Aviation Partners Boeing Achieves a Milestone and Sets the
Stage for Additional Blended Winglet Programs
The FAA has awarded
Aviation Partners Boeing a STC for Performance Enhancing Blended
Winglet Technology for the Boeing 757-200.
"From an airline perspective, this is our most significant
Blended Winglet program ever and it's the first application of
Blended Winglet Technology for long-range commercial airliners,"
says Aviation Partners Boeing Chairman Joe Clark.
"The typical 757-200 operator will save over 150,000 gallons of
fuel per aircraft per year with our Performance Enhancing
Technology and benefit from a 200 nautical range boost to better
serve evolving long-haul, point-to-point, markets."
"Market interest in this program has been unprecedented," says
Aviation Partners Boeing CEO Mike Marino. "The 757-200 is a very
popular aircraft that has been coming up in value lately. More and
more airlines are looking to increase the utilization of one of the
most efficient aircraft ever designed on a cost per seat
basis."
Launch customer, and
partner in 757-200 Blended Winglet certification, Continental
Airlines has 11 Blended Winglet shipsets on order for delivery this
year plus options to convert the rest of their fleet. Icelandair
has ordered 7 shipsets with options for 15 additional shipsets and
two corporate 757 operators recently inked orders for Blended
Winglet Systems.
"Aviation Partners Boeing is the world's leading winglet
technology group and interest in the new 757-200 Blended Winglet
Program has exceeded our expectations," says Aviation Partners
Boeing Vice President of Sales Patrick LaMoria.
"Our experience has taught us that "seeing is believing" when it
comes to certifying and marketing a technology as revolutionary as
Blended Winglets. With the certification process now complete, we
expect our order book to fill up quickly."
"We will be certifying significantly higher gross weight takeoff
capabilities to allow Blended Winglet Enhanced 757s to depart up to
14,000 pounds heavier," says Aviation Partners Boeing Vice
President Programs Jay Inman. "This, combined with boosted range
and dramatic fuel savings, will be of tremendous value to 757
operators worldwide."
Blended Winglets are now certified for the Boeing 737-700,
737-800, 737- 300, and 757-200 series aircraft. Next on Aviation
Partners Boeing's to-do list are Blended Winglets for the 737-600,
737-900, and the first application for a wide-body aircraft, the
767-300ER.