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3h ago

Flexjet Orders 300 Windowless Otto Phantom 3500 Jets in Nearly $6 Billion Bet

The deal backs a windowless, laminar‑flow design that still requires flight testing and FAA approval.

The panoramic virtual views are meant to eliminate drag and energy wasted associated with windows.
Otto's leaders include engineers and entrepreneurs who have previously worked at organizations like the FAA, Apple, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Textron.
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Overview

  • Flexjet agreed to buy 300 Phantom 3500s from startup Otto Aerospace, a commitment Business Insider values at nearly $6 billion with deliveries targeted for 2030 after a first flight planned in 2027.
  • The nine‑seat cabin eliminates passenger windows in favor of synchronized high‑definition exterior‑camera displays, while the cockpit retains conventional windows.
  • Otto says a teardrop, composite fuselage optimized for laminar flow and the removal of windows will cut fuel burn by about 60% versus comparable jets, though those claims remain unproven in flight.
  • Published specifications include cruising up to 51,000 feet, an expected range near 3,500 nautical miles, and a list price around $19.5 million, with the company projecting roughly 50% lower operating costs.
  • Otto notes it tested its laminar technology on a full‑scale demonstrator from 2017 to 2020, and both certification hurdles and passenger acceptance of virtual windows remain open questions.