The Flying V

2013 - 2016

This project is continued at TU Delft in collaboration with several partners. More information 

In this work, an idea for a commercial passenger aircraft was derived. Preliminary estimations indicate potential benefits of the new concept called the “Flying V” over the A350-900 reference aircraft: 10% higher L/D, 2% lower mass, a compact and simple configuration (no high-lift devices, no fairings, straight lines), and low noise (shielding of the engines from the ground).

 
Website Justus Benad Aerospace The Flying V Comparison Flying and A350-900 - 1.jpg
 

A streamwise cut through the oblique pressurized section of the Flying V is flat and elliptical and thus it fits efficiently into airfoils. This leads to both structural and aerodynamic efficiency. A patent application for the concept was filed by Airbus [1]. 

 
 

Remarkable is also the elliptical lift distribution of the stable design using only moderate wing twist and no reflexed camber lines. A radio controlled model of the Flying V was built to demonstrate these aerodynamic characteristics and support estimations and simulations which were made in this work.

The first flight of the glider version of the demonstrator model took place in Berlin, Germany on February 28, 2014:

 
 

The first flight of the powered version of the demonstrator model was in Hamburg, Germany on April 13, 2014:

 
 

The pilot of the first powered flight was Simon Hinsch.

Presentation and flight videos:

For a full length video presentation with more details on the Flying V design see this news post from February 4, 2015.

The video highlights, including flight videos of the first demonstrator, can be watched in this video:

Early news posts on the Flying V project:

Featured
The Flying V wins the Young Researcher Competition of the Royal Aeronautical Society
Aerodays 2015 in London
Airbus files a patent application for the "Flying V" aircraft configuration
German Aerospace Congress 2015
First presentation of the Flying V
Trailer - new aircraft configuration

Early events related to the Flying V project:

Recognition of the Flying V project:

First prize of the Royal Aeronautical Society at the Young Researcher Competition at Aerodays2015 in London, UK.

 

Early publications

Presentation (February 2015):

The Flying V: A new aircraft configuration 
J. Benad
Presentation, Seminar für Mechanik, Technische Universität Berlin, 2015

Report (March 2015):

Design of a commercial aircraft for high-subsonic speed as a flying wing configuration
J. Benad
Technical report, Airbus, 2015

Paper (September 2015):

The Flying V is currently being researched further at universities and in the aerospace industry.

Further development of the Flying V at the TU Delft

tudelft.png
 

Mentions of the Flying V project:

More information:

If you have questions about the project or other enquiries just contact me via e-mail.

 

[1] - J. Benad, “Luftfahrzeug”. DE102014201040A1, Applicant: Airbus Operations GmbH, 2014.