Winglet Tech Looks To Citation Latitude for Next Project

Winglet Technology is planning to amend its transitional winglets STC for the Citation Sovereign to include Textron Aviation’s newer Latitude midsize business jet, company president Bob Kiser told AIN this week. “We think our winglet will be a nice complement to the airplane,” he said.

The Wichita-based winglet specialist chose the Latitude because the two Citation models share a similar wing and type certificate. “It has the same wing geometry as the Sovereign, which made it a natural,” Kiser explained. What’s different in the Latitude is the OEM-installed horizontal span extension, which makes that model’s wing 72 feet compared with 63 feet on the out-of-production Sovereign, also a midsize twinjet. With the company’s new winglet, the Latitude wing would be shortened to 69 feet, he said.

But what’s most important is what the winglet does for the Latitude, which Kiser said is to “offer significant performance at altitude,” enabling the jet to “climb an additional 2,000 feet higher at an equivalent weight and temperature.” The aircraft’s empty weight will not increase, nor will it affect takeoff performance. He also noted that the composite winglets are interchangeable and don’t require drilling or fitting. Winglet Technology is also able to provide rental winglets to customers.

The company is preparing to submit an amended STC to the FAA and is looking for a Latitude launch customer to begin flight testing. With nearly 300 Latitudes delivered so far, Kiser believes there’s an opportunity to double the market for his company’s Sovereign winglets, with 349 of that type having already been delivered. And he notes that the market will only grow since the Latitude remains in production.

Winglet Technology’s winglets have been installed on 36 Sovereigns since the company received the STC in August 2017. “We’re just starting that penetration,” Kiser said.