Market Expanding for API Split Scimitar Winglets

Aviation Partners, Inc. (API) is continuing to experience growing demand from Boeing Business Jet operators for its Split Scimitar Winglets (SSW). Certified for the BBJ by both the U.S. FAA and European Aviation Safety Agency last year, the SSWs have now been installed on eight aircraft. This comes in addition to the more than 700 Boeing 737 Next-Generation models equipped with the winglet design.

API and Boeing announced during last year’s EBACE that the split-scimitar design would be standard on all new Boeing 737 NG BBJs. In addition, the FAA and EASA have approved retrofit on all in-service BBJ, BBJ 2 and BBJ 3 aircraft.

“We are seeing significant interest in SSW for BBJs, including from operators in the EMEA region,” said Gary Dunn, v-p of sales and marketing for API (Booth Y045). Several of the current installations have involved BBJs in the region. Dunn warned, however, “due to the vast number of shipsets being consumed by [Aviation Partners Boeing] airline customers, early planning is the key to securing a 2016 retrofit position for the BBJ.”

A number of MROs, including Lufthansa Technik (Booth L089) and Sabena Technics (Booth S066), have performed the installations.

The winglets provide a 2-plus percent range increase over API’s existing Blended Winglet, essentially providing a seven-auxiliary-tank BBJ with the range of an aircraft with eight tanks, API said.