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As the Long Beach Airport (LGB) wraps up the celebration of its 100th anniversary in 2023, it's beginning 2024 with a bright new future in next-gen aviation.
The airport celebrated in a social media post on Thursday the announcement that JetZero, a developer of blended-wing-body (BWB) aircraft for potential commercial and military use, will take over space on its grounds once occupied by Gulfstream Aerospace.
The Long Beach Business Journal reports that JetZero, which was founded in the area, will move into about 275,000 square feet of hangar and office space. After more than three decades, Gulfstream pulled much of its presence from the airport, leaving city leaders "blindsided."
In April, JetZero unveiled its concept aircraft, which it says will be able to operate completely on SAF, cut fuel consumption in half and will able to be adapted to fly on future fuels such as liquid hydrogen.
The company is working with Northrop Grumman, maker of the B-21 Raider, to develop and produce a full-scale demonstrator for the Air Force's BWB competition.
In July, the Air Force awarded JetZero a $235 million award that the company says will lead to the first flight of a full-scale demonstrator by the first quarter of 2027. It would then take flight for testing sometime shortly after.
Replacing the traditional tube fuselage of an aircraft with a triangularly shaped wedge model, [LINK]JetZero says its unique cabin layout will provide commercial operators with more aisles and more bin space with a dedicated place for every passenger's carry-on bag.
"We are delighted that JetZero has chosen to expand their operations right here … building on our long legacy of innovation in the aviation industry," the Long Beach Airport posted on its Facebook account. "This is exciting news for both our local economy and the future of sustainability in flight."