Page 22 - World Airnews Magazine October Edition 2020

AIRLINES

LOOK AT THE FLYING-V

Delft in June 2019 at the International Air "And then, to have it confirmed that it

Transport Association's annual general flies, all of that hard work, it was worth

scaled model of KLM Royal Dutch meeting in Seoul, South Korea. putting in all of the hours making sure ev-

AAirlines' aircraft of the future just Airlines and aircraft manufacturers erything's correct and built properly, built

took flight for the first time in a milestone are looking beyond today's conventional accurately, and it pays off."

event for the Dutch flag carrier's push for aircraft into the designs of the future with Though not a full-size prototype, the

more efficient and environmentally respon- the flying wing design gaining traction. scaled model proves that the aircraft is

aerodynamically sound and can fly as
Industry trends call for smaller and more

sible aircraft. efficient aircraft in contrast to the golden designed. It's now up to the two companies

Engineers got their first look at what age of aviation that demanded larger to build the full-size prototype that can

might one day by the new flagship of KLM's aircraft like the four-engine Boeing 747 hold passengers and people, an investment

fleet recently when the futuristic-looking that was once required for non-stop long- potentially calling for billions in research

Flying-V demonstrator successfully took to range travel. and development.
the skies above Germany. KLM said the Flying-V would have the European aircraft manufacturing giant

The remote-controlled flight was the same wingspan as an Airbus A350 aircraft, Airbus revealed its flying wing demonstra-

culmination of two-year's work of engi- which would allow it to utilize existing tor in February at the Singapore Air show

neers from KLM and the Delft University of airport gates and taxiways, a problem 2020, signalling its interest in the "blended

Technology, also known as TU Delft. Boeing engineers had to solve with the wing" design type as a potential direction

The Flying-V differs from conventional new folding wing-equipped 777X. And de- for its commercial aircraft line-up. Interior

aircraft as the fuselage and wings are spite being able to carry roughly the same renderings show parallel passenger cabins
merged to form one giant flying wing. number of passengers, the Flying-V will be that take advantage of the aircraft's width

New long-range aircraft from Airbus and able to fly farther than the A350 with the to house additional passengers.

Boeing focus on efficiency through the use same fuel load. The US military has its own flying

of composites and fuel-efficient engines, Passenger cabins would likely be split be- wing, a stealth bomber known as the B-2

but flying wing aircraft take efficiency tween the two legs of the V-shape fuselage Spirit that's been serving the Air Force

to the next level with a radically new design while turbofan engines powering since 1993, according to Military.com.
aerodynamically friendly fuselage design the wing would rest on top of the fuse- Designed for speed, stealth, and range,
that enables longer ranges and better fuel lage instead of below the wing, a rare but the B-2 Spirit can fly up to 6,000 nauti-

performance. proven design. cal miles, according to the US Air Force,
Researchers said the design will reduce KLM and TU Delft engineers and re- without stopping thanks to its aerody-

fuel consumption by 20% from today's searchers headed to an airbase in neigh- namically friendly design that commercial

most advanced aircraft such as the Airbus bouring Germany for the first flight where airlines hope to one day take advantage

A350 and Boeing 787 Dreamliner, both the scaled model was manned by a drone of, though flying passengers instead of
of which are currently employed by Air pilot directing the aircraft via remote munitions.

France-KLM, parent company to the Dutch control. KLM hasn't given a timeline as to when
carrier and one of the largest airline groups "It's been two years of intense stressful the Flying-V can be expected, but normal
in Europe. work to reach this moment," Malcolm aircraft development can last around 10

KLM first announced its investment in Brown, TU Delft's chief engineer for the years from the drawing board to certifi-

designing the craft in conjunction with TU Flying-V testing programme, said. cation. Q

World Airnews | October 2020
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