Winglets are also available for Classics. The first
winglet equipped 737-300 flew in Nov 2002 and gained its FAA supplemental type certificate (STC)
on 30 May 2003. Winglet equipped Classics are known as Special
Performance (SP).
Winglets have the potential to give the following benefits:
- Improved climb gradient. This will enable a higher RTOW from
climb limited airports (hot, high or noise abatement) or obstacle
limited runways.
- Reduced climb thrust. A winglet equipped aircraft can typically
take a 3% derate over the non-winglet equivalent aircraft. This can
extend engine life and reduce maintenance costs.
- Environmentally friendly. The derate, if taken, will reduce the
noise footprint by 6.5% and NOx emissions by 5%. This could give
savings on airport noise quotas or fines.
- Reduced cruise thrust. Cruise fuel flow is reduced by up to 6%
giving savings in fuel costs and increasing range.
- Improved cruise performance. Winglets can allow aircraft to
reach higher levels sooner. Air Berlin notes, “Previously, we'd
step-climb from 35,000 to 41,000 feet. With Blended Winglets, we can
now climb direct to 41,000 feet where traffic congestion is much
less and we can take advantage of direct routings and shortcuts
which we could not otherwise consider.”
- Good looks. Winglets bring a modern look and feel to aircraft,
and improve customers' perceptions of the airline.
If winglets are so good, you may wonder why all
737s don’t have them. In fact 85% of all new 737s are now built with
winglets, particularly the 800 and 900 series and of course all BBJs. It
comes down to cost versus benefits. Winglets cost about $725,000USD and
take about 1 week to install which costs an extra $25-80,000USD. Once
fitted, they add 170-235kg (375-518lbs) to the weight of the aircraft,
depending upon whether they were installed at production or a retrofit.
The fuel cost of carrying this extra weight will take some flying time
each sector to recover, although this is offset by the need to carry
less fuel because of the increased range. In simple terms, if your
average sector length is short (less than one hour) you wont get much
the benefit from winglets - unless you need any of the other benefits
such as reduced noise or you regularly operate from obstacle limited
runways.
There is a small difference in rotation rate for
aircraft with winglets installed and, as a result, the crew needs to be
cautious of pitch rate. There is approximately a ½ unit take-off trim
change between non-winglet and winglet aircraft so the green band is
slightly different for winglet aircraft. Finally, the dry “maximum
demonstrated” crosswind limit is slightly reduced with winglets to
34kts. According to APB this is because “the FAA will only let us
document the max winds experienced during flight test... so if we had
been able to find more crosswind, then the 33kts might have been more.
There appears to be no weather cocking effect due to winglets.”
Other winglet News Stories
An excellent article by Boeing in Aero 17 is available at:
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_17/winglet_story.html
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Next-Generation 737 Production Winglets
Description
Winglets are wing tip extensions which provide several benefits to
airplane operators. The winglet option increases the Next-Generation
737's lead as the newest and most technologically advanced airplane in
its class. These new technology winglets are now available on 737-800s
as well as on the Boeing Business Jet (737-700 and 737-800).
There are two types of winglet available, Boeing's own built into the
wing at the time of manufacture and the APB winglet as a retrofit.
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Benefits
Depending on the airplane, its cargo, the airline's routes and other factors, winglets have the potential to give:
IMPROVED TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE
By allowing a steeper climb, winglets pay off in better
takeoff performance, especially from obstacle-limited, high, hot,
weight-limited, and/or noise-restricted airports. Performance Improved
climb gradients increase 737-800 allowable takeoff weight (TOW).
Some examples include:
- Chicago-Midway: ~1,600 lb additional TOW
- Lanzarote (Canary Islands): ~3,500 lb additional TOW
- Albuquerque, Denver, and Salt Lake City: ~4,400 lb additional TOW
REDUCED ENGINE MAINTENANCE COSTS
Better climb performance also allows lower thrust settings,
thus extending engine life and reducing maintenance costs. Lower
Required Thrust Levels Extend On-Wing Life.
Takeoff - Winglets allow up to 3% incremental derate.
Cruise - Cruise thrust levels are reduced by up to 4%.
FUEL SAVINGS
Winglets lower drag and improve aerodynamic efficiency, thus
reducing fuel burn. Depending on the missions you fly, blended winglets
can improve cruise fuel mileage up to 6 percent, especially important
during a time of rising fuel prices.
INCREASED PAYLOAD RANGE
The addition of Aviation Partners Blended Winglets to the 737
Next Generation has demonstrated drag reduction in the 5 to 7% range
that measurably increases range and fuel efficiency . In addition, the
Blended Winglets allow the 737-NG to take off from higher, hotter
airports with increased payload.
| Series |
Range (nm) Normal |
Range (nm) With Winglets |
| -700 |
3250 |
3634 |
| -800 |
2930 |
3060 |
| -900 |
2670 |
2725 |
ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY
With winglets, you can be a good neighbour in the community
you serve. They enhance performance at noise-restricted airports and cut
the affected area by 6.5 percent, saving you money on airport noise
quotas or fines. By reducing fuel consumption, winglets help lower
NOx emissions by 5%.
IMPROVED OPERATIONAL FLEXIBILITY
By increasing Payload Range and Overall Performance, Blended
Winglets add flexibility to fleet operations and route selection. Air
Berlin notes, "Previously, we'd step-climb from 35,000 to 41,000 feet.
With Blended Winglets, we can now climb direct to 41,000 feet where
traffic congestion is much less and we can take advantage of direct
routings and shortcuts which we could not otherwise consider."
MODERN DRAMATIC APPEARANCE
Blended Winglets bring a modern look and feel to aircraft,
and improve customers' perceptions of the reliability and modernity of
the Airline.
