Cutting Through the Air

On February 18, a United Airlines Boeing 737-800 aircraft took to the skies yesterday, flying from Houston to Los Angeles—the first aircraft retrofitted with Boeing’s advanced winglet technology called split scimitar winglets, an improvement over the blended winglets currently in use. Earlier this month, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approved the technology made by Aviation Partners Boeing (APB), and United was quick to install the innovative winglets on the first of the carrier’s fleet.

Instead of simply curving upward, like the blended winglets currently employed throughout the industry, the new design adds another tip that curves sharply down and back—curved like, um, a scimitar. Boeing and United maintain that the new winglet design will produce significant aircraft drag reduction over the basic blended winglet configuration. Aircraft will be retrofitted by replacing the aluminum winglet tip cap with a new aerodynamically shaped one via the addition of a new ventral strake. The design promises a reduction in fuel consumption by up to two percent per aircraft.

“We are proud to be the first airline in the world to fly with this unrivaled winglet technology that cuts our fuel consumption while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions,” said Ron Baur, United’s vice president of fleet. “We appreciate APB’s commitment to developing fuel-saving technology and look forward to realizing savings that come from the improved fuel efficiency.”

United served as the launch customer for the split scimitar winglet when the carrier made a firm commitment with APB last year to retrofit the airline’s 737-800 and 737-900ER aircraft. Currently claiming more than 350 aircraft fitted with advanced blended winglet technology, United said in a statement that, once the split scimitar winglets installation is complete, the combined winglet technology on United’s 737, 757 and 767 fleet is expected to save the airline more than 65 million gallons of fuel per year—equivalent to more than 645,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide and $200 million per year in jet fuel costs. The savings from the split scimitar winglets is expected to contribute to United’s overall fuel-savings initiative to reduce its fuel costs by $1 billion by 2017.

Only one foreseeable problem exists with the new winglet design: the fact that, with the scimitar shape curving downward, the normal wingtip clearance is reduced. So, ground crews will need to adjust to the new design to hopefully prevent any accidents in which the scimitar-shaped wingtip actually does the work of its eponym. According to the Wall Street Journal, “United has emblazoned the word ‘scimitar’ on the underside of the nose, to alert those working around the jet.”
Other airlines will no doubt be lining up for the new winglets; so far, both Southwest and Alaska Airlines are in the queue.

While passengers will not feel the difference in flight, most are no doubt curious: If the airlines utilizing the new split scimitar winglets are able to carve a bit off of their fuel costs, will that translate into savings at the ticket counter? We suspect that travelers should not be holding their breath in anticipation of that dream coming true.

Courtesy : Premier Traveler