Nautilus shifts Horizon Evo design to add lower cargo deck, more overhead space

Natilus, the developer of the Horizon Evo blended-wing, hyper-efficient airliner, says it has redesigned the aircraft to include two distinct decks, one for passengers that features larger overhead storage and windows, and an all-new lower cargo deck. 

In an update issued on February 10, 2026, the San Diego-based company said its Horizon Evo design has advanced after what it described as “critical feedback” from the Federal Aviation Administration and airline customers. Natilus said the change to two decks allows for additional emergency exits (important to the FAA) and better integration with existing airport infrastructure (important to airline customers). 

The company said the changes let it offer a wider cabin for passengers while still handling freight in a way that will integrate with existing ground equipment. Natilus noted the updated design can carry 12 LD3-45 containers on the lower deck and 16 AAA containers on the upper deck, depending on how the aircraft is configured. 

Natilus framed the changes as a response to what it called “recent and real pain points” in commercial aviation. CEO and co-founder Aleksey Matyushev said the company’s discussions with the FAA and customers pushed the design toward what he called “dual-deck practicality, egress certifiability, and turnaround times,” and he said the updated configuration puts the program on “a clear path to commercial certification.” 

A spec sheet the company released with the new design positions the Horizon Evo as a narrowbody-sized airplane in capacity, but with a much wider cabin. Natilus lists seating for 150 passengers in a three-class layout, 200 in two-class, or 250 in an all-economy configuration. In economy, it shows a 4-by-3 seating layout. Natilus lists a cabin width of 26 feet and cabin height of 7 feet. The aircraft would be 110 feet long with a 118-foot wingspan and a gate class of C4, a detail the company included to underline that it believes the aircraft can operate from existing gates. 

Natilus lists a cruise speed of Mach 0.78 or higher and a cruise altitude of 35,000 feet. It said the airplane will run on jet-A or sustainable aviation fuel. For engines, the company listed either Pratt & Whitney PW1500G geared turbofans or CFM LEAP engines. It also said the aircraft would have an all-glass flight deck and fly-by-wire flight controls. 

The company expects the Horizon Evo to enter commercial service in the early 2030s.  

Dennis Muilenburg, CEO of New Vista Capital and former Boeing CEO, said in the release that the industry is heading toward a gap between demand and production capacity, and he described the Horizon Evo as a “transformative design” that could help better meet future market demand. 

The company also said its blended-wing-body designs can reduce fuel burn by 30% and operating costs by 50% while increasing payload capacity by 40%. Natilus said it has logged more than 570 pre-orders valued at $24 billion across its aircraft family. The post Nautilus shifts Horizon Evo design to add lower cargo deck, more overhead space appeared first on AeroTime.

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