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Dimensions
Each winglet is 8 feet long and 4 feet in width at the base, narrowing
to approximately two feet at the tip.
Added wingspan
Winglets add approximately 5 feet to the airplane's total wingspan -
from 112 feet 7 inches to 117 feet 2 inches. (All Next-Generation 737
models have the same wingspan.)
Weight
Each winglet weighs about 132 pounds. Increased weight to the airplane
for modifying wing and installing winglets is about 480 pounds.
Airplane provisions
Structural modifications to accommodate the winglet include
strengthening the wing's centre section and other internal strengthening
on the wing. These enhancements are done in the normal production
process. Various systems changes have also been made to accommodate
winglet installation.
Offerability
Production and retrofit winglets for the Next-Generation 737s are
available through Boeing (production) and Aviation Partners Boeing
(retrofit). Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) is a joint venture
partnership between Boeing and Aviation Partners Inc. (API).
Certification
Retrofit FAA Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) was granted to APB on
3/23/2001. LBA (German regulatory agency) STC was granted to APB on
5/4/2001. JAA STC was granted May 2001. Boeing PLOD
(program letter of definition) was granted 5/9/2001 by both the FAA and
JAA for Boeing production.
Availability
737-700,
737-800, 737-900, 737-BBJ - available now. Deliveries began May 2001. Initial
customers included: South African Airways, Air Berlin, American Trans
Air, Polynesian Airlines, and Hainan Airlines - both through direct
purchase and leasing options via ILF, GATX, GE Capital Corp., and
Flightlease.
Operational Considerations
There is a small difference in rotation rate for airplanes with winglets
installed and, as a result, the crew needs to be cautious of pitch rate.
There is also approximately a ½ unit take-off trim change between
non-winglet and winglet aircraft so the green band is slightly different
for winglet aircraft.
737-200 Mini-Winglets
This is a 737-200Adv, L/N 628, fitted with mini-winglets. This is part
of the Quiet Wing Corp flap modification kit which gained its FAA
certification in 2005. The package includes drooping the TE flaps by 4
degrees and the ailerons by 1 degree to increase to camber of the wing.
Benefits include:
- Payload Increase of up to 5,000 lbs.
- Range Increase up to 3%
- Fuel Savings up to 3%
- Improved Takeoff/Landing Climb Gradients
- Reduced Takeoff/Landing Field Length
- Improved High Altitude Takeoff/Landing Capability
- Improved Hot Climate Performance
- Reduced Stall Speeds by 4-5kts
Photo: Julian Whitelaw
737 MAX Advanced Technology (AT) Winglets
Boeing has now developed, built and will be installing their own
winglets for the 737 MAX family. The "Advanced Technology" winglet
combines rake tip technology with a dual feather winglet concept into
one advanced treatment for the wings of the 737 MAX.".
The AT Winglets measure 8 feet from root to top of winglet and a
total of 9 feet 7 inches from bottom of lower tip to top of higher tip.
The top portion is 8 feet 3 inches and the bottom portion is 4 feet 5.8
inches. The ground clearance of the bottom tip is 10 feet 2 inches.
Boeing claim they will give 1.5% fuel burn improvement over
current technology winglets. They explain this as follows:"The AT
winglet further redistributes the spanwise loading, increasing the
effective span of the wing. The AT winglet balances the effective span
increase uniquely between the upper and lower parts and therefore
generates more lift and reduces drag. This makes the system more
efficient without adding more weight."
This graphic from Boeing shows from top to bottom, a non-winglet
aircraft, a current blended winglet and an AT winglet. The AT winglet
has a more even lift profile across its span. |
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11 Aug 2012 - Boeing Designs Advanced Technology Winglet for 737 MAX
Aviation Partners has started showing airlines a split-tip
winglet with blended, "scimitar"-edged feathers as a retrofit option
that the joint venture estimates can reduce fuel consumption by 2.5 to
3% on next-generation 737s. The move precedes a launch decision by the
board of directors of the Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) joint venture,
but that approval should come "shortly", says Joe Clark, founder of
Aviation Partners, the Seattle-based firm that designed the standard
blended winglet ordered on more than 4,600 737NGs. Aviation Partners
unveiled the scimitar-edged winglet last October and launched flight
tests on a 737 Boeing Business Jet in April, which confirmed the
estimates of computational fluid dynamics models to within one-tenth of a
percentage point, Clark says. "We are very pleased with what we've
achieved," he adds. While APB prepares to offer a scimitar-edged
split-tip winglet on the 737NG, Boeing is readying a straight-edged
split-tip winglet on the 737 Max.
Both companies claim to have arrived on the split-tip
configuration for the 737 at nearly the same time by coincidence.
Aviation Partners had no prior knowledge of Boeing's "dual-feather"
split-tip winglet for the 737 Max, and has received no information on
the design from its joint venture partner, Clark says. For its part,
Boeing also was unaware of the Aviation Partners design when it began
working on the Advanced Technology (AT) winglet around June 2011, says
Robb Gregg, a chief aerodynamicist for the 737 Max. "As I was looking at
the configuration, we needed to get more performance out of it and
really the only place we hadn't spent a lot of time was looking at the
[wing]-tip," Gregg says. Boeing completed trade studies between August
and September last year, he says, then fabricated a set of optimal
shapes for testing in a wind tunnel. Although the split-tip design
appears to be a new innovation, it traces back to Robb's previous work
as a chief aerodynamicist at McDonnell Douglas. The airframer that
merged with Boeing in 1997 had pioneered the installation of winglets on
airliners in the mid-1980s. The MD-11 entered service with an up/down
winglet, with a shortened lower surface forward of the upper surface.
