GKN Aerospace has delivered the first blended winglets to Boeing for 767-300ER certification flight tests on behalf of launch customer American Airlines.
The contract involves the design, development and production of an 11ft (3.35m) tall winglet in around 450 shipsets. Production will peak at around 16 shipsets per month.
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GKN Aerospace chief executive officer Marcus Bryson says: “Blended winglets are demonstrating substantial environmental and performance benefits for aircraft operators, typically providing a valuable 6% block fuel saving, along with important emissions reductions and payload and range improvements.
"This multi-year agreement covers winglets for the Boeing 767-300ER/F, as well as the manufacture and supply of 200 aircraft sets of 7ft (2.1m) blended winglets for the Boeing 737-300/ 500.
The company delivered the first of these in December 2007. All winglet production is undertaken at GKN's manufacturing site on the Isle of Wight, southern England.
Source: Flight International
