Delta and JetZero Collaborate on Innovative Blended-Wing Aircraft
On March 6, 2025, JetZero announced its partnership with Delta Air Lines to develop a groundbreaking blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft aimed at enhancing fuel efficiency and diminishing emissions. This aircraft is poised to consume up to 50% less fuel than conventional tube-and-wing models, aligning with Delta’s strategic goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
In 2023, JetZero secured a grant from the U.S. Air Force to create a full-scale demonstrator, with its maiden flight projected for 2027. Delta will lend its operational expertise through its Sustainable Skies Lab. Amelia DeLuca, Chief Sustainability Officer at Delta, remarked, “Collaborating with JetZero to bring forth an entirely new airframe and experience for both customers and employees is a bold and critical endeavor.”
The BWB design, initially assessed by NASA and Stanford in the 1990s, is designed to minimize drag while maximizing lift efficiency and ensuring even load dispersion. It will incorporate existing propulsion systems capable of running on sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), with engines positioned above the airframe to reduce noise.
Tom O’Leary, JetZero’s co-founder and CEO, emphasized the importance of their efforts, stating, “JetZero aims to revolutionize the aviation industry by introducing an aircraft intended to operate within this decade, making notable strides toward lowering airline energy expenses and related emissions. Achieving substantial efficiency gains shortly will significantly impact the industry’s ambition of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050, serving as a foundation for further technological advancements and efficiencies. Delta has been a pioneering partner since 2023, and we anticipate their ongoing support of our initiative, benefiting from their extensive knowledge and experience.”
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For additional insights, check out JetZero’s announcement of five companies selected to supply flight control systems for its BWB demonstrator.
By Jamie Whitney, editor at Military & Aerospace Electronics and Intelligent Aerospace, with over seven years in the aerospace and defense electronics sector.
