The original Flying V design requires a main landing gear strut height of 6.1m (worlds tallest landing gear) to accommodate the high pitch angle during take-off, introducing weight, drag, operational constraints, and development risks. This research quantifies Flying V’s take-off distance compared to the reference aircraft and develops two alternative configurations aimed at reducing landing gear height and enhancing take-off performance. A parametric aircraft model, including internal components, and a comprehensive flight mechanics toolbox with aerodynamics, propulsion, landing gear, inertia, and pilot models were implemented. The base configuration (FV-0) achieved a 23% gear height reduction with respect to the original configuration (FV-TUD) and a 25% take-off distance decrease compared to the reference aircraft. FV-1 incorporated a 5° static nose-up pitch, reducing take-off distance by 9.2%. FV-2 introduced root flaps, decreasing take-off distance by 10.5% and pitch angle by 0.4°, indicating higher potential for landing gear height reduction. Increasing the Flying V’s take-off distance to match that of the reference aircraft enabled a further 45% reduction in landing gear height relative to FV-0. Landing performance analysis remains necessary for final assessment.

Generally, performance of aircraft is optimized within the limits of adequate Handling Qualities. The dominant challenges in designing flying wings exist in their paradigm relating stability margin and the effectiveness of controls. The project, undertaken at Airbus Future Projects Office, provides a qualitative assessment of the Handling Qualities of the Flying V concept. The Flying V is an aerodynamically efficient tailless design, based on similar requirements as the Airbus A350-900. Relevant Handling Qualities criteria are selected and a 6 Degrees of Freedom Flight Mechanics Toolbox is set-up. Data was assembled from parametric models. These were utilized to create aero data based on a Vortex Lattice Method and lumped masses model providing the inertia estimation. The same methodology was repeated for a reference aircraft of conventional configuration based on the A350-900. Results revealed the characteristically lower centre of gravity range of flying wings in comparison to conventional configurations. The trivial effects of a shorter tail arm, emphasizing the need for a yaw damper and increased directional control for the Flying V were also reviewed. Lateral-directional controllability were however found to be limited but not insurmountable. Taking into account the limitations of the toolbox, this study concludes that the basic handling characteristics tested of the Flying V's design are favourable.