The development of the Flying-V, a triangular-shaped aircraft that adopts revolutionary measures, got new impetus with the announcement of funding from the Dutch national airline KLM.
Born to improve the sustainability of air travel, Flying-V was conceived by Justus Benad, at the time of the projects still a student at the Technical University of Berlin, and subsequently developed by researchers at the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands.
Its futuristic design incorporates the passenger cabins, the tank and the holds directly into the wings: with this system the aircraft uses 20% less fuel than the Airbus A350-900 for the same passengers (and wingspan).
"In recent years KLM has been a pioneer in civil aviation sustainability," explains in a press release Peter Elbers, CEO and president of KLM. "We are proud of the growing collaboration with TU Delft University."
The project leader at the Dutch university, Roelof Vos, echoes it by underlining the need for innovation to make civilian flights move forward in the direction of technology and efficiency, with the aim of eventually creating fully electric large-scale airplanes.
The Flying-V's energy efficiency is the result of its frontier aerodynamics, which also contributes to the aircraft's low weight. The first small-scale model capable of flying will be completed in September, and the following month it will be the turn of the passenger cabin, this time in full size, which will be installed in Amsterdam's Schipol airport to be visited by the public as well.
If they seem close stages, however, I will have to extinguish the ardor: the entry into service of this aircraft that will completely subvert the rules of design will not happen before a very tight battery of safety tests, which can last up to 20 years.
"We are in the preliminary phase of the tests, it will take months, perhaps years in the wind tunnel to optimize efficiency, stability and sustainability".
