Air travelers might soon be flying on a V-shaped passenger jet.
The ambitious Flying-V project recently received a big boost with KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announcing it will help fund the energy-efficient, long-distance aircraft.
The Flying-V's passenger cabin, cargo hold and fuel tanks are all integrated into the wings, creating an aerodynamic V shape. The shape and reduced weight means it uses 20 percent less fuel compared to the Airbus A350.
The plane's 213-foot wingspan mirrors that of the A350 so it could be accommodated by existing airport infrastructure. It would seat 314 passengers, which also falls within the range of the A350.
The brainchild of TU Berlin student Justus Benad, the Flying-V is currently being developed by researchers at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands.
"In recent years, KLM has developed as a pioneer in sustainability within the airline industry," Pieter Elbers, CEO and president of KLM, said in a statement. "We are proud of our progressive cooperative relationship with TU Delft, which ties in well with KLM's strategy and serves as an important milestone for us on the road to scaling-up sustainable aviation."
This October, researchers will present a prototype to test whether the Flying-V can be flown successfully at low speeds during take-off and landing. The Flying-V will be on display during KLM Experience Days at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam October 3-13, 2019.
KLM is certainly no stranger to innovation. Last summer, the carrier announced it was testing a self-driving airport travel assistant designed to help passengers carry their luggage.
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