Inventor:

The inventor of the winglet Richard T Whitcomb was ini7ally inspired by in

part, from studying the ways in which birds in ight curled their wing7p feathers
upward when seeking greater li>.
Historical roots: Richard T. Whitcomb elaborated on a concept introduced in the late
1800s by Bri7sh aerodynamicist Frederick W. Lancaster: wing who developed
endplates at the extreme end of the wing. Whitcomb believed that plates alone
would not suciently reduce drag or enhance fuel performance. Instead, he designed
what he called winglets: ver7cal wing extensions engineered with as much care and
precision as an aircra>s wing. (APPEL, 2014)
See you tube clip for overview of history and how winglets work: hUps://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FNqXf6t7e-w
References: APPEL, (July 22, 2014) // Academy of program/ project and engineering
leadership, This Month in NASA History: Winglets Helped Save an Industry
hUp://appel.nasa.gov/2014/07/22/this-month-in-nasa-history-winglets-helped-savean-industry/

Eciency Claim: Whitcomb proposed that winglets would produce a 20% reduc7on
in induced drag. Subsequent tes7ng proved him to be right. (APPEL, 2014)
Timeline: The rst winglets were invented by Bri7sh aerodynamicist Frederick W.
Lancaster: developing wing endplates. Then in the United States, Scofsh-born
engineer William E Somerville patented the rst func7onal winglets in 1910.
Somerville installed the devices on his early biplane and monoplane designs. Then
Richard T. Whitcomb published his research in 1976 and great interest was given to it
as fuel costs were rising so any cost eec7ve innova7on was welcomed. On July 24,
1979, the rst winglet test ight took o from NASA Dryden Flight Research Centre.
The test program was a joint eort between NASA and the Air Force, which supplied
the KC-135 Stratotanker jet aircra> that was modied with winglets. (APPEL, 2014)
References: APPEL, (July 22, 2014) // Academy of program/ project and engineering
leadership, This Month in NASA History: Winglets Helped Save an Industry
hUp://appel.nasa.gov/2014/07/22/this-month-in-nasa-history-winglets-helped-savean-industry/

How the Winglet works: First of all, lets dene some terms that need to be
understood in rela7on to the aircra>.
Weight pushes the aircra> downward, and the magnitude depends on the mass of
the airplane parts, amount of fuel, passengers, baggage, freight, et cetera.
Li> is an aerodynamic force generated as the aircra> moves through the air to
overcome the downward force generated by its weight. The magnitude of the li>
depends on the shape, size, and velocity of the aircra>.
Drag is the resistance force created by the air as it resists the movement of the
aircra>, and the direc7on is opposite that of the ight. Less drag would lead to less
fuel burn and increased cruise eciency.
Thrust is the force generated by an aircra>s propulsion system to overcome the drag.
The thrust from the propulsion system should exceed the drag to enable the aircra>
to accelerate. The greater the dierence between the thrust and the drag (excess
thrust), the faster the accelera7on. (Cederholm, 2014)
Reference: Why aircra> mechanics are important to airline investors By Teresa
Cederholm, Jul 2, 2014, hUp://marketrealist.com/2014/07/aircra>-eets-importantairlines-investors/

How the Winglet works: They reduce the wing7p vortex and the associated drag by
deec7ng the air that wants to escape over the 7p back down. Winglets only reduce
the eects of vor7ces; they do not get rid of them. Winglets block the path of the
higher pressure air and stop it from gefng to the lower pressure therefore stopping
all forming of large vor7ces.
However winglets themselves make 7ny vor7ces because the higher pressure area is
now on the outside of the winglet and the low pressure area on the inside. The
dierence in pressure causes the higher pressure area to move towards the lower
pressure are thus making a vortex. All these factors eect the aircra>s ability to
create li> in order to y.

