Sonaca Group announced the signing of a contract with the American company Otto Aerospace for the development of the Phantom 3500, a next-generation business jet designed to significantly reduce fuel consumption through advanced aerodynamic technologies.
At the heart of the program is a concept known as natural laminar flow, which helps reduce aerodynamic drag by maintaining a smoother airflow over the aircraft's surfaces. While the principle has been known for decades, applying it successfully to a large aircraft wing remains a major engineering challenge.
Under this partnership, Sonaca will be responsible, in close collaboration with Otto Aerospace, for the design, industrialization and manufacturing of the prototype's wings, fixed leading edges and empennage. The Group will also support certification activities.
Around 50 engineers from Sonaca's Belgian and Brazilian development teams are currently involved in the program, with the first deliveries scheduled for next year. The project demonstrates the Group's ability to combine expertise from across its international engineering network to support demanding and innovative aerospace developments.
Beyond its improved environmental performance, the Phantom 3500 is expected to offer greater operational flexibility, enabling access to a wider range of airports than conventional business jets.
For Yves Delatte, CEO of Sonaca Group, the program reflects the type of technological challenge that aligns with Sonaca's expertise: "Industrializing a 20-metre laminar-flow wing with the level of precision required for aircraft certification is an exceptional challenge. This is exactly the kind of engineering challenge that defines Sonaca's expertise."
The agreement is part of a broader collaboration with Otto Aerospace and supports Sonaca's strategy of expanding its presence in innovative, technology-driven programs alongside its commercial aerospace, defence and space activities.
By contributing to the development of the Phantom 3500, Sonaca's teams are helping bring advanced aerospace technologies to life while continuing to strengthen the Group's expertise in the design and manufacture of complex aerostructures.