Remember the radical Flying-V passenger jet conceived by KLM and TU-Delft? Well, those guys are not joking around when they imagine that we should all be flying inside a wing, along with cargoes and the fuel. They have successfully taken it to the sky… with a scale model of the Flying-V.
The successful test flight proved that a V-shaped wing can indeed fly and rather stably, as a matter of fact. It is a baby step that could lead to the realization of an energy efficient long-distance flights.
Computer simulations have predicted that this unique shape offers improved aerodynamic and reduced weight, resulting in 20% fuel consumption when compared to today’s most advanced aircraft (you know, A350-900, for example).
The flight was carried out last month at an airbase in German after going through extensive testing in wind tunnel and a series of ground tests.
Airbus is onboard too, collaborating with KLM and TU-Delft on the Flying-V project. Which should come as no surprise because, the French aerospace giant is also studying the possibility of a flying wing passenger jet.
Anyways, so yeah, the Flying-V can in fact fly and you can see the scale model in action in the video embedded below. Meanwhile, you may interested to know, TU-Delft also has the interior planned out. You can see it HERE.
Images: Malcom Brown/Delft University of Technology.
Source: designboom.