VorCces: Here is how we would dene VorCces-

High pressure on the lower surface creates a natural airow that makes its way to the
wing7p and curls upward around it. When ow around the wing7ps streams out
behind the airplane, a vortex is formed. These twisters represent an energy loss and
are strong enough to ip airplanes that blunder into them. (Air and Space, 2001)
See below youtube clips to see how a vortex works.
hGps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnvIf3vFEYA
hGps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc86Akaq3KQ
Reference: Air & Space, September 2001, hGp://www.airspacemag.com/ighttoday/how-things-work-winglets-2468375/?no-ist

Alternate designs: Winglets come in a few shapes, sizes and congura7ons. The
majority of these being;
Standard Winglets - Your average n xed onto the wing at 90.
Blended Winglets - A curved sec7on of wing normally at 70 to the main wing.
Reference: How Do Winglets Work? February 21, 2015, hUp://itetest.com/ar7cles/
why-do-planes-have-winglets

Alternate designs: Winglets come in a few shapes, sizes and congura7ons. The
majority of these being;
Spiroid Winglets - A blended winglet that is curved completely over and reconnected
to the wing.
Split Scimitar Winglets - A blended winglet that has an upside down winglet to
encourage smooth air ow.
Reference: How Do Winglets Work? February 21, 2015, hUp://itetest.com/ar7cles/
why-do-planes-have-winglets

Material ProperCes: Note that the main material components of the winglet are as
follows:
1. Aluminum used for the skin, 7p, ribs and for the interchangeable interface joint.
2. Titanium splice plates connec7ng the interface joint
3. Graphite Spars structural rods
4. Carbon ber light but strong material used in the construc7on of the winglet
some7mes used to replace the aluminum skin (alternate skin used for fuselage)
5. High tensile Bolts to connect winglet to the end of the wing.

Material ProperCes: CAD Drawing of a Blended Winglet.

Note where each of the main materials are located.

Material ProperCes: The above table is a breakup of the components in the winglet
and the material it is made from.

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Material ProperCes: The above table is a breakup of the Material, Manufacturing

Technique, In service proper7es and the manufacturing proper7es.
References:
Copeland, P. (2012). Engineering Studies: The Deni2ve Guide Volume 1 (2nd Edi2on).
Helensburgh: Anno Domini.
Wikipedia (2016). Retrieved July 16, 2016. hUps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbonber-reinforced_polymer
The Essen7al Chemical industry online. Retrieved July 15, 2016. hUp://
www.essen7alchemicalindustry.org/metals/7tanium.html

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Material JusCcaCon:
Aluminium - alloy is used in the produc7on of the winglet skin as it provides excellent
strength and corrosion resistance to harsh condi7ons. It provides the strength and
rigidity needed for safe and stable applica7on yet is light and malleable to allow ini7al
shaping of the component when being made.
Titanium Is yet again and extremely light and tough material which is ideally suited
in the applica7on of the winglet. It is corrosion resistant and has a low weight to
strength ra7o which is required as addi7onal weight not only adds to running costs
but adds extra stress to other wing components.
Graphite Provides a lightweight, heat resistant, extremely hard product that
provides the strength necessary to maintain the internal structure of the winglet. It
also is a product that will be corrosion resistant in the adverse condi7ons that an
aeroplane is subjected to.

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Material JusCcaCon:
Carbon Fibre Is in ideal product to use when looking for a light weight material that
has high strength. Is once again corrosion resistant and is able to be formed into the
desired aerodynamic shape tat complements the necessary features and aeroplane
requires.
Medium Carbon Steel The winglet needs to be aUached adequately to the end of
the wing and high tensile bolts would achieve this. The bolts would be zinc coated to
prevent corrosion and strong enough to withstand the stress and strain form the
strong winds experienced at the extents of the wing. Are also cheap and can be
replaced for a small cost when either doing scheduled maintenance or when doing
repairs.

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Technological Factors:
Winglets reduce energy loss by stemming airow down the wing and decreasing the
wing7p vortex tornadoes. In addi7on, as the spiral of air strikes the winglet, some of
its force is converted into thrust adding to the argument for added eciency.
Winglets actually trick an aircra>s wings into ac7ng as though they were longer.
Longer wingspans are more ecient: they in turn give the aircra> the ability to y
longer ranges at cruising speeds. However there is a down side as longer wings
require greater stabiliza7on, which increases weight, adding to fuel costs. Overall
winglets increase range by reducing drag without adding signicant weight. This, in
turn, reduces fuel consump7on. (APPEL, 2014)
References: APPEL, (July 22, 2014) // Academy of program/ project and engineering
leadership, This Month in NASA History: Winglets Helped Save an Industry
hUp://appel.nasa.gov/2014/07/22/this-month-in-nasa-history-winglets-helped-savean-industry/