The lower surface was shaped to improve stall characteristics at
low-speed, Gregg says. McDonnell Douglas also proposed a split-tip
winglet for the short-lived MD-12, a late-1980s concept for a
four-engined double-decker. As the chief aerodynamicist of the MD-12
concept, Gregg says, he proposed the split-tip to optimize lift of a
wingspan artificially constrained to a length of 64.9m (213ft) to fit
into existing airport gates. Likewise, the 737 Max also demanded more
performance than a blended winglet could produce. "Because we needed
more performance to satisfy the customers we felt we needed to push the
technology a bit further," Gregg says. A split-tip wingtip has never
been tested in flight test, and Boeing currently has no plans to test
the 737 Max AT Winglet on a surrogate platform. Boeing is confident that
computational fluid dynamics models have predicted drag characteristics
accurately, Gregg says. At the same time, Boeing is not convinced a
split-tip winglet will produce performance improvements as a retrofit
option on the 737NG, although it has not conducted an analysis yet.
Holding Boeing back is the knowledge that the AT Winglet increases the
aerodynamic loads on the outboard wing section. "The better the winglet
the more load it's going to drive outboard. Otherwise it didn't do
anything for you," Michael Teal, chief project engineer on the 737 Max,
said in a July interview. "The question is how difficult it would be to
retrofit," he added. "You're getting out there on the end of a wing;
it's not that thick. It's not something that's easy to take apart and
add gauge to." Despite being joint-venture partners, Boeing and Aviation
Partners also have different views on the margin of benefit provided by
a split-tip winglet. Boeing predicts the straight-edged split-tip on
the 737 Max will contribute 1.5% to fuel burn reduction. Aviation
Partners, on the other hand, is proposing a 2.5% to 3% benefit from
installing the scimitar-edged winglet on the 737NG, which shares the
same airfoil as the 737 Max. Even so, Aviation Partners is optimistic
that scimitar-edged split wing-tips will be retrofitted on as much as
60% of the 737NG fleet, Clark says.
2 May 2012 - Boeing Designs Advanced Technology Winglet for 737 MAX
RENTON, Wash., May 2, 2012
Boeing announced today a new winglet design concept for the
737 MAX. The new Advanced Technology winglet will provide MAX customers
with up to an additional 1.5 percent fuel-burn improvement, depending on
range, on top of the 10-12 percent improvement already offered on the
new-engine variant.
"The Advanced Technology winglet demonstrates
Boeing's continued drive to improve fuel burn and the corresponding
value to the customer. With this technology and others being built
into the MAX, we will extend our leadership," said Jim Albaugh,
president and CEO, Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Incorporating this
advanced technology into the 737 MAX design will give our customers
even more advantage in today's volatile fuel price environment."
Compared to today's wingtip technology, which
provides up to a 4 percent fuel-burn advantage at long ranges, the
Advanced Technology winglet provides a total fuel-burn improvement of
up to 5.5 percent on the same long routes.
"The concept is more efficient than any other wingtip
device in the single-aisle market because the effective wing span
increase is uniquely balanced between the upper and lower parts of the
winglet," said Michael Teal, chief project engineer, 737 MAX.
Boeing aerodynamicists used advanced computational
fluid dynamics to combine rake tip technology with a dual feather
winglet concept into one advanced treatment for the wings of the 737
MAX. The Advanced Technology winglet fits within today's airport gate
constraints while providing more effective span thereby reducing drag.
Ongoing 737 MAX testing in the wind tunnel validated the new concept
on the airplane.
The super-efficient design has been incorporated into
the 737 MAX design and production system plans. "We have assessed the
risk and understand how to leverage this new technology on the MAX
within our current schedule," said Teal. "This puts us on track to
deliver substantial additional fuel savings to our customers in 2017."
Airlines operating the 737 MAX now will gain an 18 percent fuel-burn
per-seat improvement over today's A320. Depending on the range of the
mission, MAX operators will realize even more savings.
"Adding the Advanced Technology winglet to the 737
MAX is consistent with our demonstrated performance on delivering
increasing value to our customers, on time, throughout the life of the
737 program," said Beverly Wyse, vice president and general manger,
737 program.
To date, the 737 MAX has more than 1,000 orders and commitments from 16 customers worldwide.
30 Apr 2007 - APB selects UK supplier as it launches 767-300ER
programme with American order
UK-based GKN Aerospace has been selected by Aviation Partners Boeing
(APB) as a new supplier of the US company's blended winglets for the
rapidly expanding Boeing 737 "Classic" and newly launched 767 retrofit
programmes, while United Airlines is poised to start retrofitting its
757s.
The aerostructures specialist joins APB winglet supplier Kawasaki
Heavy Industries. Winglets for the 737 Next Generation. Despite the
much-needed addition of GKN, APB says the 737 Classic retrofit line is
sold out through 2009 at the rate of six shipsets a month. "We're still
going to ramp up as fast as we can, but it will be the end of this year
or early next before they can begin providing the first parts," says APB
vice-president sales Patrick LaMoria.
26 Dec 2006 - Aviation Partners Boeing Launches 737-900 Blended
Winglet Program
With program launch of Aviation Partners Boeing
737-900 Blended Winglets, and first deliveries slated for December 2007,
the world's airways will soon be making room for even more Blended
Winglet Performance Enhanced airplanes. Launch customers Continental
Airlines, KLM and Alaska Airlines plan to complete the retrofit of their
737- 900s by the end of the first quarter of 2008.
"We've had a great deal of customer interest in 737-900 Blended
Winglets and this important new program gives more of our operators
commonality and the ability to fly with 100% Blended Winglet equipped
737NG fleets," says Aviation Partners Boeing CEO John Reimers. "This
program is off to a very strong start and we anticipate that the
remaining handful of operators of the 737-900 will be unable to ignore
the tremendous value Blended Winglets add to the aircraft."
