Boundary Layer Research is planning their introduction of the Raytheon/Beechcraft KingAir B200 winglet and performance system in early 2005. Developmental flight test of the winglets completed in late 2003 demonstrated reduced drag, shorter landing distances, and improved handling.

The company announced that initial testing had gone very well and had actually finished ahead of schedule. FAA Test Pilot/DER Dale Ranz said, "This is one of the first times in my career that I have ever seen a flight test schedule move to the left!" The design of the winglet system is now complete and BLR is evaluating other performance enhancing technologies to augment the winglet performance. Production tooling for the winglets is nearing completion and final FAA flight testing is scheduled for late 2004 with STC award planned for 1st quarter 2005.

The new King Air B200 winglets are a natural outgrowth of Boundary Layer Research's successful development of winglet and performance enhancing systems for the Beechcraft Duke aircraft. The King Air B200 winglet performance improvement is a direct result of an increase in effective wing span and the associated reductions in lift induced drag. This is done simply by adding span and redistributing the intensity of the rotating air mass (tip vortex) over a larger area, thus reducing the intensity of that air mass.

In addition to the King Air System for the 200, the Company is also developing a similar winglet system for the King Air 90 family of aircraft.

FMI: www.blrvgs.com