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Natilus (San Diego, Calif., U.S.), an aerospace manufacturer of blended wing body (BWB) aircraft, has begun the process of selecting the site for its first U.S. manufacturing facility. This large-scale facility will produce the company’s regional BWB freighter Kona, said to be the first of its kind in the world. This facility will be followed by a larger production footprint for its 200-passenger aircraft, Horizon.

“Even though we're still 18-24 months away from flight, with another 18 months for certification after that, we need to start site selection and construction,” notes Aleksey Matyushev, co-founder and CEO of Natilus. “We’re anticipating a 3-year process just for the 250,000-square foot facility.”

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This first facility will have a capacity for 60 Kona aircraft/year and will hire 300 full-time skilled employees across manufacturing, aerospace, propulsion and test engineering, including production and quality roles, test pilots and machine technicians.

Read “Natilus challenges the Boeing-Airbus duopoly”

Natilus’s family of BWB aircraft will feature carbon fiber composite airframes. “This is the right time for us to start conversations with interested suppliers of composite production equipment,” says Matyushev. “We will be acquiring prepreg laying/placement machines, ovens and some autoclaves, as well as clean room capabilities. There will also be basic machine shop requirements as well as needs for jigs, assembly fixtures and tooling.”

Another key consideration is access to skilled workers. “There are potential sites in the heartland states, which is really exciting for us,” says Matyushev. “but can we access and develop the skilled labor and engineering force needed in these locations?”

Phase I

For Phase I, Natilus is prioritizing geographic regions in the U.S. with strong state and local incentive programs and facilities with adequate runway length, as well as airspace clearance for testing and training. Proximity to suppliers and transportation/logistics routes is also key. Natilus’s search for its first manufacturing location builds upon the recent trend of aerospace technology companies such as Boom Supersonic, Joby Aviation and Archer Aviation that have successfully found suitable hubs in the U.S. With interest from major real estate development partners, Natilus expects to announce further details in the coming months.

The lightweight Kona is reported to provide game-changing improvements in operational costs, with a 30% reduction in fuel consumption, 40% more volumetric capacity and a 50% decrease in CO₂ emissions — all while using existing engine technology. The latest customer to reserve multiple production slots for its operations in northern Canada is Nolinor Aviation, which will also exploit Kona’s ability to navigate rugged terrain and extreme weather conditions.

“By manufacturing a commercial BWB aircraft domestically, we hope to strengthen the U.S.’s position in the aviation industry,” says Nolan Giblin, head of business development at Natilus. “This is the first of several moves Natilus has planned in its larger roadmap to supply major airlines with a more sustainable and cost-effective aircraft.”

New tariffs on critical materials are expected to exacerbate aviation supply chain challenges and further delay deliveries of cargo and passenger aircraft to U.S. airlines. By establishing its first manufacturing facility for BWB aircraft in the U.S., Natilus expects to mitigate the impact of potential trade restrictions and supply chain disruptions.

Phase II

In Phase II, Natilus plans to develop a 2.5 million-square-foot facility to accommodate production of the Horizon passenger aircraft, which is classed in the same narrowbody segment as the Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family of aircraft in use today. Anticipated to be one of the largest manufacturing sites of its kind, this Phase II facility is expected to employ around 3,000 skilled workers once it comes online in the early 2030s. For this expansion, Natilus is engaged with many prospective states in the U.S. as well as countries including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India and Saudi Arabia.

“We believe that more competition breeds better planes,” says Matyushev. “As trade routes become increasingly complex, we are positioned to manufacture carbon fiber [composite] aircraft that will meet the needs of our customers, who are all searching for the most efficient way to transport cargo and people.”