A Texas-based "start-up" Otto Aerospace has just announced an order, for 300 units of its upcoming Phantom 3500 business jet by the business aviation operator Flexjet.
A project that, if it comes to fruition, could be a game-changer in the private aviation market over the next decade. The press release read as:
Otto Aerospace today announced its first fleet customer, naming Flexjet as the launch customer for the next-generation Phantom 3500 business jet—a clean-sheet, ultra-efficient aircraft that leverages breakthrough laminar-flow aerodynamics and precision all-carbon-fiber composites to cut fuel burn by over 60%. The landmark deal includes a firm order for 300 Phantom 3500 business jets with additional options.
The Otto Aerospace Phantom 3500 is expected to cost $19.5 million each, or about 17 million euros.
The aircraft design is different- a business jet with no traditional windows, its fuselage wrapped in smooth composite skin, cameras feeding live footage to six-foot-wide displays lining the cabin walls. The company has branded this setup “SuperNatural Vision.”
Without the fuselage window cutouts interrupting the fuselage, air slides smoothly over the carbon-fiber monolithic skin. The relatively smaller engines made possible by reduced fuel needs, and Otto argues it can deliver 3,200 to 3,500 nautical miles of range, 590 mph cruise speeds, and access to short runways.
First flight of the Phantom 3500 is expected in 2027, with deliveries beginning in 2030. The agreement represents one of the largest aircraft orders to an OEM in business aviation history.
With 72-inch-wide windows, the Phantom 3500 will be built to offer a panoramic and glare-free view of the curvature of the Earth, from its cruising altitude of 15,000 meters.
Flexjet Chairman Kenn Ricci, said:
“For 30 years, Flexjet has led through innovation opposed to imitation, introducing tomorrow’s standards, not reacting to yesterday’s expectations,”
“The Phantom 3500 exemplifies that approach perfectly, marking a bold step into a future where an aircraft’s efficiency and sustainability stand alongside speed, comfort, and range as defining standards. This collaboration with Otto Aerospace further affirms our leadership role in delivering to fractional aircraft Owners the future of luxury private aviation.”
Flexjet is a global fleet operator and leader in private aviation, offering fractional ownership and leasing supported by a fully integrated maintenance and product support ecosystem. Beyond the 300 aircraft order, the agreement also grants Flexjet’s in-house maintenance organization the ability to become an Otto authorized service center.
The company plans to integrate the Phantom 3500 into its growing fleet to provide clients with a more sustainable, long-range travel experience, delivered through the same personalized service that defines the Flexjet brand.
That experience begins with access to private terminals and extends to exclusive destinations, premium offerings, and curated events available only to members of its community.
Paul Touw, CEO of Otto Aerospace, said :
“Flexjet’s decision to build their fleet around the Phantom 3500 speaks volumes about where aviation is headed. As one of the largest business jet orders in private aviation history, this marks a turning point in the industry’s move toward sustainable and efficient air travel,”
“The Phantom 3500 will redefine private aviation, providing Flexjet with a fleet that dramatically reduces costs while expanding operational capabilities and enhancing the customer flying experience.”
The ambitious Phantom 3500 aircraft relies on full laminar aerodynamics, which means the air flows ultra-fluidly without creating turbulence.
A rare aerostructure design in aviation because it requires surfaces of absolute perfection, this approach drastically reduces air resistance. Coupled with a structure made entirely of carbon fiber composites, this technical feat saves more than 60% of fuel.
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