JetZero

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]

A rendering of the JetZero blended wing body aircraft prototype for the US Air Force

Tom O’Leary is a co-founder and the CEO. Mark Page is a co-founder and the Chief Technology Officer (CTO).^[4]

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 43,000 lbf (190 kN) engines.^[5][6][7] 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.^[8] 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.^[9][10] In January 2024 the company began moving into a 275,000 sq ft 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.^[11][12][13]