In this episode, we speak with Tom O'Leary, CEO and co-founder of JetZero, which is developing the world's first commercial blended wing body (BWB) aircraft that promises to revolutionise aviation efficiency and passenger experience.
JetZero is one of the visionary companies featured in our new book Sustainability in the Air: Volume Two. You can learn more about the book and order a copy here.
O'Leary discusses:
- JetZero's mission to bring the first all-wing jet to market by the early 2030s, touting its unbeatable 30% aerodynamic efficiency advantage.
- How the BWB design achieves up to 50% reduction in fuel burn and emissions through optimised lift across the entire wingspan, reduced drag, lower weight from carbon composites, and integration with existing single-aisle-sized engines.
- Strategic partnerships with the U.S. Air Force and NASA for dual-use development, plus collaboration with major suppliers like RTX (Pratt & Whitney) and airlines including Delta and Alaska.
- Revolutionary passenger experience features including eight-foot ceilings, six boarding aisles, dedicated personal storage space, and wider seats across all classes.
If you LOVED this episode, you’ll also love the conversation we had with Dr. Christoph Gebald, Co-founder and Co-CEO of Climeworks, who talks about scaling direct air capture technology and its vital role in sustainable aviation. Check it out here.
Learn more about the startups, strategists, and sceptics working to close the gap between growth and green ambition in our new book ‘Sustainability in the Air: Volume Two’. Click here to learn more.
Feel free to reach out via email to podcast@simpliflying.com. For more content on sustainable aviation, visit our website green.simpliflying.com and join the movement. It’s about time.
Links & more:
New book: Sustainability in the Air, Vol Two - SimpliFlying
JetZero
United Invests in JetZero, Could Acquire 200 Blended Wing Body Aircraft - FLYING Magazine
JetZero Pitches Blended Wing Body Tanker as 'Game-Changer’ - A&SF Magazine
‘Daunting but not impossible’: JetZero endeavors to deliver world’s first ‘all-wing’ commercial jet - Flight Global
Sustainability In The Air (2 book series) Paperback Edition - Amazon
How Climeworks is making Direct Air Capture a viable decarbonisation pathway - SimpliFlying
