There is aerodynamic efficiency as well as aesthetic appeal
in the wind-sail like sweep of a Blended Winglet. Since Aviation
Partners introduced this performance-enhancing technology over
12 years ago, it has been so compelling in terms of performance
and productivity that airlines and business operators are adopting
it en masse.
"I've always said that anytime you can increase the performance
of an aircraft it's a wise investment," said Aviation Partners
CEO and Aviation Partners Boeing chairman Joe Clark. "The
great thing about Blended Winglet technology is that not only
does it measurably improve performance, range and fuel savings,
but it also protects the environment. Once an aircraft is equipped,
it puts less pollutants into the environment; the noise footprint
is smaller of takeoff and landing; and operators save tens of
thousands of gallons of fuel per year."
As an example of uptake, Aviation Partners points to the 65 %
of Gulfstream II business jet operators who have retrofitted with
winglets. All Boeing Business Jets are factory-fitted with winglets
and more than a quarter of the Series 700 and 800 Boeing 737s
are similarly equipped. A fortnight ago, 94 shipsets were ordered
for 737-700s of Canada's WestJet, following closely on the issue
of certification for the retrofit to older generation Boeing 737-300s.
In the future, Aviation Partners Boeing is expected to certify
Blended Winglets for the Boeing 717, 747, 757 and 767, as well
as the MD80 series of airliners. Europe was the launch pad for
the Boeing wingtip program, and Asia and Latin America have come
on since then, but Aviation Partners' primary area of interest
is North America, where it hopes to upgrade every major 737 fleet.
