Aircraft

Airbus has begun testing the second set of large wingtip devices for the A320 family at its Toulouse headquarters.  

The manufacturer is evaluating two designs, one developed in-house, the second created by Wichita, Kansas-based Winglet Technology. Testing of the in-house designed winglets started in April, initially on Airbus's A320 testbed aircraft (F-WWBA) but also later on a new production aircraft destined for JetBlue Airways. F-WWBA was the first A320 to be built and therefore does not represent the current built standard.

Airbus has now fitted F-WWBA with the curved Winglet Technologies devices, and test flights began today (pictured below). 

It is later expected to modify the JetBlue aircraft for back-to-back tests.

© Yannick Delamarre / French Frogs Aviation Pictures