Dutch airline KLM, working with researchers at Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands, has launched the Flying V jet concept, named after an iconic Gibson guitar featuring a similar shape.
The Flying V was conceived by Justus Benad, a former student at the Technical University of Berlin. The Flying V is projected to use 20% less fuel than traditional designs, while accommodating 314 passengers in its oversize wings. Commercial release is slated for 2040.
The Flying-V is designed to fly highly energy-efficient long distances. Computer calculations predict that the aircraft’s improved aerodynamic shape and reduced weight will reduce fuel consumption by 20% compared to today’s most advanced aircraft.
Boeing predicts that the airline industry will need 790,000 pilots in the next 20 years.
