Last month a team of researchers, engineers and a drone pilot from TU Delft travelled to an airbase in Germany for the first test flight. "We were very curious about the flight characteristics of the Flying-V. The design fits within our Fly Responsibly initiative, which stands for everything we are doing and will do to improve our sustainability. We want a sustainable future for aviation and innovation is part of that. KLM has been among the top three most sustainable airlines worldwide in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index for many years. We want to continue to do so in the future. We are therefore very proud that we have been able to achieve this together in such a short period of time," says Pieter Elbers, President and CEO of KLM.

Click here for the footage of the 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.

Collaboration and Innovation

KLM presented the scale model for the first time during KLM's 100th anniversary in October 2019. Several partners are now involved in the project, including manufacturer Airbus. Elbers: "You can't make the aviation sector more sustainable on your own, but you have to do it together," says Elbers. Collaborating with partners and sharing knowledge takes us all further. That's why we will further develop the Flying-V concept with all partners. The next step will be to fly the Flying V on sustainable fuel".

For more information about the test flight:

Today, Dr. Roelof Vos and Prof. Henri Werij of TU Delft showed how the test flight went via a webcast. Pieter Elbers, CEO KLM and Daniel Reckzeh, Senior Manager R&T in Airbus commented. The recording of the webcast can be viewed here.

The aircraft was originally conceptualised as a potential aircraft design for the future, but can be compared to today’s most advanced aircraft, the Airbus A350. Although the plane is not as long as the A350, it does have the same wingspan. This will enable the Flying-V to use existing infrastructure at airports, such as gates and runways, without difficulty and the aircraft will also fit into the same hangar as the A350. What’s more, the Flying-V will carry the same number of passengers – 314 in the standard configuration – and the same volume of cargo, 160m^3. The Flying-V will be smaller than the A350, giving it less aerodynamic resistance.

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 100^th anniversary.

Improved passenger experience

The Flying-V also provides researchers a unique opportunity to improve passenger experience in aircraft, from the seating layout in the wings, to the design of the seats and bathrooms. Everything has to be as lightweight as possible in order to maximise the efficiency gain the new aircraft shape provides. Passenger comfort is also taken into account.

Fuel versus electric propulsion

The Flying-V is propelled by the most fuel-efficient turbofan engines that currently exist. In its present design it still flies on kerosene, but it can easily be adapted to make use of innovations in the propulsion system – by using electrically-boosted turbofans for example.