A winglet modification for the Boeing 727, promising performance improvement and noise reduction, is expected to receive supplemental type certification approval as early as October.
The upgrade, known as the Quiet Wing system, is mid-way through flight tests at Moses Lake, Washington, on a 727-100 on loan from Canadian operator Kelowna Flightcraft. "The tests began in June and we're just about to go to the second half of the flight tests," says Robert Olson, marketing vice-president of Dugan Air Technologies, the Bellevue-based company behind the development.
Olson says that initial results indicate that the winglet modification is well on track to achieve the performance targets outlined at the beginning of the project. These include a 6% increase in range to 4,600km (2,500nm), with a 80,000kg take-off gross weight, compliance with Stage III noise regulations and fuel savings of up to 6% with a payload of 16,000kg. "Our programme is based on using the winglet to give us the full benefit of the wing. We basically fly at the same speeds, but use less power", says Olson.
Pending successful tests and the award of an STC around October, Olson says that Dugan Air expects to receive "a slew of orders".
Source: Flight International
