A new aircraft design has been approved to take flight over California, promising to save fuel and emit less greenhouse gas than conventional planes.
At the end of March, JetZero, based in Long Beach, announced that the Pathfinder, a one-eighth scale prototype of a blended-wing-body aircraft, has been certified for flight by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and is ready for test flights, as reported by CNN on April 4.
The blended-wing-body aircraft has a shape entirely different from today’s wide-body planes. (Photo: JetZero).
As the aviation industry seeks to reduce carbon emissions, it faces greater challenges than other sectors due to the inherent difficulties in changing core technologies. The blended-wing-body design resembles the “flying wing” concept used by military aircraft, such as the B-2 bomber, but the blended wings occupy a larger volume in the center of the fuselage. JetZero’s recent development milestone brings the company closer to its goal of operationalizing this aircraft type by 2030.
According to Tom O’Leary, co-founder and CEO of JetZero, the blended-wing-body aircraft could consume 50% less fuel and emit 50% less greenhouse gas. A significant technical challenge that has made manufacturers hesitant is the pressurization of a non-cylindrical fuselage. Tube-shaped aircraft handle the expansion and contraction cycles associated with each flight better. Additionally, the new shape alters the aircraft’s interior compared to current wide-body designs. The same number of passengers could be seated in 15 to 20 rows across the cabin, depending on the aircraft’s configuration, instead of the usual three aisles.
O’Leary noted that the closest size comparison for the blended-wing-body aircraft is the Boeing 767, a twin-engine wide-body aircraft introduced in the 1980s, which can carry 210 passengers. This aircraft is still produced for cargo transport but has been replaced by the Boeing 787 for passenger operations. It also has a modern military version, the KC-46, used by the U.S. Air Force for aerial refueling.
Similarly, JetZero aims to develop three versions simultaneously, including a passenger aircraft with over 200 seats, a cargo aircraft, and a refueling aircraft. Last year, the U.S. Air Force invested $235 million in JetZero to develop a full-size prototype and test the performance of the design. This military version will pave the way and support the development of commercial variants.
The Pathfinder test aircraft has a wingspan of 7 meters, which is about 12.5% of the full-size version, and is expected to take off in 2027. The aircraft is designed to be 100% compatible with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and has internal capacity for hydrogen storage. JetZero has not announced any orders for this aircraft model but has shared that airlines are very interested in the anticipated performance improvements.
