Meet the Flying-V. A revolutionary v-shaped, fuel-efficient airplane!
The concept aircraft was developed by researchers at Delft Technology University in the Netherlands and has received a financial boost with the announcement that Dutch national carrier KLM Royal Dutch Airlines will help to fund it.
The plane is named after the iconic Gibson Flying-V electric guitar used by a number of legendary players - from Eddie Van Halen and Jimi Hendrix, to Tom Petty and Paul Stanley.
The aircraft’s v-shaped design will integrate the passenger cabin, the cargo hold and the fuel tanks in the wings. Its improved aerodynamic shape and reduced weight will mean it uses 20% less fuel than the Airbus A350, today’s most advanced aircraft. A flying scale model and a full-size section of the interior of the Flying-V will be officially presented at the KLM Experience Days at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol in October on the occasion of KLM’s 100th anniversary.
According to the official website the Flying-V will also offer improved passenger experience:
The Flying-V also provides researchers a unique opportunity to improve passenger experience in aircrafts, from the seating lay-out in the wings, to the design of the chairs and bathrooms. Everything has to also be as light as possible, in order to maximise the efficiency gain the new airplane shape provides. Peter Vink, Professor of Applied Ergonomics and Design at the Faculty of Industrial Design Engineering, is taking part in the project; “The new shape of the aircraft means we have exciting opportunities to design the interior, making flying more comfortable for passengers. For instance, as part of the Flying-V research, we’re looking into new options to having a rest or taking meals on a plane. Offering food from a buffet is one of the options we’re sinking our teeth in.”