Benefits of Aviation Partners Boeing's Visible Technology are nothing
short of dramatic in fuel savings, improved performance and
environmental advantages. Given average aircraft utilization rates,
operators will save over 100,000 gallons (380,000 liters) of fuel per
aircraft per year resulting in a payback on investment of less than 3
years. Noise footprint, on takeoff and landing, is reduced by an average
of 6.5% while engine emissions of carbon dioxide and nitrous oxides are
lowered on the order of 5.0%.
"Blended Winglets will give KLM improved range and payload on many
longer stage lengths in its European Network," says KLM's Vice President
of Fleet Services Rene Kalmann. "Further this decision fits in KLM's
Corporate Social Responsibility policy to invest in environmental
protection that goes beyond regulatory compliance."
For KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Blended Winglet equipped 737-900s will
continue to provide important fuel savings while adding to fleet
commonality -- the airline will be installing 21 additional Blended
Winglet Systems on the 737-800 beginning in March 2007. All 737-800s in
KLM's fleet will be Winglet equipped by February 2008.
"Continental remains steadfast in its efforts to improve aircraft
performance and reduce fuel usage. Equipping our 737-900s with Blended
Winglets moves us closer to that goal," says John Greenlee, Managing
Director of Fleet Planning for Continental. "The fuel efficiency
improvements offered by Blended Winglets coupled with our young fleet
provide Continental with a natural hedge against volatile fuel prices."
For Continental Airlines, Blended Winglet equipped 737-900s will
complement the carrier's existing winglet equipped aircraft, which
include 100% of its 737-700s, 737-800s and 757-200s. To date the airline
has installed winglets on 182 aircraft and plans to add over 100
additional Systems in the next few years as it will soon begin
retrofitting winglets onto its 737 Classic fleet while continuing to
take new 737NG aircraft with winglets, including the new 737-900ER.
"Our long-haul flying will benefit greatly from the fuel savings and
payload advantages provided by blended winglets," said Scott Ridge,
Alaska Airlines' managing director of technical operations and support.
"We've seen the value of the winglets on our other next-generation 737s
and look forward to achieving similar efficiencies with our -900s."
Alaska's order for 9 shipsets of 737-900 Blended Winglets adds to
their current order of: 19 737-700's and 37 737-800's of which 33 are
already in service.
By year-end 2006, over 1500 Blended Winglet Shipsets will be in
service with over 100 airlines in more than 40 countries on 6
continents. Currently, 65% of in-service fleet of 737-700s, and 57% of
in-service 737-800s, are Blended Winglet Equipped. By 2010, with over
4500 airliners upgraded, APB anticipates that Blended Winglet Technology
will have saved commercial airlines over 2 billion gallons of fuel.
5 Apr 2005 - MAS to install winglets for Boeing
The Boeing Co. signed a deal with Malaysia's national carrier
yesterday to set up a regional winglet modification center outside the
capital, Kuala Lumpur, a Boeing official said.
Aviation Partners Boeing and Malaysia Airlines Engineering sealed the
agreement yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, agreeing to operate the first
center in Southeast Asia to install fuel-saving winglet technology on
Boeing's 737s.
The pact will enable the engineering firm to become a one-stop shop
for airlines, said Craig McCallum, sales director of Aviation Partners
Boeing.
More than 100 aircraft are expected to go through the Malaysian
center for conversion in the next three to four years, McCallum said.
The facility will cater to the needs of airliners from countries such as
Indonesia, India and Malaysia.
Boeing will provide all manufacturing and engineering support, tools
and training to the center.
The announcement comes amid rumors that Malaysian Airlines is
considering buying 737-800s. However, Boeing denied any link between the
airline's purchase order and the facility deal.
The Malaysia facility will be the fourth in the Asia-Pacific region,
joining facilities in China, Hong Kong and New Zealand.
"Growth in blended winglet sales has been nothing short of
spectacular lately, and much of this growth has been in the Asia-Pacific
region," Mike Marino, Aviation Partners Boeing CEO, said in a statement.
Introduced in 1999, the winglet technology has become popular because
of the significant fuel savings it provides for aircraft -- ranging from
100,000 to 250,000 gallons per year per aircraft. The winglet system is
currently available for Boeing 737s, and efforts are under way to offer
them on 757s, 767s and 777s in the future.
14 Jan 2005 - Hapag-Lloyd Original Launch Customer Comes
Back for More APB Blended Winglets
Hapag-Lloyd Flug, a member of the TUI Group and the launch customer
for Boeing 737-800 Blended Winglets 4 years ago, has ordered 10
additional Blended Winglet Systems. The Boeing Company will install the
Blended Winglets as Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) on new 737-800s to
be delivered between January 2006 and May 2007. Hapag-Lloyd operates a
100% Blended Winglet Equipped fleet of 737-800s. After 4 years of
enjoying dramatic fuel savings, along with measurable performance and
environmental benefits made possible with Blended Winglet Technology,
this leading charter operator is sold on the benefits of Aviation
Partners Boeing Technology.
"This important order is a real affirmation of the outstanding value
of our product," says Aviation Partners Boeing CEO Mike Marino. "Hapag-Lloyd,
our most experienced customer, has an intimate understanding of the
compelling value of Blended Winglet Technology."
Hapag-Lloyd enjoys a wide range of operational benefits with Aviation
Partners Boeing's patented* Blended Winglet Technology. At current fuel
prices the fuel savings alone translates into a Blended Winglet Payback
of under 4 years. Additional important benefits include greater
payload-range capability and environmental advantages in terms of
reduced engine emissions and reduced noise on takeoff.
