BLR Aerospace has received US Federal Aviation Administration certification for its Beechcraft King Air 90 series winglets.
The company already has winglets available for the King Air 200, 200GT and 300-series of twin turboprop model, retrofits BLR says are providing "100% return on investment" for owners of the more than 200 systems delivered to date. "King Air operators can expect similar returns," says BLR.
Available for the King Air C90A, C90GT, C90GTi models, the new winglets are also provided as part of a King Air 90x upgrade package offered by Hawker Beechcraft for the King Air C90GTi.
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Along with improvements in stability, cruise speed and rate of climb, the winglets aid in a maximum take-off weight increase of 175kg (385lb) to 4,760kg for the Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-135A-powered twin.
Depending on mission profile, BLR says its winglets can reduce fuel consumption by more than 5% in cruise and time to climb to 25,000ft (7,620m) by more than 10%. Additional benefits include reduced drag and improved handling qualities, all of which is a direct result of the winglets increasing the effective wingspan and aspect ratio of the wing and providing a "physical pressure barrier" that conserves lift, says BLR.
Source: Flight International
