Winglets are now a mainstay in commercial aviation. However, their journey has come a long way over the decades. Even though they have been conceptualized for over a century, The 747-400 was the first commercial airliner ever to feature these devices. Boeing highlights that the plane’s winglets increased its range by 3.5 percent over the 747-300. Currently, what are the primary different types of winglets? Let’s take a look.
Winglets are vertical extensions of wingtips. These innovations improve fuel efficiency and cruising range. They are created as small airfoils and reduce the aerodynamic drag associated with vortices that develop at the tips as the aircraft travels.
There are several different types of winglets. Here are the most popular variants:
Canted winglets
These devices are noticeably short and are sloped upwards. They can be primarily seen on widebodies such as the Airbus A330 and A340 and 747-400. Unfortunately, with several aircraft that deploy these winglets being phased out by passenger airlines, it will be a rarity to spot them this decade.
Blended winglets
Gulfstream pioneered blended winglets in the 1990s. However, they are most commonly seen by passengers on many Boeing jets, such as several 737s, along with most 757s and 767s.
According to The Points Guy, they are “blended” because they are designed with a smoother transition from the wing to the winglet. Along with extending range, Boeing states that they are proven to reduce drag, save fuel, cut carbon and nitrogen oxide emissions. Moreover, they reduce noise output.
Sharklets
Airbus introduced Sharklets with its newer A320-family models. Despite the edgy name, the title is the primary difference with these winglets and Boeing’s blended offering. In fact, Airbus faced legal action over the patent of the design. Subsequently, the European manufacturer had to pay out following the dispute.
A changing industry
Altogether, winglets were created out of necessity following the Middle-Eastern oil crisis. Fuel became extremely expensive, and carriers had to find ways to save as much money as possible. Subsequently, NASA worked with manufacturers to experiment with technology to make fuel last longer.
Ultimately, engineers turned to nature for a solution. They noticed that birds of prey had feathered wingtips that curved up and at the back of their wings. So, this aspect of generating lift and reducing drag was applied to the industry.
A common goal
There are also several other inventions that predate modern wingtips. For instance, Airbus placed wingtip fences of its older A320 family aircraft. They can also be found on the A380. These handle vortices that come from the bottom of the wing. So, they have a physical barrier below and on top of the wing.
There are also “split scimitar winglets” on several Boeing 737 jets. These are also shaped below and above the wing. Notably, they are like blended winglets but have an added airfoil below the wing.
Altogether, there are several different modifications of wingtips. However, blended and canted are two of the most distinct variants. They nonetheless all serve the key purpose of reducing drag and improving fuel efficiency.
What are your thoughts about the different types of wingtips? Let us know what you think in the comment section.