PDR Passed By Otto's Phantom 3500 Otto Aerospace's Phantom 3500 laminar flow aircraft has passed its Preliminary Design Review (PDR) which continues to give the program momentum towards the first flight in 2027. By late in 2027 the first aircraft which will be FTV1 should make its first flight according to Otto CEO and President Scott Drennan. The '800 Project' -which is what the model is referred to as internally-, went through the PDR over a two day period at the company's planned future home in Jacksonville, Florida.
The 800 Project will be efficient thanks to its Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) design. The aircraft will be significantly more efficient than most aircraft in its category or class. For example, the aircraft design features a slotted NLF wing that maintains laminar flow over 85-90-percent of its upper and lower surfaces compared with less than 20-percent for a conventional wing, according to Otto Aerospace. If this translates accurately in the real world the NLF technology can potentially reduce fuel burn by more than 60-percent.
The technology has been proven when it was employed on the Celera 500L aircraft. That aircraft served as an initial demonstrator approximately 8 years ago. Using the Celera 500L back in 2018 demonstrated 59-percent lower drag compared to conventional aircraft of similar size, Otto Aviation said. The design continued to be fine-tuned since then.
In terms of the expected performance of the 800 Project/Phantom 3500. The real aircraft is expected to have a maximum takeoff weight in the region of 19,000 lbs. Otto Aerospace says the aircraft will have an impressive range of 3,500 nautical miles -hence the model name- and have a ceiling of 51,000-feet. The airframer is planning to certify this aircraft under FAA Part 23 regulations. The Phantom 3500 will have a standup cabin that can compete with some super-midsize business jets in the market that are certified under Part 25. In terms of the NLF technology working to save operators in the future, it is estimated that the operating costs are touted to be 50-percent lower than that of a super midsize jet. FlexJet has place a significant order for the Phantom 3500. For more information: Otto Aerospace 4121 Lincoln Ave, Hangar 1, Fort Worth, TX 76106, USA www.ottoaerospace.com ***
