Otto Aerospace's U.S. Factory in Jacksonville Set to Break Ground in 2028, Begin Production in 2030

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 27, Tony Cugno, Chief Operating Officer of the Jacksonville Aviation Authority, stated at a meeting of the City Council Finance Committee that Otto Aerospace plans to begin construction of a new manufacturing facility at Cecil Airport in Jacksonville, Florida, around 2028, with aircraft production at the plant expected to start around 2030. The facility will be used to produce the Phantom 3500 business jet, and Otto Aerospace also plans to relocate its corporate headquarters from Fort Worth, Texas, to Jacksonville.

Ahead of the dedicated manufacturing plant's construction, Otto Aerospace has already begun renovating the existing Hangar 825 at Cecil Airport. The City of Jacksonville issued a renovation permit on August 28 valued at $12.1 million, covering approximately 59,130 square feet of space, with Balfour Beatty Construction serving as the contractor. Originally used for aircraft maintenance, repair, and overhaul, the hangar will be converted into an aircraft research and development facility capable of supporting technical design, small-component tooling and production, materials and component testing, airframe assembly, and maintenance activities.

Pre-construction work on the Hangar 825 renovation had already begun earlier. A permit approved on March 23 allows Balfour Beatty to carry out interior demolition within the same 59,130-square-foot area, at a project cost of $500,000. Otto Aerospace plans to use the facility for the development and assembly of the Phantom 3500 flight test aircraft, with subsequent flight testing to be conducted at Cecil Airport. The company currently targets the Phantom 3500's first flight for 2027, with airworthiness certification and entry into service targeted for 2030.

The dedicated production base and Hangar 825 represent different phases of construction. Otto Aerospace's previously announced Jacksonville plan includes the development of more than 600,000 square feet of office and manufacturing space at Cecil Airport, with construction targeted for completion by January 1, 2032, representing a total capital investment of approximately $430 million. The project site is planned to occupy 80 to 100 acres, and the new plant will handle final assembly of the Phantom 3500.

The Phantom 3500 program has now entered the detailed design and certification advancement phase. Otto Aerospace completed the aircraft's preliminary design review this year and has finalized the G-1 Issue Paper with the Federal Aviation Administration, establishing the certification basis for type certification under 14 CFR Part 23. The company continues to work on the G-2 Issue Paper to determine specific means of compliance. The Phantom 3500 program has secured 300 firm orders from Flexjet, with an order value exceeding $5 billion.