ing potential aircraft types for its
Citation X Winglets
winglet technology. When you add
winglets, you increase the wing’s
bending moment, and that means Cessna Aircraft and Winglet after cofounders Bob Kaiser and
having to add a bit of structure Technology, both based in Fort Felker established Winglet
inside the wing to accommodate Wichita, Kan., reached a mile- Technology.
the new stresses. That adds weight stone recently with the delivery Kaiser emphasizes the chal-
and could mean a reduction in fuel of the first Citation X equipped lenge of designing a winglet
or payload. “We have to make sure with aftermarket winglets. The for the world’s fastest business
our equation comes out to a bene- new elliptical winglets were jet. “It was a difficult process
fit to the owner,” says Thompson. designed by Winglet Technology, because the Citation X has such
Another element is the aircraft’s which claims the modification a swept wing [37 degrees] and
resale value. “Does the value of improves the business jet’s fuel the wing tips are so far out.”
the asset warrant the investment?” consumption by four to five per- The winglet package weighs 135
Thompson asks, rhetorically. The cent, thus increasing its maxi- pounds (61.2 kg).
other thing I want to include is the mum range by 150 nm. The win- The Citation X winglet package
customer enthusiasm about add- glets also enhance the Citation is Winglet Technology’s first certif-
ing winglets to their aircraft. That X’s already fast cruise speed by icated product. The company had
is a big, big contributor to our 15 knots, within the aircraft’s conducted a research and devel-
decision making process.” Mach .92 envelope, and its pay- opment program with Airbus cov-
“We get requests from owners all load by 1,200 pounds (454 kg). ering winglet technology for the
the time for winglets,” he contin- The maiden delivery follows A320. So far, according to Kaiser,
ues. “They see the value, especially two years of flight-testing. The Airbus has yet to decide whether
in today’s environment. When you Citation X winglet program was to continue that program.
have a product that directly relates launched in 2002, after Winglet Winglet Technology does not
to saving billions of gallons of fuel, Technology secured a $150,000 repair winglets – “That’s farmed
and you can count the gallons saved grant from the Kansas Technology out,” says Kaiser.” But it does
on each flight – that’s real. It’s a Enterprise Corp., a private/public offer winglets for rent while dam-
pretty dog-gone good feeling.” partnership that supports research aged ones are repaired.
“We have business studies going and development. That was a year
on for many types of business
jets,” he concludes. “We will have
a market as long as there is an
aircraft without winglets. That’s
pretty exciting.”
AM
An Alaska Air aircraft flying over
Cessna Citation X with Winglet Technology’s new winglets installed.
mountains includes winglets
24 Aviation Maintenance |
avmain-mag.com | Oct/Nov2009
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