LONG BEACH, Calif. – Alaska Airlines was the first domestic carrier to sell tickets online, in 1995, and the first to use GPS to guide its airplanes in 1996. Now it wants to be the first to implement a new vision for a passenger jet in a bid to slash emissions, Patrick Sisson writes for Fast Company. Continue reading original article.
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
14 August 2024 – JetZero’s blended-wing body (BWB) aircraft design integrates the wings and fuselage into a single smooth shape, reducing aerodynamic drag. Due to an expected 50% fuel reduction compared to the current tube-and-wing design, the BWB will result in potential lower carbon emissions and operating costs. Its unique shape will reduce weight and drag and offers great promise in contributing to a more sustainable future in aviation.
“The biggest challenge for airlines is lowering fuel burn and emissions. Of all the great new technologies in work, the BWB design delivers the biggest impact by far. Airlines will see immediate benefit in cost savings, dramatically lower emissions and improved customer experience, compared to airplanes flying today,” said Tom O’Leary, CEO and co-founder, JetZero. “We’re thrilled to welcome Alaska to our team of innovators, and our belief that this aircraft will reshape aviation.”
“At Alaska, we are always looking for ways to innovate and shape the future of air travel for our guests, employees, and industry,” said Diana Birkett Rakow, senior vice president of public affairs and sustainability at Alaska Airlines. “We are proud to invest in JetZero’s development of this innovative next-generation aircraft, with a significant step-change in fuel efficiency. We and JetZero share a vision for more sustainable aviation, and we are excited to partner with them in creating that future.”
Related: A look at the blended wing body Bombardier EcoJet
Related: Airbus reveals its blended wing aircraft at Singapore Airshow
Related: ZeroAvia to retrofit Alaska Airlines regional turboprop to hydrogen
Jamie Whitney, Senior Editor
Military + Aerospace Electronics