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JetZero eyes Greensboro NC airport for 10,000-job aircraft factory

THE REMAINDER OF THIS ARTICLE IS FOR PREMIUM MEMBERS A next-gen aircraft company is considering Piedmont Triad International Airport in Greensboro for a facility that could reshape the state's manufacturing landscape. Story Highlights JetZero considers Greensboro for manufacturing operation, potentially creating 10,000 jobs. JetZero develops low-emission aircraft, partnering with major aviation companies. North Carolina's incentives crucial for securing JetZero's potential expansion. A next-generation jet manufacturer backed by Alaska Airlines is eyeing North Carolina for an expansion that could mean thousands of jobs. JetZero, based in Long Beach, California, is considering Greensboro's Piedmont Triad International Airport for a major manufacturing operation that could bring more than 10,000 jobs to the region, sources close to the situation told Triangle Business Journal and its sister publication Triad Business Journal. The company itself has not confirmed whether North Carolina is on its list of potential sites. GET TO KNOW YOUR CITY Find Local Events Near You Connect with a community of local professionals. Explore All Events "JetZero is considering many locations for its future factory," a company spokesperson said Tuesday. 'The future factory will create 10,000+ jobs at full rate production." The company, which has the backing of a $235 million contract with the U.S. Air Force, has partnered with major aviation players, including Delta Airlines (NYSE: DAL), and aims to compete against the likes of Boeing (NYSE: BA) and Airbus in the commercial airline manufacturing space. JetZero is working on a futuristic, low-emission aircraft, partnering with BAE Systems, Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace for components as it builds out its prototype. A source close to the situation said JetZero is likely asking for top-dollar incentives from the state, the kind of sum that typically requires a line item in the state budget. Current drafts of the state budget released by lawmakers don't show such a project. expand Another aerial of PTI Airport in Greensboro. Piedmont Triad International Airport Without significant state incentives, including funding for infrastructure work at the site, North Carolina would likely lose any chance at winning the project. The potential project came to light publicly last month when state Sen. Gladys Robinson, a Greensboro Democrat, said at a business event in Greensboro that a manufacturer 'may bring 10,000 jobs" to the region, the Triad Business Journal reported. Robinson on Tuesday declined to comment. Also declining to comment were PTI Executive Director Kevin Baker and Brent Christensen, president of the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce, which leads county-level economic development efforts in Guilford County. Officials with the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina did not immediately respond to request for comment Tuesday. PTI's campus could easily fit the bill for such a project as it has more than 1,000 acres up for grabs. And it's building a workforce ready to innovate in aerospace, as Boom Supersonic plans to employ 2,400 people at its PTI factory. Haeco, with about 1,200 employees, and Honda Aircraft, with 1,000, are presently the largest employers operating at PTI's 4,000-acre campus. More than 9,000 people work for companies located at PTI, so this would double that total. The airport authority that governs PTI has focused on developing the campus and surrounding grounds to be ready for more companies looking for a base for plane manufacturing, service and airborne logistics. Former Gov. Roy Cooper and state legislative leader Sen. Phil Berger, Republican of Rockingham County, referred to it as the state's de facto aerospace megasite at Boom's building grand opening last June. expand A rendering of a blended-wing airplane by JetZero. JetZero The proximity to key suppliers could also work to JetZero's benefit. BAE Systems has operations in multiple locations in North Carolina, including Charlotte, Spring Lake and Durham. Pratt & Whitney has a production facility in Asheville, and Collins Aerospace is headquartered in Charlotte. JetZero is led by Tom O'Leary, a Tesla veteran and former Beta Technologies COO. He cofounded JetZero with Beta alum Mark Page in 2020 to focus on developing a blended-wing jetliner. Beta has been growing in North Carolina. The air taxi company has been building up an office near Raleigh-Durham International Airport. JetZero wants to have its planes in service by 2030. The company secured a $26 million Series A round of financing last year, led by Alaska Airlines (NYSE: ALK). In March, JetZero and Delta announced a partnership where Delta would provide JetZero with guidance in maintenance and operations through its sustainability innovation unit, the Sustainable Skies Lab. The agreement also calls for Delta to lead the development of the interior of JetZero's planes. The planes JetZero hopes to build are expected to use half the fuel of contemporary aircraft and hold about 250 people with rows of 15 or 20 seats.