Aviation Partners Boeing Vice President of Sales & Contracts Patrick
LaMoria reports that Hapag-Lloyd needed no convincing to come in with
its second Blended Winglet order. "Hapag-Lloyd's experience operating
with Blended Winglet Technology has made including them with every new
Boeing aircraft they operate a very simple decision."
By mid-2005 over half of all Boeing 737-800 and 700 series aircraft
will be equipped with Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglets.
7 Oct 2004 - Continental Airlines to Take Shipset #500 for NG Boeing
737-800
While delivery of shipset 500 is a milestone in the history of
Aviation Partners Boeing, it's just a hint of things to come as the
global airline industry transitions to patented* Blended Winglet
Technology.
Blended Winglet Equipped Boeing aircraft are now flying on every
continent. Current orders and options stand at over 1200 shipsets with a
potential universe of 10,500 Boeing aircraft in the retrofit market
alone.
"We're only in the early stages in terms of meeting the growing
demand for Performance Enhancing Blended Winglet Technology. But, it's a
significant beginning," says Aviation Partners Boeing CEO Mike Marino.
"Blended Winglet Equipped commercial aircraft save fuel, operate with
enhanced performance due to a higher lift wing, and are measurably more
environmentally friendly. Today's 500 Blended Winglet Equipped 737 are
saving over 50 million gallons of fuel each year. If all Boeing aircraft
worldwide were retrofitted with Blended Winglet Systems worldwide fuel
savings would be close to 1.8 billion gallons each year."
Aviation Partners Inc. developed Blended Winglet Technology in the
early 1990s. Sized for maximum performance, and with a wider sweep
transition between wing and winglet, Blended Winglets are typically 80%
more effective than today's conventional angular winglet systems.
Typical operator benefits include fuel savings of up to 5%, depending
upon flight profile, improved performance from high and hot airfields,
faster time to climb, lowered engine emissions and a 6.5% reduction in
takeoff noise footprint.
"The future is as exciting for us as it is for our customers
worldwide who look forward to improving the performance, fuel savings
and overall return on investment of their aircraft," says Aviation
Partners Boeing Chairman Joe Clark. "We believe that anytime you can
improve the productivity and environmental benefits of an existing
airplane, it's a wise investment."
10 Jul 2003 - Air Plus Comet Becomes World's First Operator of
Boeing 737-300 with Winglets
Air Plus Comet yesterday became the world's first operator of a
Boeing 737-300 with advanced-technology blended winglets and the latest
carrier in Spain operating Boeing airplanes.
The winglets, which curve out and up from the plane's wing tips,
improve an airplane's performance and allow it to fly more than 185km
farther than a 737-300 without winglets. Winglets also offer excellent
environmental benefits, including reduced fuel use, takeoff and landing
noise, and in-flight engine emissions.
"As the first worldwide customer for the new 737-300 blended
winglet, we will be the first to experience the fuel savings and
environmental benefits they bring," said Alejandro Avila, Air Plus
Comet technical director.
The 737-300, leased from Aircraft Leasing Management, was delivered
today. Headquartered in Madrid, Air Plus Comet provides long-distance
charter flights between Spain and European locations and the Americas.
It began operations in 1997.
Aviation Partners Boeing, a joint venture of Boeing and Aviation
Partners, Inc., developed the winglets. The winglets can be installed on
737-300, -400, -700 and -800 models. More than 28 carriers fly nearly
300 winglet-equipped 737s.
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18 Feb 2003 - 737-300 Winglet Certification Delay
The STC for a retrofited winglet on the 737-300 has been
delayed due to problems discovered during the low speed handling phase
of flight testing in Arizona. The winglets were producing handling
deficiencies near V2 at high gross weights caused by flow separation
around the transition to the winglet. Possible solutions include
aerodynamic to the wingtips and outboard vortex generators.
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5 Dec 2002 - Blended winglet Boeing 737 makes
European inroads
Sobelair, a Belgian charter operation, is leasing its first Boeing
737-800 with blended winglets.
The winglet gives the Wichita-made 737 reducing wing drag, and making
the wing more aerodynamically efficient, officials say.
"Sobelair flies particularly long routes to destinations in
Africa, the Mediterranean and the Middle East," says Aviation
Partners Boeing sales director Patrick LaMoria, who is handling the
lease.
By the end of 2002, close to 200 Boeing Next-Generation 737s will be
equipped with APB's patented Blended Winglet Technology. Following
introduction of Blended Winglet Systems for Classic Series 737s,
mid-2003, APB will certify Blended Winglet Systems for the 747-400.
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Oct 2002 - Boeing 737-300 Blended Winglets Delivered
Kawasaki delivered its first Blended Winglets. to Aviation Partners
Boeing (APB) in October. Kawasaki is designing, developing and
manufacturing the patented innovative winglets for the Boeing
737-300/400/500 models under an official agreement inked with APB in
October last year (see Feb. 2002 Business Activities).
Blended winglets, which are made of a high-tech composite material
specially developed for aircraft, are attached to the tips of the wings
to enhance performance by extending flight ranges, reducing noise and
making other improvements. Winglets are already a standard feature on
the Boeing Business Jet. The Boeing 737-700/800 models and Gulfstream's
GII Business Jets have also been equipped with them. It is anticipated
that they will also be fitted to a wider range of Boeing's existing
aircraft, including the 747, 757 and 767 fleets. There are currently
1,000 Boeing 737-300 jetliners in operation around the globe. The
winglets will be available as an option for those Boeing aircraft being
retrofitted.
