Split Scimitar Winglets certified for Boeing Business Jet

Aviation Partners released that the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) granted Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) approval for the Split Scimitar Winglet (SSW) retrofit on BBJ aircraft. European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approval is expected to follow shortly. The approval was granted to Aviation Partners Boeing (APB), a joint venture between API and The Boeing Company, on April 21st after extensive certification flight testing. The flight test was carried out on a green BBJ which was modified at PATS Aircraft Systems in Georgetown, Delaware. The first in-service BBJ with SSWs installed is on display at the EBACE static display. Using a newly patented API design, the SSW program completely redefines the aerodynamics of the existing Blended Winglet. The retrofit to the existing Blended Winglet consists of adding a new Scimitar-tipped large Ventral Strake, beef up of internal winglet structure, and replacement of the aluminum winglet tip caps with new aerodynamically shaped Scimitar tip caps. The unique feature of the SSW is that it builds on the existing Blended Winglet design to provide a dramatic performance improvement without increasing the existing wing span. Split Scimitar Winglets are now approved for the Boeing 737-700, -800 and -900 series. Orders and options for around 1,700 airliners have already been received, and approximately 500 upgraded aircraft in-service around the world are already enjoying the performance benefits provided by this latest technology. For long-range BBJ operations, the SSW will provide a drag reduction, and corresponding range increase, of two plus percent over the current Blended Winglet configuration.