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SWA Winglets - It's Official!

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PTinbound

Kool Aid CEO
Joined
Jan 28, 2002
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264
Press Release Source: Boeing


Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-700 Fleet Takes Wing with Sleek New Look
Tuesday June 17, 6:01 am ET
- Aviation Partners Boeing to Provide 169 Blended Winglets Shipsets - Boeing Offers Blended Winglets on In-Production 737-700s


LeBOURGET, France, June 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV - News), one of the world 's most successful airlines, will add performance-enhancing Blended Winglets to its current and future fleet of Boeing (NYSE: BA - News) 737--700s.
The visually distinctive winglets improve performance by extending the airplane's range, saving fuel, lowering engine maintenance costs and reducing takeoff noise.

"Southwest, the industry's low-cost provider, is keen on finding innovative ways to keep our operating costs in check so we can continue to provide low fares to millions more Americans," said Laura Wright, Southwest's vice president of Finance. "This technology is one way we can gain efficiencies in our operation and save money while we grow."

Aviation Partners Boeing, a joint venture between Aviation Partners Inc. and Boeing, will provide 169 Blended Winglet shipsets to Southwest. It is the single largest sale for the venture since its creation. The first Blended Winglet installation for Southwest is expected to begin October 2003 with all 169 installations to be completed within two years. Southwest has options to acquire 373 additional Blended Winglets through 2012. For an image of the winglets on the Southwest livery, go to http://www.southwest.com/about_swa/press/0306_blended_winglets.html .

"Southwest 's commitment provides further testament to the aggressive uptick in Blended Winglet sales worldwide," said Aviation Partners Boeing CEO Mike Marino. "This landmark order demonstrates to the airline world, in no uncertain terms, that Blended Winglet technology is not just for the long-haul carriers anymore."

Dallas-based Southwest Airlines currently operates 133 737-700s, and is scheduled to begin receiving in-production winglets in fall 2004 when it will have 373 firm orders, options and purchase rights remaining. Previously offered as a standard option on 737-800s and Boeing Business Jets (BBJ), and as a retrofit on 737- 700s and 737-800s, advanced winglets now are available as standard options from Aviation Partners Boeing on 737-700s.

"Southwest Airlines' history of success is built on taking people directly where they want to go, when they want to go," said Carolyn Corvi, 737/757 vice president and general manager. "The aerodynamic benefits of winglets will allow Southwest to serve its passengers with greater efficiency. By expanding this option to in-production 737-700s, Boeing can enhance the value of an already great airplane family."

Boeing continues to assess the applicability of winglets on 737-600s and 737-900s.

Unlike traditional winglets that attach at abrupt angles to the wing, Blended Winglets gently curve out and up from the wingtip, reducing aerodynamic drag and increasing performance. The 8-foot high winglets add about 5 feet (1.5 meters) to the airplane 's total wingspan and allow the 737-700 to fly up to 115 nautical miles (213 kilometers) farther and reduce fuel burn. As a result, Southwest is expected to save an average of up to 92,000 gallons (348,258 liters) of jet fuel per airplane per year. Improved performance will permit payload increases out of high, hot and obstacle-limited airports, as well as shorten the time its takes to climb to cruising altitude. Besides improving range and fuel savings, winglets offer excellent environmental benefits including reduced noise and emissions.

More than 28 carriers currently fly nearly 300 737s equipped with winglets.

Southwest Airlines, the fourth largest domestic carrier in terms of customers boarded, serves 59 airports in 58 cities and 30 states. Based in Dallas, Southwest operates nearly 2,800 flights a day with an all-Boeing fleet of 378 737s that, with an average age of nine years, is one of the youngest pure jet fleets in the domestic airline industry.

To learn more about Aviation Partners Boeing 's Blended Winglet Technology see www.aviationpartnersboeing.com. Visit the 737 web site at http://www.boeing.com/commercial/737family/flash.html to learn more about the popular single-aisle jetliner.
 
Funny..

I think its kinda odd that this news would be reported in France..

Everybody over here has known about this for about two months now..

What do you expect from a country that thought Jerry Lewis was funny!

The French...Who needs them?:D
 
ATA took the lead

ATA took the lead with winglets, lets see who else follows.
 
Boeing Business Jet

Actually it was the Boeing Business Jet that took the lead, ATA and the others followed.
 
Wasn't SWA experimenting with using two jetbridges a few years ago, with one that went over the wing to one of the rear doors? I guess they've given up on that idea now as I'm sure it wouldn't work very well trying to get it over an 8 foot winglet.

Also, to you SWA guys who commute in uniform, get ready for the questions regarding "why is the wing bent?" I just got back yesterday from riding in one our 737s and had a discussion with the passenger seated next to me concerning the wing. After giving my explanation of how it improves efficiency, he (a Buddhist Monk) decided I wasn't right and came up with his own theory. I decided at that point to let it go...
 
Jet bridge over winglets....

Actually we were told in class that the rear jet bridges WILL go over the new winglets. They may need to tweak them a little (the jet bridge, not the wing) but it will work. Pretty wild, huh?

The winglets sure look cool... and sometimes the passengers(customers) are not right.

Jake
 
Actually..

Boeing had tried the winglets on the 747-200 as a test bed..Winglets were later designed into the 747-400..

As far as the 737..Im fairly certain that the 737-800 was the first 737 to have the winglets flight tested and were later offered as an option for the BBJ..

The original BBJ did not have winglets nor were they an option until later..

Mike
 
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TriStar_drvr said:
After giving my explanation of how it improves efficiency, he (a Buddhist Monk) decided I wasn't right and came up with his own theory. I decided at that point to let it go...

You should have told him it helped keep the evil spirits off of the wings. I think he would've bought that.


Peace,
DP
 
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Out of curiosity, I've always wondered why winglets were not added to the 777 and new 767's. Seems like they are a popular option for improving efficincy but never understood why they are not used on some of the new heavies, but are used on the 744. I guess the aero. engineers have a good reason!:D
 

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