JetZero will build its revolutionary Z4 blended-wing body aircraft in North Carolina
June 13, 2025
Following months of speculation, California-based startup, JetZero, has chosen Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro as the location for its first US plant.
JetZero confirmed its plans just before Paris Air Show, where it will be exhibiting,.
It will use the state-of-the-art manufacturing plant and final assembly line facility to produce its Z4 aircraft.
Benefits of the blended-wing body concept
The blended-wing body Z4 aircraft is hailed for its game-changing design. By blending the wings and the fuselage, drag is reduced and lift increased.
Engineered to deliver up to 50% greater fuel efficiency, cutting-edge performance and enhanced comfort for both passengers and crew, the aircraft’s design will deliver a “cleaner, quieter, improved travel experience.”
The company has opted against electric propulsion systems, including hybrid and hydrogen-based powertrains, which would delay certification and compromise performance.
According to Andrew Chang, head of United Airlines Ventures (UAV), the Z4 has the “potential to transform the passenger in-flight experience, while enabling a step-change improvement in fuel efficiency.”
United Airlines is set to be a customer of JetZero’s aircraft
United Airlines has placed a conditional purchase agreement for 100 units of the aircraft plus another 100 options. Similarly, JetZero has secured an agreement with Alaska Airlines for an undisclosed number of orders and Delta is also backing its programme.
The confirmation of the North Carolina plant is “an important and exciting milestone for the company to take their aircraft from concept to commercialisation,” added Chang.
JetZero’s Z4 will seat around 250 passengers and will be capable of flying routes of up to 5,000 nm, filling a gap in the “underserved middle market”.
New era for cabin design
Featuring a large door and configured with six passenger bays with their own dedicated aisle, the Z4 design will redefine the passenger experience.
Each seating bay has no more than 12 rows, while each seat will be at least 18 inches wide and will have its own dedicated overhead bin. Vertical walls inside the cabin will offer unparalleled comfort levels for each seating bay.
JetZero and Factorydesign reveal initial cabin concepts for blended wing body jet https://t.co/tGTpxdRUT3 #paxex #avgeek pic.twitter.com/QCvx0X7raV
— Runway Girl (@RunwayGirl) May 17, 2023
Passengers with reduced mobility will have access to wheelchair accessible lavatories, while other lavatories will be located as far away as possible from the central galley. No more meals being prepared next to the bathrooms.
A full-scale prototype of the aircraft is slated for its first flight in 2027, with first customer deliveries expected until the 2030s, at which point JetZero plans to produce up to 20 of its Z4 aircraft per month.
However, the construction on the new North Carolina facility is not expected to begin until the first half of 2026 and a timeline for its completion is yet to be confirmed.
The birthplace of aviation
Still, the announcement of the location for the plant marks an exciting chapter for JetZero.
“It marks a critical milestone in bringing our all-wing Z4 to market,” said Tom O’Leary, CEO and co-found of JetZero.
He also noted that the decision to base its plant in North Carolina is particularly poignant as it is often referred to as the “birthplace of aviation,” having been where the Wright Brothers conducted the first successful powered flight in 1903.
According to Piedmont Triad Airport Authority’s executive director, Kevin Baker, the decision to select the Greensboro location is also a “powerful validation of PTI’s long-term vision to build an airport that is more than a place of transportation, but a centre of aerospace excellence.”
He also stated the project “reflects everything we’ve worked toward at PTI to creae high-paying jobs and a sustainable, innovation 0driven future for the airport, the region and the state.” The new facility is expected to generate more than 14,500 jobs.
