Easyjet has announced a tie-up with a US-based firm to develop revolutionary “blended-wing” technology it claims will cut fuel burn by 50 per cent.
The budget airline is the first European airline to partner with Jetzero, which has already attracted support for its project from Alaska Airlines, NASA and the US Air Force, ahead of a planned launch in 2030.
The blended-wing has been described as one of the biggest leaps forward in the history of commercial aircraft design.
It is said to “dramatically improve aerodynamic efficiency when compared with the more traditional tube-and-wing model, thanks in part to a more slender wing design”.
“Jetzero’s blended wing body configuration delivers what the industry most needs today: lower fuel burn, lower emissions and a viable path to zero carbon emissions,” Tom O’Leary, chief executive and cofounder, said.
‘Incredibly exciting’ – Easyjet COO
David Morgan, chief operating officer of Easyjet, said it had the potential to “maximise efficiencies and significantly reduce fuel burn and emissions in the process”.
Easyjet will share its expertise in hydrogen with Jetzero as part of the partnership. The carrier has in recent years put its weight behind hydrogen propulsion systems as a critical alternative to conventional, carbon producing jet fuels.
The novel shape of the blended-wing aircraft means the technology would solve hydrogen storage issues, a major barrier to the renewable fuel’s roll-out, Easyjet said in a statement.
It could also help improve reduce the amount of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF) per passenger, trimming the expensive cost of the aviation sector’s transition to the nascent biofuel technology.
Morgan added: “Its potential to be powered by SAF or hydrogen in the future is also incredibly exciting and we look forward to working with JetZero over the coming years alongside our other partners to achieve our joint ambition to deliver a more sustainable pathway for the aviation industry.”