A California Startup Just Bet Big on the Plane That Could Reshape Air Travel
JetZero is racing to build the first full-scale blended-wing jet, and if it works, airlines could cut fuel bills in half.
In a hangar deep in the Mojave Desert, engineers are assembling a demonstrator aircraft that looks nothing like a normal plane. The wings and body flow into one manta ray-shaped surface, a design NASA studied for decades but never brought to market.
Key Details
The demonstrator is set to fly by the end of 2027. It’s being built by Scaled Composites, owned by Northrop Grumman, and will run on Pratt & Whitney engines borrowed from the Boeing 757. The U.S. Air Force is backing the project with $235 million over four years. If the test flight goes well, JetZero plans to start commercial production in 2030 at a new manufacturing site in Greensboro, North Carolina.
United Airlines and Alaska Airlines have already shown interest. United’s backing includes rights to buy up to 100 jets, with options for 100 more. In January, JetZero pulled in $175 million from investors including B Capital, United Airlines Ventures, Northrop Grumman, and RTX Ventures. CEO Tom O’Leary says another funding round is coming this year, with a possible stock market listing by 2028.
Market Reaction
Aerospace investors are watching closely, especially after SpaceX’s record IPO last month pushed its valuation to $2 trillion, a moment several industry executives say has changed how they think about going public.
Why It Matters
Fuel is the biggest expense airlines face. A design that trims that cost by half could shift how carriers plan future fleets, and shake up a market Boeing and Airbus have controlled for decades.
What to Watch
The 2027 test flight will decide whether JetZero’s promises hold up in the air, not just on paper.
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Source: Reuters
