Company:JetZero

From HandWiki
JetZero
IndustryAerospace
Founded2021; 5 years ago (2021) in Long Beach, California
Founders
Headquarters
Long Beach, California
,
U.S.
Websitewww.jetzero.aero

JetZero is an American startup company in the aviation industry founded in Long Beach, California, in 2021.[1] It focuses on blended wing body aircraft.[2] The company announced it will build its first manufacturing plant near Piedmont Triad International Airport in Guilford County, North Carolina, which will produce its next-generation aircraft.[3]

History

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 middle-of-the-market category, to use existing Pratt & Whitney PW2040 43,000 lbf (190 kN) engines.[4][5][6] 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.[7] 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.[8][9] 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.[10][11][12]

The Demonstrator aircraft is being built in partnership with Scaled Composites (Northrop Grumman).[13] It will use a Pratt and Whitney PW2040 engine,[14] and nacelles built by Collins Aerospace[15]

In 2025, JetZero continued development of its full-scale blended wing body (BWB) demonstrator, known as Jet1, with construction taking place at Scaled Composites' facility in Mojave, California. The program remained focused on achieving a first flight in 2027 under the U.S. Air Force contract. The company also continued flight testing of its Pathfinder series of subscale aircraft, using the data collected to refine flight-control software, aerodynamic models, and the configuration of the full-scale demonstrator.[16][17]

Programs

  • Pathfinder;[12]
  • The Z4,[5] which is V-shaped. According to the manufacturer, the aircraft will be able to carry 250 passengers over a distance of more than 9,000 kilometers.[18]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Richardson, Brandon (January 9, 2024). "Aircraft developer JetZero to take over long-empty Gulfstream space at Long Beach Airport". Long Beach Business Journal. https://lbbusinessjournal.com/news/business/aircraft-developer-jetzero-to-take-over-long-empty-gulfstream-space-at-long-beach-airport/. 
  2. ↑ Karlin, Susan (May 31, 2023). "How JetZero aims to be the 'SpaceX of aviation'". Fast Company. https://www.fastcompany.com/90902351/how-jetzero-aims-to-be-the-spacex-of-aviation. 
  3. ↑ "JetZero plans to build $4.7B plant in North Carolina, aims to create 14,500 jobs". 2025-06-12. https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-airplane-plant-jetzero-fdb49ed6c9d38981765ef1f421e3357a. 
  4. ↑ Norris, Guy; Warwick, Graham (April 21, 2023). "JetZero Unveils Midmarket Airliner And Air Force Tanker BWB Plan". Aviation Week. https://m.aviationweek.com/aerospace/emerging-technologies/jetzero-unveils-midmarket-airliner-air-force-tanker-bwb-plan. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Roza, David (May 2, 2023). "As USAF Considers a Blended-Wing Body Tanker, New Startup Reveals Its Concept". https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-blended-wing-body-tanker-jetzero/. 
  6. ↑ "RTX powers JetZero's fuel efficient aviation leap". March 6, 2025. https://home.rtx.com/News/2025/03/06/JetZero. 
  7. ↑ Richardson, Brandon (August 16, 2023). "Long Beach-based JetZero awarded $235M government contract to develop new aircraft prototype". Long Beach Business Journal. https://lbbusinessjournal.com/aerospace/jetzero-235m-government-blended-wing-body-prototype/. 
  8. ↑ Marrow, Michael (August 16, 2023). "Air Force picks startup JetZero to build blended wing body demonstrator". https://breakingdefense.com/2023/08/air-force-picks-startup-jetzero-to-build-blended-wing-body-demonstrator/. 
  9. ↑ Alcock, Charles (August 16, 2023). "JetZero's blended-wing body aircraft boosted by U.S. Air Force contract". https://www.futureflight.aero/news-article/2023-08-16/jetzeros-blended-wing-body-aircraft-boosted-us-air-force-contract. 
  10. ↑ Cormack, Rachel (March 27, 2024). "This New Blended-Wing Jetliner Was Just Cleared for Test Flights". Robb Report. https://robbreport.com/motors/aviation/jet-zero-blended-wing-jetliner-test-flights-1235561767/. 
  11. ↑ Norris, Guy (February 22, 2024). "JetZero Scaled Demo BWB First Flight Imminent". Aviation Week. https://aviationweek.com/shownews/singapore-airshow/jetzero-scaled-demo-bwb-first-flight-imminent. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 Prisco, Jacopo (April 4, 2024). "JetZero: Groundbreaking 'blended-wing' demonstrator plane cleared to fly". CNN. https://www.cnn.com/travel/jetzero-pathfinder-subscale-demonstrator/index.html. 
  13. ↑ https://www.jetzero.aero/progress
  14. ↑ https://aviationweek.com/podcasts/check-6/podcast-what-we-saw-inside-jetzero
  15. ↑ https://www.rtx.com/news/news-center/2025/03/06/rtxs-pratt-whitney-and-collins-aerospace-to-lead-engine-integration-and-supply
  16. ↑ Tirpak, John (2025-01-03). "Air Force Tests Subscale Model of Blended-Wing Body Jet" (in en-US). https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-subscale-model-blended-wing-body/. 
  17. ↑ "Progress" (in en). https://www.jetzero.aero/progress. 
  18. ↑ "L'avion du futur va-t-il ressembler au Z4 de JetZero ?" (in fr). August 8, 2025. https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinfo/podcasts/bientot-chez-vous/l-avion-du-futur-va-t-il-ressembler-au-z4-de-jetzero-9872314. 



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