Successful Flight of Flying V Aircraft Prototype – Revolution in Aviation Industry

The scale model of the Flying-V - the energy-efficient aircraft of the future - has flown for the first time, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced.

Flying V is the result of a year-long cooperation between TU Delft and KLM, and Airbus also joined the project at one point.

KLM and TU Delft say that Flying V is the most revolutionary change in aviation since the jet engine.

As announced, last month a team of researchers, engineers and a drone pilot from TU Delft traveled to an airbase in Germany for the first test flight.

The Flying-V is a design for a very energy-efficient long-haul aircraft. The design of the aircraft integrates the passenger cabin, cargo hold and fuel tanks in the wings, creating a spectacular V-shape.

Computer calculations have predicted that the improved aerodynamic shape and reduced weight of the aircraft will reduce fuel consumption by 20% compared to today's most advanced aircraft.

The designing entailed numerous challenges, primarily how to make a completely different aircraft which is still able to use the existing airports.

The engineers therefore made sure that the wingspan is within the standards. Even so, Flying V has a capacity of 314 passengers and 160 cubic meters of luggage space, just like the modern Airbus A350.

The next step will be to fly the Flying V on sustainable fuel, it is said.

The projection is that Flying V will start transporting passengers between 2035 and 2040.

On tho occasion of the successful test flight, Pieter Elbers, President and CEO of KLM, said that the coronavirus-related events had shown even more clearly that the aviation industry needs to become more sustainable, and added that KLM wanted to make its contribution.

– The fact that the aviation industry is going through very challenging times does not mean that KLM would give up on supporting this project – Elbers said.

KLM

Royal Dutch Airlines

TU Delft

Airbus

Pieter Elbers

Flying V

energy efficient aircraft

aviation industry

Airbus A350

biofuel