Airbus launches new 'sharklets' for A320

from http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/fli...


DUBAI -- Airbus will offer fuel-saving winglets on its A320 family aircraft beginning in 2012.

The specially designed 'sharklets' will provide a 3.5% fuel burn savings on routes longer than 1500 nm. Air New Zealand will launch the new sharklets at the end of 2012 as part of its recent order for A320 aircraft. Airbus says the A321 and A319 will follow in 2013. Airbus has not yet decided if it will offer the winglet on the A318.

Airbus claims the winglets will offer a boost of 110 nm in range or a payload increase of 500 kg or about 8 passengers.

The winglets will not be offered as a retrofit, but Airbus says it is working with Aviation Partners to provide a simpler design on existing A320 aircraft.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• A320
• Sharklets
• Airbus
• new
• family
• winglets
• wingtip
• device
• dubai

[mangohleuk]

Sharklet is specially designed for this certain aircraft, certain wing profile, optimized to aerodynamics characteristic. Therefore the name of Shark-let.

[joacoamieva]

@mangohleuk thats the commercial name. Technically is a winglet.

[zetina2010]

I think airbus should keep their fenced winglets... It's what makes Airbus, Airbus.

[joacoamieva]

@zetina2010 that doesn't make a lot of sense. Both the A330 and A340 have winglets.

[zetina2010]

@joacoamieva Hmmm you got a point there.... Fenced Winglets look very nice on the A310, A320 Family, And A380 though...

[joacoamieva]

@zetina2010 you have also got a point there ;)

[italy430]

haha this is not a copy. it's like saying one car manufacturer copied the other because they now have ABS brakes!

virtually all new airplanes have these style winglets. everything from VLJs to Gulfstreams to airliners.

[andreasilve]

I LOVE THE A320neo. Future A320, A319 and A321 ........ =)

[smow70]

FINALY, these things get some real winglets, instead of those stupid little fins they had before

[zetina2010]

@joacoamieva The A330 and A340 are by far the most Georgous, QUIET! Planes i have ever been on :)