Aviation Parts Boeing, a joint venture between the airframe giant and Aviation Parts International, launched a program to retrofit 737-800s with winglets. Two German airlines, Hapag-Lloyd and Air Berlin, will serve as launch customers for the program, ordering 26 and 19 kits respectively.
In addition, GATX, Flightlease and South African Airways have committed for the retrofit, according to APB.

The retrofit involves removing the wingtip on the next-generation 737, replacing two wing ribs, and strengthening stringers and wing panels before attaching the winglets. APB says its testing has shown some 6.5% improvement in fuel consumption with the winglets, giving the airliners increase of some 150 miles. In addition, it offers a 5.3% reduction in NOx emissions, according to the company.
The retrofit will cost between $700,000 and $800,000 per aircraft, according to Joe Clark, CEO of both API and APB. It is essentially the same winglet that is used on the Boeing Business Jet, which also was developed by APB.

Hapag-Lloyd has experience with the winglet; one of its ­800s served as the test bed for the technology, and one will be used for flight certification. The retrofitted aircraft is expected to enter commercial service next year.

Clark is betting that some 400 ­800s ­ roughly half the available market ­ will be retrofitted. Boeing will begin offering the winglets as a new-build option on the airplane from about the 800th tail number on.

APB ultimately plans to offer blended winglet retrofits for all Boeing aircraft in service, Clark said. The company currently is testing the concept on the 747-200; flight testing will begin next month on the classic 737-300; and will move into the 757 and 767 next year. Clark is equally optimistic about performance gains on the 747-200 and the 737-300, forecasting a 6% improvement for the widebody and as much as 7% on the classic 737.

By Jim Proulx