Otto Phantom Highlights NBAA’s Comeback Show

At every show we have attended in the past couple of decades, Smart Aviator Editor Larry Anglisano and I have tried, and often failed, to pick a clear winner in the “most important” category in terms of show significance. This year at NBAA-BACE, it wasn’t even close as far as I was concerned. The Otto Phantom 3500 stole the show as far as I’m concerned, and if the millions of calculations responsible for its center-stage presentation at the show add up, it’s going to have a huge impact on the industry.

I won’t even try to explain the details of the design described in Larry’s excellent video about the plane, but suffice to say that by creating a shape that allows the maximum amount of laminar flow over the surface, the amount of drag is so profoundly reduced that fuel consumption is drastically reduced and the relatively large plane only needs engines normally used for a much smaller airframe.

Of course I’ve seen the design before and will admit that I had pretty much written it off as a flash-in-the-pan concept. The shape of the plane was so cartoonish that it invited the smirks of all the know-it-alls like me. It wasn’t until the company announced that the plane wouldn’t have any windows that I and plenty of others took notice. The uneven surfaces created by the window assembly would destroy laminar flow so those inside get a video representation of the outside world as the aircraft cruises in the 0.8 Mach realm, sipping fuel. Seeing the mockup at NBAA sealed the deal. You kind of have to stand next to it to see how it all might come together.

The company has attracted a firm order from Flexjet for 300 aircraft, and I’m sure the list of performance riders is as long as that string of digits. If the company can meet those figures, and I know it’s a big if, we could have been witness to something revolutionary on the Vegas convention floor.

Now, there have, of course, been plenty of people questioning the figures and a few calling them impossible, but by and large the peanut gallery seems to be sitting this one out. Otto wants to fly by 2027 and it looks like it might get the chance to prove itself without the constant distraction of trying to defend itself. That, in itself, will be a feat.

A Leaner, More Business-Like Show

A confluence of pretty much unforeseeable events put NBAA-BACE on its back foot for a few years but it appears to be back, leaner and maybe better for the experience.

As has been typical with aviation conventions in the COVID and post-COVID era, the traditional news that used to flow from these events like a flash flood on the desert has diminished. After skipping a show or two, many vendors found they could live without attending so the exhibit numbers dwindled too. A couple of marquis vendors also rethought their NBAA presence. Last year Gulfstream was a flat out no-show and Textron was going to skip too but put together a static display booth at the last minute in 2024.

NBAA took time to listen and act and bring the show back with some changes that will help in the future, I think. It was still a spectacle but it had a leaner and more streamlined vibe, which may have helped attract companies of all sizes back.

That does not mean it was in any way somber, however. With all the big guns back and a healthy complement of vendors, along with some decent news announcements, the 2025 show felt like a reunion of sorts. The gang was all here and we were glad to see each other.

It was especially poignant for us because a couple of months ago it looked like we may never see the inside of the Las Vegas Convention Center again after some, uh, staffing changes after AirVenture. We took a chance on starting AvBrief and as our business manager and now special-events journalist Karen Lund expresses so eloquently below, we were blown away by the reception we got from vendors, other media folks, and show organizers. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

But perhaps the most touching gesture came out of left field from the world’s largest GA manufacturer. I refuse to let myself believe that Textron came up with the idea for the sheet of stickers included in its SWAG package for media because of the little dust-up that spawned AvBrief, but it also doesn’t matter. That one of the most influential entities in aviation would put its name to the sentiments expressed by those stickers gives me great comfort that we’re on the right track. As always, the Textron folks were consummate professionals in their dealings with us and all media at NBAA. Quality aviation media coverage is here to stay from us and the dozens of other media representatives at the show, and we won’t let you down.

For a Newbie, the Warm Reception Resonates

Karen Lund, Special-Events Journalist

What a show! As a first-timer at NBAA, I didn’t fully know what to expect. While it was a lot of walking, talking, and work, I actually had a great time. The interactions and conversations I had with vendors, advertisers, and potential advertisers were inspiring, and I saw so many wonderful and interesting airplanes, products, and services. I even got to tag along on a test flight in a beautiful Citation Sovereign+ business jet. 

What really struck me was the overwhelming support for our budding little media venture. Everyone we talked with was so supportive and encouraging. Those who had not heard about AvBrief yet were excited to hear what we are doing and WHO our editors are (I didn’t realize they were such celebrities). 

Those who know us and our history as a team are cheering us on and not only do they want us to succeed, they want to help us and support our efforts. They appreciate that we are keeping the old-school honest journalism alive and well in the aviation world. I feel empowered and invigorated for what is to come, and I know that we are onto something big as we are growing so quickly and we have the best team to make this a resounding success!

Biz Jets: New Tech, Big Demand, Eye-Widening Prices

Larry Anglisano, Editor, Smart Aviator and AvBrief

A guy that flies a budget-minded sport plane, I’m the proverbial fish out of water walking the static display at these NBAA-BACE gatherings. One of the first machines that caught my eye this year was the $70 million G800 parked over at the Gulfstream exhibit. You see these things in photos and yeah, they’re interesting, but up close they take on another dimension mostly because of their size. When I climbed aboard the model G600 and settled into the flight deck to shoot this video with Gulfstream’s Scott Evans on the plane’s avionics technology, peaking back into the posh passenger cabin I couldn’t help but ponder how many have the wealth to buy these things? Plenty, of course. 

Not limited to Gulfstreams, Honeywell’s Global Business Aviation Outlook—a 34-year annual survey that gauges the health of the industry—forecasts a demand for 8,500 new business jets (the highest yet) over the next 10 years. Over 70 percent will be North American deliveries. According to Honeywell’s survey, buyers prioritize the aircraft’s range, performance, and technical and AOG support when making the purchase decision. There’s also a demand for new technology (a high percentage of buyers are replacing existing aircraft), including fly by wire, better safety systems, the latest avionics, and of course, reliable cabin connectivity. And when it comes to staying connected aboard the typical mid- and super-midsize jets, it’s clear that Starlink is the tech to watch.

At the show, I flew aboard a Citation Sovereign+ equipped with an aftermarket Starlink system installed via STC from AMI Aviation Services, a subsidiary of AeroMech Inc. I’ll post the video this week, but the company is racking up aftermarket Starlink approvals in record numbers—on everything from big-cabin Citations to Dash 8s to King Airs. The installed Starlink system works so well it bettered the overpriced Comcast business internet in my airport office. Other cabin Wi-Fi providers have to be feeling the pressure.

And the pressure is on aircraft manufacturers to keep cranking out new biz jets, while fractional operators are ordering them in record numbers, and that’s creating sizable delivery backlogs for corporations and private operators. That’s good for the used business aircraft market, too, if not raising prices to record numbers. There have been lots of lean years at the NBAA-BACE show, but it’s good to see the current brisk market fueled in part by the best technology we’ve ever seen aboard these elite flying machines.