CAP2008 From United States, joined May 2007, 221 posts, RR: 1 Posted (1 year 1 week 7 hours ago) and read 1680 times:
After reading this post, I was wondering how winglets become missing (besides ground collisions) Boy! The A330 Is Fugly Without Winglets! (by UAL747 Dec 24 2007 in Aviation Polls & Prefs)
On average, how long does it take an airline to replace the winglet, and how much does it cost? Also, how does flying with one winglet effect flight (handling, fuel burn, cruise speed...)
If this has been discussed before, I apologize; but I couldn't find anything on a.net related to this topic.
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On average, how long does it take an airline to replace the winglet, and how much does it cost? Also, how does flying with one winglet effect flight (handling, fuel burn, cruise speed...)
It depends on the availability of the part and whether the plane needs to be in service. As for the actual repair, I don't know.
Missing winglets do not affect handling or cruise speed noticeably. Fuel burn will increase by about 1-5% depending on the flight.
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Skyslave From United States, joined Oct 2005, 44 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (1 year 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1494 times:
Also, to the guy that posted below me, it would most definitely be in the configuration deviation list (CDL). I'm sure you knew that, just thought I would post for accuracy's sake
EMBQA From United States, joined Oct 2003, 7702 posts, RR: 10 Reply 4, posted (1 year 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 1483 times:
Quoting Starlionblue (Reply 2): It depends on the availability of the part and whether the plane needs to be in service.
Well.... There is a MEL or CDL that cover winglets. That will tell you how long it can be missing. My guess would be 10-14 days..... As for the rest of your questions.... the actual time to change one out... two guys- a couple of hours. Most are just held on by 4 or 6 bolts and a wire harness. Flight control-restrictions..? The MEL-CDL will drive any extra fuel and speed requirments. Handling will be all but un-noticed as winglets are not added for handling
[Edited 2008-01-03 07:42:55]
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57AZ From United States, joined Nov 2004, 2429 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (1 year 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 1431 times:
Winglets can be damaged any number of ways. The most popular seem to involve hangar activities such as hitting doors or other items in the the hangar areas. Actually read of a Gulfstream that lost a winglet to a hangar door in high winds-the rolling hangar door was BLOWN OFF ITS TRACK and fell on the wing.
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Tdscanuck From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 4019 posts, RR: 28 Reply 6, posted (1 year 6 days 15 hours ago) and read 1396 times:
Quoting CAP2008 (Thread starter): After reading this post, I was wondering how winglets become missing (besides ground collisions)
Lightning is a popular way to loose part of a winglet. Ground handling still the champion, as far as I know.
Quoting CAP2008 (Thread starter): On average, how long does it take an airline to replace the winglet, and how much does it cost? Also, how does flying with one winglet effect flight (handling, fuel burn, cruise speed...)
Cost depends a lot on which winglet you're talking about. Wing fences are much cheaper than full blended winglets. In every case, replacement shouldn't take more than an overnight visit to the hanger.
Quoting EMBQA (Reply 4): Well.... There is a MEL or CDL that cover winglets.
It would be CDL, but not all aircraft have it. For example, 737's with winglets don't have CDL relief.
Tdscanuck From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 4019 posts, RR: 28 Reply 8, posted (1 year 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 1357 times:
Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 7): Quoting Tdscanuck (Reply 6):
737's with winglets don't have CDL relief.
Any Reason?.
I think because the winglets on a 737NG are, relative to most other wingtip devices, pretty large so the absence of one introduces non-trivial changes in the aircraft performance. The winglet also contains the lights so, without the winglet, you're missing your lights on one side.
HAWK21M From India, joined Jan 2001, 26086 posts, RR: 51 Reply 9, posted (1 year 6 days 12 hours ago) and read 1336 times:
Quoting Tdscanuck (Reply 8): I think because the winglets on a 737NG are, relative to most other wingtip devices, pretty large so the absence of one introduces non-trivial changes in the aircraft performance. The winglet also contains the lights so, without the winglet, you're missing your lights on one side
What about replacing a Standard Wingtip for a Blended Wingtip.
Is that permissable.
Tdscanuck From Canada, joined Jan 2006, 4019 posts, RR: 28 Reply 10, posted (1 year 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 1330 times:
Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 9): What about replacing a Standard Wingtip for a Blended Wingtip.
Is that permissable.
It's technically possible, but it takes more work to switch between a standard wingtip and a blended winglet than it takes to just replace the winglet. I looked at this with an operator in Europe a while ago and it just didn't make economic sense...it was cheaper to keep a spare blended winglet around.
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