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Technological Factors:
On July 24, 1979, the rst winglet test ight took o from NASA Dryden Flight
Research Centre. Whitcomb specied a certain design, yet a number of dierent
angles for posi7oning the winglets were explored. This was important because the
angle at which winglets are aUached to the wingcalled the cant (upward) and
incidence (inward or outward) anglesare cri7cal for op7mal performance.
Tests at Dryden discovered that the best congura7on for the KC-135 jets was a 15degree cant and a minus 4-degree incidence angle. However, the ideal angle diers
for every aircra> because the whirlpool of air that swirls o the wing7p is unique for
each plane.
Over the course of 48 test ights, winglets were proven to reduce wing7p drag,
increasing fuel eciency by 6-7%. Winglets con7nue to be relied on today by
commercial and other airlines for enhanced fuel performance. This will be covered in
more detail in environmental and social factors. (APPEL, 2014)
References: APPEL, (July 22, 2014) // Academy of program/ project and engineering
leadership, This Month in NASA History: Winglets Helped Save an Industry
hUp://appel.nasa.gov/2014/07/22/this-month-in-nasa-history-winglets-helped-savean-industry/

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Social and Environmental Factors:

Realis7cally the cost of airline 7ckets over the last 20 years has fallen making air travel
aordable for most people. The cost of a winglet ranges from $600,000 to $2,350,000
per aircra>, and because of rising fuel costs, winglets have resulted in signicant cost
savings these cost have then in turn been passed onto travelers.
Avia7on Partners Boeing es7mates that over the past ten years, it has sold 7,000
blended winglet systems and has saved 4.1 billion gallons of fuel for airlines
worldwide. Therefore the rela7ve small cost of winglets which has produced huge
fuel savings has made air travel more aordable for all people and it is not just for the
wealthy. (United Con7nental Holdings 2010)
Its interes7ng to note that the over riding reason for the interest in developing the
winglet in the mid 1970s was the energy crisis that pushed up the price of fuel
sparking interest in developing ways to enhance fuel eciency.
It should also be noted that a noise reduc7on is achieved by using winglets. This has
great ramica7ons for people living near the airport, helping real-estate values to
remain high and enabling people to generally enjoy a higher quality of living.
Reference: United Con7nental Holdings: A must-know company overview (2010).
Retrieved July 26, 2016. hUp://marketrealist.com/2014/07/winglets-reduce-aircra>drag-improve-fuel-eciency/

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Social and Environmental Factors:

From an environmental perspec7ve winglets also reduce carbon monoxide and
nitrous oxide emissions by 4%5%. If all the single-digit percentages of savings seem
insignicant on their own, they add up. ( Aircra> Technology Engineering &
Maintenance, 2007)
In 2010, Avia7on Partners Boeing announced its Blended Winglet technology has
saved 2 billion gallons of jet fuel worldwide. This represents a monetary savings of $4
billion and an equivalent reduc7on of almost 21.5 million tons in carbon dioxide
emissions. Avia7on Partners Boeing predicts total fuel savings greater than 5 billion
gallons by 2014. (Transporta7on Spino, 2010)
Reference: Winglets Save Billions of Dollars in Fuel Costs. Transporta7on Spino
2010. hUp://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/20110000748.pdf
Reference: Aircra> Technology Engineering & Maintenance - Paris 2007 Special
TECHNOLOGY Whats with winglets? hUp://www.avia7onpartnersboeing.com/
pdf/news/07.6.29_whatswithwinglets-1586-1724.pdf

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Future Developments:
It is evident that con7nual research and development will take place with the winglet.
Dierent shaped winglets will be trialed which is driven partly by socie7es awareness of
environmental issues as well as savings that can be made in fuel costs. The savings generated
by airlines then go back into research and development for safety features and new ways for
the traveler to enjoy air travel.
The latest innova7on, the "Ac7ve Morphing Winglet this is sefng the trend for winglet
technology in the future. This new, ac7vely controlled winglet adapts automa7cally to the
respec7ve ight condi7ons, thereby reducing fuel consump7on even further and increasing
ight safety. The innova7on features a control ap that adjusts itself in real 7me to suit the
current condi7ons. This also ensures op7mal aerodynamics for the fuel-intensive take-o and
landing procedures, as well as reducing noise and pollutant emissions. (FACC AG 2016)
Con7nued development within technology will make ying more ecient and greener in the
future.
Reference: FACC presents latest winglet technology, FACC AG 2016, retrieved July 26, 2016,
hUp://www.facc.com/en/News/News-Press-Archive/FACC-presents-latest-winglet-technology
See below youtube clip to see how Boeing are using wing Cp technology for the future:
hUps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vD828p9Nt0U

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