.jetzero.aero/progress
  16. ↑ https://aviationweek.com/podcasts/check-6/podcast-what-we-saw-inside-jetzero
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