Kawasaki used its proprietary KMS- 6115 composite material to create
the latest winglets. KMS-6115 is made from high-performance carbon
fibers and toughened epoxy resin, with much greater tensile and
compressive strength than conventional composite materials. This is the
first time KMS-6115 will be used in a Boeing aircraft.
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26 Feb 2002 - Partnership with Boeing 'starting to
take off'
Seattle PI --
If you choose to sleep with an elephant, just be careful it doesn't
roll over during the night. The advice, and warning, came from a well
regarded aerospace executive of a small company who years ago lay down
with an industry giant for a promising joint venture. It proved a
painful experience. The executive mentioned the elephant adage recently
when talking about Joe Clark, founder of Aviation Partners, a small
Seattle company that developed revolutionary blended winglets that
attach to the end of an airplane wing to improve performance.
Clark has
been sleeping with an elephant since the 1999 Paris Air Show. It was
there that Clark and The Boeing Co., the biggest aerospace company and
commercial airplane maker on the planet, announced the formation of
Aviation Partners Boeing, a joint venture to put Clark's blended
winglets on 737 jetliners. While acknowledging there have been
"growing pains," "cultural clashes" and
"learning experiences," Clark also said the partnership with
Boeing is "really starting to take off."
A growing number of
next generation 737 operators around the world have opted for the
blended winglets, which can boost fuel efficiency by as much as 4
percent. And they have helped Boeing win orders over Airbus. One of
Boeing's most important order victories last year was the decision by
Qantas, Australia's flagship carrier, to buy 15 737-800s and take
options for at least 40 more. People close to the deal said the blended
winglets offered on the Boeing plane gave it a small but important
performance edge over the Airbus A320 on new long-haul domestic routes
planned by Qantas. The blended winglets are offered as a retrofit for
the 737-700 and the bigger 737-800. They are offered by Boeing as a
factory-installed option only on the 737-800. So far, more than 80 next
generation 737s have been equipped with blended winglets, along with
about 60 Boeing Business Jets, a modified version of the 737 commercial
jetliner. The winglets are standard equipment on all Boeing Business
Jets. Clark expects that another 180 next generation 737s will be
equipped with the blended winglets this year. Of those, about 50 will
probably be factory-installed in Renton, he said. About a dozen airlines
are either flying winglet-equipped 737s or have them on order. "We
are talking actively with another dozen airlines," Clark said
during a recent interview at his Aviation Partners office near the King
County Airport terminal at Boeing Field. "We will be announcing
more orders soon."
Clark is even talking with the military and
defense contractors. He met recently met with officials at Northrop
Grumman about putting blended winglets on the Global Hawk unmanned
aerial vehicle that has been used in Afghanistan. The winglets would add
about two hours of flight time for the Global Hawk, Clark said.
"Every plane should be designed with winglets," Clark said.
Winglets were common on business and commercial jets before Aviation
Partners arrived on the scene. But those traditional winglets, found on
all Airbus models and the Boeing 747-400, rise at a sharp angle from the
wing. Blended winglets gently curve up, as if they are part of the wing.
Winglets were first developed by NASA in the 1960s to help reduce drag.
Increasing the wing span can produce the same results. But wings of
jetliners can't get any longer and still fit at airport gates. What's
more, increasing wing span means structural changes that add weight. So
far, the only U.S. carrier with 737s equipped with blended winglets is
American Trans Air. But Clark recently presented his friend John Kelly,
chairman of Alaska Airlines, with a small model of a 737-700 with
blended winglets. The two men have known each other since the days when
Clark teamed with Milt Kuolt in 1981 to form Horizon Air, a regional
carrier later sold to Alaska. The model Clark gave to Kelly was painted
in the livery of Alaska Airlines, with the Eskimo logo on the winglets.
"A picture is worth a thousand words," Clark said, explaining
why he was giving the model to Kelly.
Continental is another 737-700
operator being wooed. The 737 is the world's most frequently flown
jetliner. More than 4,000 have been built. Later this year, the blended
winglets are to be certified by the Federal Aviation Administration for
the older "classic" 737s, starting with the 737-300.
Certification will follow for the 737-400 and 737-500. His company's
business plan includes blended winglets for the 757, 767 and 747, Clark
said, as well as for the MD-80 series. "The retrofit market is
huge," Clark said. "Our schedule is to certify the classic
737s this year, the 747 next year, the 767 after that and then the
757."
The
winglets designed for the next generation 737 are about 8 feet high.
Bernie Gratzer, former chief aerodynamicist at Boeing who was part of
Clark's team at Aviation Partners that developed the blended winglets,
said the 747 flight tests showed the winglets reduced drag by about 6.3
percent. That can mean substantial fuel savings for an airline. Clark
has been approached by operators of older 747s, asking about
retrofitting their planes with the blended winglets. "We think we
can save them about a million gallons of fuel a year per plane," he
said. But Boeing is not sold on blended winglets, at least for its
bigger jets. Boeing engineers developed a raked tip, which does not bend
upward like a winglet, for the 767-400 and will use those raked tips for
the longer-range 777-300 now in development. And Boeing is considering
raked tips, not blended winglets, for future longer-range versions of
its 747-400. "Why put raked tips on a 747? That's a good
question," said Gratzer, who retired from Boeing in 1986 and later
was a professor at the University of Washington's aeronautics and
astronautical department. "We don't really understand why they
(Boeing) would do that," he added. But it was not so long ago that
many engineers at Boeing scoffed at the notion that winglets would do
anything other than give the 737 a more sexy appearance. After all,
wasn't that why all those rich guys who could afford private jets wanted
ones with winglets?
