Story ID: 
Otto Aerospace Freezes Phantom 3500 Jet Design
By: Matt Thurber
Caption: Preliminary design review supports goal of super-midsize performance
Word Count: 457
After completing the preliminary design review (PDR) and freezing the design of the Phantom 3500 light business jet, Otto Aerospace is moving ahead with construction of the first flight test vehicle (FTV1) and sourcing key components from suppliers. Although these activities are taking place at Otto’s facility at Meacham International Airport (KFTW) in Fort Worth, Texas, the company will move to a new campus at Cecil Airport (KVQQ) in Jacksonville, Florida, by the end of the year.
Scott Drennan, Otto’s former president and COO, assumed the role of president and CEO in April following the departure of then-CEO Paul Touw. Drennan was credited with leading the PDR, which was completed at the end of February.
The all-composite Phantom 3500, while categorized as a light jet due to its size and 19,000-pound weight, promises the range and cabin comfort of a super-midsize jet. After the PDR, Drennan said, “Our performance looks great. We are going to match the coast-to-coast performance of all the super-mids.”
With NBAA IFR range (four passengers, 100-nm alternate) of 3,200 nm, the Phantom 3500 is powered by Williams FJ44 engines. What makes the jet different from competitors is a flat-floor cabin that is 6.4 feet tall and 7.5 feet wide with a volume of 800 cu ft, giving it almost the same cabin volume as a super-midsize jet that weighs twice as much. To achieve this performance, the Phantom 3500 will have to fly high, often at its 51,000-foot maximum altitude, and this could present certification challenges for a single-pilot Part 23 design. The laminar-flow design of the jet is a critical part of achieving that performance, and one of the design features is a windowless cabin; passengers’ view of the outside world will be via large cabin screens—called SuperNatural Vision—connected to external cameras.
In addition to beginning composite layups for FTV1, Otto has ordered long lead-time items such as the landing gear forgings from supplier Mecaer. Other suppliers include Leonardo, which will manufacture the fuselage, and Sonaca for the wing and empennage. Garmin will supply some federated avionics for FTV1, and the G3000 Prime integrated suite for the production airplanes, including Garmin Autoland. Otto has also selected F/List to supply interior furnishings and linings.
Otto Aerospace plans to build four FTVs. “We’re trying to stay within a certain schedule to get onto the market in 2030 or 2031,” Drennan said. First flight of FTV1 is planned by the end of 2027.
Some individual buyers have already committed to buying Phantom 3500s, and fractional-share operator Flexjet has made a firm commitment for 300, a deal worth as much as $6 billion at the estimated $19.5 million price. Drennan anticipates officially opening the order book next year.
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