JetZero
{{Short description|American aviation company}}
File:JetZero blended wing body aircraft prototype concept art.jpg ]]
JetZero is a startup company in the aviation industry founded in Long Beach, California, in 2021.{{cite news |last1=Richardson |first1=Brandon |title=Aircraft developer JetZero to take over long-empty Gulfstream space at Long Beach Airport |url=https://lbbusinessjournal.com/news/business/aircraft-developer-jetzero-to-take-over-long-empty-gulfstream-space-at-long-beach-airport/ |work=Long Beach Business Journal |date=January 9, 2024}} It focuses on blended wing body aircraft. {{cite news|url=https://edition.cnn.com/2023/08/21/travel/jetzero-blended-wing-plane-climate-spc/index.html|title=JetZero: Is this new plane design the future of aviation?|first1=Jacopo|last1=Prisco|publisher=CNN|date=August 21, 2023}}{{cite web |title=Blended Wing Body Aircraft |url=https://www.northropgrumman.com/what-we-do/air/blended-wing-body-aircraft |publisher=Northrop Grumman}}
The U.S. Air Force, NASA, and a small group of private investors supplied the initial funding.
Tom O’Leary is a co-founder and the CEO. Mark Page is a co-founder and the Chief Technology Officer (CTO).{{cite web |last1=Karlin |first1=Susan |title=How JetZero aims to be the ‘SpaceX of aviation’ |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90902351/how-jetzero-aims-to-be-the-spacex-of-aviation |publisher=Fast Company |date=May 31, 2023}} 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.{{Cite web|url=https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-airplane-plant-jetzero-fdb49ed6c9d38981765ef1f421e3357a|title=JetZero plans to build $4.7B plant in North Carolina, aims to create 14,500 jobs|date=2025-06-12|website=Associated Press}}
History
In 2023, JetZero announced its Z4 project, designed to carry 250 passengers, targeting the New Midmarket Airplane category, to use existing Pratt & Whitney PW2040 {{cvt|43,000|lbf|kN}} engines.{{cite news |last1=Norris |first1=Guy |last2=Warwick |first2=Graham |title=JetZero Unveils Midmarket Airliner And Air Force Tanker BWB Plan |url=https://m.aviationweek.com/aerospace/emerging-technologies/jetzero-unveils-midmarket-airliner-air-force-tanker-bwb-plan |work=Aviation Week |access-date=August 17, 2023 |date=April 21, 2023}}{{Cite news |last=Roza |first=David |date=May 2, 2023 |title=As USAF Considers a Blended-Wing Body Tanker, New Startup Reveals Its Concept |website=Air & Space Forces Magazine |url=https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-blended-wing-body-tanker-jetzero/}}{{Cite news |date=March 6, 2025 |title=RTX powers JetZero’s fuel efficient aviation leap |website=RTX Press Release |url=https://home.rtx.com/News/2025/03/06/JetZero}} 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.{{cite news|url=https://lbbusinessjournal.com/aerospace/jetzero-235m-government-blended-wing-body-prototype/|title=Long Beach-based JetZero awarded $235M government contract to develop new aircraft prototype|work=Long Beach Business Journal|first1=Brandon|last1=Richardson|date=August 16, 2023}} 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.{{cite web |last1=Marrow |first1=Michael |title=Air Force picks startup JetZero to build blended wing body demonstrator |url=https://breakingdefense.com/2023/08/air-force-picks-startup-jetzero-to-build-blended-wing-body-demonstrator/ |website=breakingdefense.com |access-date=August 17, 2023 |date=August 16, 2023}}{{cite web |last1=Alcock |first1=Charles |title=JetZero's blended-wing body aircraft boosted by U.S. Air Force contract |url=https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-08-16/jetzeros-blended-wing-body-aircraft-boosted-us-air-force-contract |website=futureflight.aero |access-date=August 17, 2023 |date=August 16, 2023}}
In January 2024 the company began moving into a 275,000 sq ft space at Long Beach Airport formerly occupied by Gulfstream.
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.{{cite web |last1=Cormack |first1=Rachel |title=This New Blended-Wing Jetliner Was Just Cleared for Test Flights |url=https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/jet-zero-blended-wing-jetliner-test-flights-1235561767/ |publisher=Robb Report |date=March 27, 2024}}{{cite web |last1=Norris |first1=Guy |title=JetZero Scaled Demo BWB First Flight Imminent |url=https://aviationweek.com/shownews/singapore-airshow/jetzero-scaled-demo-bwb-first-flight-imminent |publisher=Aviation Week |date=February 22, 2024}}{{cite news |last1=Prisco |first1=Jacopo |title=JetZero: Groundbreaking ‘blended-wing’ demonstrator plane cleared to fly |url=https://www.cnn.com/travel/jetzero-pathfinder-subscale-demonstrator/index.html |publisher=CNN |date=April 4, 2024}}
The Demonstrator aircraft is being built in partnership with Scaled Composites (Northrop Grumman).https://www.jetzero.aero/progress
It will use the PW2040 engine.https://aviationweek.com/podcasts/check-6/podcast-what-we-saw-inside-jetzero
References
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