Flexjet is betting big on a next-generation, mostly windowless business jet under development at Texas-based startup Otto Aerospace.
The two companies announced this week that Flexjet has ordered 300 Phantom 3500 aircraft, with options for more. Flexjet will become the launch customer for the type and plans to make the business jet a central part of its global fleet.
The purchase agreement also allows Flexjet’s in-house maintenance organization to become an Otto Aerospace authorized service center.
“For 30 years, Flexjet has led through innovation opposed to imitation, introducing tomorrow’s standards, not reacting to yesterday’s expectations,” Flexjet chairman Kenn Ricci said in a statement. “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.”
Otto Aerospace’s Phantom 3500 concept incorporates a laminar flow architecture intended to reduce drag and cut fuel burn by over 60 percent. It will have a maximum range of about 3,500 nm.
In the rear cabin, traditional windows will be replaced by high-definition, panoramic digital displays. The company has said eliminating traditional acrylic or plexiglass windows makes the aircraft more aerodynamic.
The Phantom 3500 is expected to fly for the first time in 2027.
“Flexjet’s decision to build their fleet around the Phantom 3500 speaks volumes about where aviation is headed,” said Otto Aerospace CEO Paul Touw in a news release. “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.”
Flexjet’s current fleet consists mainly of Gulfstream, Embraer, and Bombardier business jets.
