Delta Air Lines bets on ‘blended-wing’ flight to reduce emissions

JetZero aims to launch a demonstrator proof of concept by 2027. | Image: JetZero

Delta Air Lines is backing a startup that wants to design more fuel-efficient, blended-wing-body aircraft in the hopes of reducing its carbon footprint and making air travel more sustainable. 

The airline said today that it will help support the development of startup JetZero’s blended-wing-body (BWB) demonstrator aircraft that aims to cut fuel consumption, emissions, and noise. Delta isn’t providing any capital investment in the company but, rather, operational support to help make its dream of a blended-wing aircraft a reality. 

JetZero will join Delta’s Sustainable Skies Lab incubator, where it will receive “operational expertise” from the airline’s engineers in the design and construction of a BWB demonstrator aircraft, with the aim to test it in 2027. In 2020, Delta pledged to spend $1 billion on sustainability efforts, including the Sustainable Skies Lab, with the aim of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. 

In a BWB aircraft, there’s no clear dividing line between the wings and the main body of the craft, as they are smoothly blended together. The main advantage of blended-wing designs is to reduce drag associated with conventional tube-and-wing airframes. 

But more than that, JetZero says BWB designs can help reduce emissions by up to 50 percent, while keeping the same engine technology and fueling infrastructure. By reducing drag, providing more lifting surface area and even load and lift distribution, and reducing the overall weight, the company said it can slash the emissions from a conventional airframe in half.

The Long Beach Airport-based startup was founded in 2021 with the goal of developing next-gen sustainable aircraft on the way to zero-emission aviation. The startup says its BWB aircraft can carry up to 250 passengers, the equivalent of a midrange international aircraft. And with engines mounted on top of the aircraft, the noise profile is expected to be much quieter. 

In a BWB aircraft, there’s no clear dividing line between the wings and the main body of the craft

Delta’s support for JetZero comes on top of a $235 million grant from the US Air Force that was awarded in 2023 for the development of a full-scale demonstrator aircraft to validate the blended-wing concept. The company is also collaborating with Northrop Grumman and Scaled Composites to build and test the aircraft.

Delta also believes that JetZero’s BWB design will be compatible with sustainable aviation fuel, which the airline hopes will comprise at least 95 percent of its fuel consumption by 2050.

There are some challenges to designing a blended-wing aircraft, such as developing a safe evacuation process in the case of an emergency landing. Also, the seating would be theater-style, as opposed to rows in a tube-shaped airframe, which could present limitations to the number of exit doors. 

Boeing, Airbus, and even NASA have all worked on BWB designs, but none of their concepts have ever made it into production. FAA certification is also unknown, and until someone actually tries, we may not know what kind of safety challenges will arise.

But Delta believes that JetZero’s design presents a solution “within reach.” 

“Working with JetZero to realize an entirely new airframe and experience for customers and employees is bold and important work to advance the airline industry’s fuel saving initiatives and innovation goals,” said Amelia DeLuca, Delta’s chief sustainability officer, in a statement.