At the Paris Air Show in 1997, Boeing's Borge
Boeskov approached Clark about blended winglets on the planned Boeing
Business Jet, a next generation 737-700 with the strengthened wing of
the 737-800. Clark's subsequent business proposal for Boeskov said the
Boeing Business Jet would get from 4 to 5 percent better performance
with blended winglets. "The corporate guys like the looks of these
things because they differentiate the product, but frankly my engineers
have told me they don't work," Borge told Clark. So Clark told
Boeskov his small company would foot the bill to design winglets for the
Boeing Business Jet if Boeskov would test fly them on the plane. Unable
to get Boeing engineers to go along, Boeskov turned to the German
carrier Hapag-Lloyd, a longtime Boeing 737 customer. Hapag-Lloyd
supplied one of its new 737s, and the results were better than Clark had
predicted -- a nearly 7 percent reduction in drag. Hapag-Lloyd is now
one of those customers operating 737s with blended winglets.
Clark, who
is not at all shy about expressing his opinions, is careful in talking
about the challenges he has faced working with the world's largest
aerospace company on an idea that Boeing's best and brightest once
rejected. "They are a big bureaucracy and we sometimes want to get
things done quickly," Clark said of the joint venture with Boeing.
He credited Alan Mulally, Boeing's commercial boss, with helping change
attitudes within the company. "Since Alan has gotten behind this,
it has changed overnight," Clark said. "We talked about five
months ago and he said he would really get behind the winglets program.
"Since then, sales have really taken off. Our relationship with
everyone at Boeing has gotten much better." Then he added, "Of
course, we still have our differences." So far, though, the
elephant has not rolled over.
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8 February 2002 - Kawasaki of Japan will build 737
winglets
Friday, February 8, 2002
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER STAFF AND NEWS SERVICES
TOKYO -- Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Japan's second-biggest
aerospace company, said it will develop wingtips for Boeing Co. 737s,
adding to an existing cooperation with the company.
Kawasaki Heavy will make blended winglets, which increase fuel
efficiency and range, the companies said. The companies didn't provide
financial details.
Owners of 737s, of which more than 1,900 are in service around the
world, will be able to fit the wingtips onto their planes, the release
said.
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 SEATTLE,
Sept. 11, 2001 - The first Boeing 737-700
arrived in Kenya Monday, making Kenya Airways the first airline anywhere
in the world to operate a 737-700 with blended winglets. Kenya Airways
is expected to put the airplane into service later this month. The
airplane will be leased through GE Capital Aviation Services.
"Our goal is to become the premier airline of choice in Africa
and provide more frequency for passengers," said Isaac Omolo Okero,
chairman for Kenya Airways. "The 737's economics and low
maintenance cost will help us continue to provide the best service to
destinations throughout Africa."
The retrofitted blended winglets on the 737-700 curve out and up from
the wingtip, reducing aerodynamic drag and boosting performance. Some of
the potential improvements include better fuel burn, increased range,
improved takeoff performance and obstacle clearance. Working with
Aviation Partners Inc., Boeing developed the blended winglet technology
for the 737 airplane.
"The addition of the winglets on the 737-700 will provide Kenya
Airways with a superior product," said Kevin Bartelson, chief
operating officer for Aviation Partners Boeing. "The new 737-700
with winglets will add value to operators and provide a technologically
advanced product with a reputation for superior reliability."
The family of 737s consisting of the 737-600, -700, -800 and -900 is
the newest design and the most technologically advanced in the
single-aisle market.
"Kenya Airways' selection of the 737 airplane will help reduce
its fleet costs, which directly affects the airline's bottom line,"
said Doug Groseclose, senior vice president of International Sales,
Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "With the new 737s, Kenya Airways can
continue to offer its customers a quality product and on-time in-service
performance."
The airplanes are designed to fly higher, faster, farther, quieter
and with greater fuel efficiency than previous 737 models -- and the
competition.
Kenya Airways, one of the fastest growing and most profitable
airlines in Africa, will use the new 737 to fly to key destinations in
Africa and other domestic routes on the continent. There are more than
130 Boeing 737s operating in Africa and more than 4,000 737s in service
today.
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Boeing 737 Advanced-Technology Winglets Make World Debut
SEATTLE, May 21, 2001 -- Boeing Next-Generation 737-800
advanced-technology winglets made their world debut in revenue service
last week with German carrier Hapag-Lloyd Flug.
Hanover-based Hapag-Lloyd became the first airline in the world to
fly 737-800s equipped with the cost-effective, environmentally friendly
wingtip extensions on commercial routes. The carrier uses 737-800s with
winglets on routes from Germany to Mediterranean destinations.
The new winglets on the Boeing 737-800 curve out and up from the
wingtip, reducing aerodynamic drag and boosting performance. They add
about 5 feet (1.5 meters) to the airplane's total wingspan and allow the
airplane to fly up to 130 nautical miles (240 kilometers) further.
"The winglets on our 737-800s will cut the airplane's already
low fuel consumption, emissions and takeoff noise and make them even
more eco-friendly," said Wolfgang Kurth, Hapag-Lloyd managing
director. "Less fuel means more range and gives us the opportunity
to open new markets"
The fuel consumption of the 737-800s without winglets in Hapag-Lloyd's
fleet already is as low as 2.1 liters per 100 seat kilometers. "We
expect the winglets to decrease fuel burn even further - by up to 5
percent in cruise - and reduce the noise affected area by 6.5
percent," Kurth said.
Winglets also have the potential to increase the optimum cruise
altitude of the airplane, reduce engine maintenance costs, improve
takeoff performance, and increase the weight the airplane can carry by
.55 of a ton to 3.3 tons (.5 of a ton to 3 metric tons).
