Sonaca To Build Wings, Empennage for Otto Phantom 3500

Sonaca Group signed a multi-year contract with Otto Aerospace covering the design, industrialization, and manufacture of the wings, fixed leading edges, and empennage of the laminar-flow Phantom 3500, the companies announced Monday at the Farnborough International Airshow. The agreement cements the Belgian aerostructures specialist’s stake in Otto’s business jet program, and forms part of a broader partnership under which Sonaca aims to supply the program’s key aerostructures over the long term.

About 50 engineers from Sonaca’s Belgian and Brazilian operations are dedicated to the effort, with delivery of the prototype structures—including the approximately 20-meter wingspan—scheduled for next year, Sonaca said. Otto aims to fly the first Phantom 3500 in 2027, with certification of the super-midsize jet targeted for 2030. Sonaca claims the design’s natural laminar flow, aided by the absence of cabin windows, will cut fuel burn by more than 50% compared with current jets in its class.

For Sonaca, the deal extends a diversification push spanning business aviation, defense, and space work. “Laminar flow is a concept that has been known in aerospace for many years,” said CEO Yves Delatte. “Successfully industrializing it on a 20-meter wing with the level of precision required for aircraft certification is an entirely different challenge in its own right.”

At the signing, Delatte expressed his hope for what “the technological and industrial expertise” at Sonaca can achieve with laminar-flow technology. “I have a dream,” he said. “I want my children and grandchildren to keep discovering the world by flying.”

Otto CEO Scott Drennan, meanwhile, traced the agreement to the trust established through years of relationships. “It’s created by two human beings,” he said, “who then translate that into technical success.” Drennan called the partnership “a critical milestone on our path to first flight.”