Two companies at NBAA are offering aerodynamic improvements for Hawker business jets, promising better performance, longer range and lower fuel consumption.
Winglet Technology has unveiled new elliptical winglets for the Hawker Beechcraft 200 and Premier I/IA family of light jets, and Aviation Partners (booth C8110) has announced it has begun shipping its new scimitar tipped blended winglets for Hawker 800 series aircraft.
Aviation Partners said the scimitar tip, first announced at NBAA last year, is an aerodynamic change to the tip cap of the existing blended winglet, a product of a lengthy computational fluid dynamics (CFD) design process. The modification provides an additional half-a-percent drag reduction above the existing 7.3% at long-range cruise that the blended winglet delivers. And as AP said, it "provides a striking new aesthetic" to aircraft fitted with it.
Winglet Technology said it will be offering its elliptical winglets for retrofit on existing Premier I/IA business jets with entry into service targeted for the first quarter of 2013. "We are pleased to be collaborating with Hawker Beechcraft to obtain a supplemental type certificate for the installation of our Elliptical Winglets on the Premier," said Bob Kiser, president of Winglet Technology. "They will improve the aircraft's aerodynamic performance across a broad range of operating conditions. Once FAA approval has been received, retrofits will be available at Hawker Beechcraft Services' network of service centers. We are confident that this program will be well received and appreciated by current Premier I/IA owners and operators," he added.
Gary Dunn, AP vice president sales, said the first installation of scimitar tipped blended winglets "is currently in work on a Hawker 800XP." He added: "This aircraft should return to service in late October and we are scheduled to install several more this year."
Both companies promise that the resulting induced drag reduction enhances operational performance, providing increased range, improved hot-and-high take-off performance and second-segment climb, reduced time to climb, and improved lateral and directional stability.
Source: Flight Daily News