"Next-Generation 737 winglets have proven their value in service
on privately owned Boeing Business Jets, and now Hapag-Lloyd will see
firsthand the unmatched benefits winglets can bring to commercial
operators," said Toby Bright, Boeing Commercial Airplanes senior
vice president for Europe and Russia. "Hapag-Lloyd, which was the
first airline to order the new-technology 737-800s back in 1994, will
once again make history as a company that quickly recognizes the
importance of technological improvements in aviation."
Hapag-Lloyd has started to retrofit its fleet of 27 Boeing 737-800s
with winglets.
Winglets initially were developed for use on the Boeing Business Jet,
an adapted Next-Generation 737-700 with 737-800 wings, by Aviation
Partners, Inc. (API). During the design process, Boeing and API formed a
joint venture that further developed the design. The joint venture is
called Aviation Partners Boeing (APB).
Building a quieter, more fuel-efficient airplane was a top priority
for Boeing engineers who initially designed the 737-800 and other
members of the Next-Generation 737 family. The model's new CFM56-7
engines produced by CFMI, a joint venture of General Electric Co. of the
United States and Snecma of France, meet community noise restrictions
well below current Stage 3 limits and below expected Stage 4 limits.
Emissions also are reduced beyond required standards.
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Winglets boost to Boeing 737--800 performance
SEATTLE, Feb. 18, 2000 - The Boeing Company announced today
that it is offering Next-Generation 737-800 customers a new,
advanced-technology winglet as a standard option.
The winglet will allow a new airplane that already flies farther,
higher and more economically than competing products to extend its
range, carry more payload, save on fuel and benefit the environment. The
first Boeing 737-800
with winglets is expected to be delivered in the spring of 2001. All
subsequent 737-800s will be equipped with structurally enhanced wings
that will make it easier for owners of standard 737-800s to retrofit
those jetliners with winglets.
"The key to product leadership is to create a superior product,
then continually improve it in ways that add value to customers,"
said John Hayhurst, vice president and general manager, 737 programs.
"With this new winglet, the Next-Generation
737 will remain the most advanced airplane family in its class for
the 21st century, just as it was for the 20th."
A Next-Generation 737-800 equipped with the new winglet will be able
to fly farther, burn 3 percent to 5 percent less fuel, or carry up to
6,000 pounds more payload. Other benefits include a reduction in noise
near airports, lower engine-maintenance costs, and improved takeoff
performance at high-altitude airports and in hot climate conditions.
The winglets weigh about 120 pounds each. They are made of high-tech
carbon graphite, an advanced aluminum alloy and titanium. The winglet is
eight feet long and tapers from its four-foot wide base to a width of
two feet at the tip. Unlike traditional winglets typically fitted at
abrupt angles to the wing, this new advanced "blended" design
gently curves out and up from the wing tip, reducing aerodynamic drag
and boosting performance.
The 737-800 winglet was developed initially for the Boeing Business
Jet (BBJ), which also features the state-of-the-art 737-800 wing. This
winglet will be available initially as an option on the 162-passenger
737-800. Formal availability of the winglet will follow quickly on other
models that feature the 737-800 wing, including the 737-700C and the
737-900. The applicability of the winglet to Next-Generation 737-600 and
737-700 models is being assessed.
The blended-winglet technology was developed by Aviation Partners
Inc. of Seattle. In 1999, during the design of the BBJ
winglet, Aviation Partners and The Boeing Company formed Aviation
Partners Boeing (APB), a joint venture that completed and owns the
design. APB is developing the capability to make the winglet available
as a retrofit for airplanes already in service.
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SEATTLE, Oct. 23, 2000 - German carrier Hapag-Lloyd Flug became the first
airline to fly the Boeing 737-800
with blended winglets. The test flight took place Sept. 26 2000 in
Seattle.
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First BBJ flight with winglets
Feb 22, 1999
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Boeing Business Jets Announces Winglets Test
SEATTLE, June 4, 1998 — Boeing Business Jets announced today
that it has been testing the use of winglets on a Boeing 737-800 for
possible application on the new Boeing Business Jet (BBJ).
The winglets are being tested as a possible range-performance
enhancement for the BBJ. Designed and manufactured by Seattle-based
Aviation Partners Inc., the two 8-foot high, blended and vertically
mounted winglets are attached to the end of each wing of the airplane.
"The Boeing Business Jet's 6,200 nautical-mile range already
ranks it with the leading business airplanes in its class," said
Borge Boeskov, president of Boeing Business Jets. "We want to test
the application of winglets as a way of making a world-class product
even better. We are testing to determine whether winglets will provide a
range-performance enhancement by reducing drag."
The BBJ is a derivative of the Next-Generation 737-700, combining the
-700 fuselage with the strengthened wings and landing gear of the larger
and heavier 737-800. This combination gives the BBJ a range of 7,140
statute miles (6,200 nautical miles, 11,480 kilometers).
"As a special-use airplane for executive teams and private
owners, the BBJ will fly much longer routes - up to 14 hours nonstop -
than commercially operated Boeing 737s," Boeskov said. "These
are the routes where winglets would have the best opportunity for
performance improvements."
In addition to performance, winglets will give the Boeing Business
Jet a look that will set it apart from other business and commercial
jets of its size.
"We want the BBJ to stand out, and we want it to look
distinctive among all other business jets," Boeskov said.
Boeskov said the first phase of flight-testing will be completed this
week. Whether winglets will be used on the BBJ will be determined
following evaluation of testing data.
Major assembly of the first BBJ fuselage was recently completed in
Wichita, Kan., while work on the first wings and other components is
progressing in the Puget Sound area. The airplane's first flight is
scheduled for August. Boeing Business Jets is a joint venture between
The Boeing Company and General Electric Co.
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