Blended Winglets Are Great, But Delta Air Lines Thinks These Winglets Are Better

One of the world’s most iconic carriers, Delta Air Lines, continues to invest in its aircraft capabilities and performance. The Atlanta-based carrier favors Split Scimitar Wingletson its Boeing 737-800 and 737-900ER airplanes. This is through a partnership with Avition Partners Boeing (also known as APB), which develops an upgrade to the current APB ubiquitous Blended Winglet.

The move is expected to improve not only overall fuel efficiency but also deliver savings in the overall consumption of aviation jet fuel and improve the carriers’ operational efficiency. Delta already operates one of the largest airline fleets in the world and has an extensive network of domestic and international flights from its various US hubs.

APB Winglet Products At Delta

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The decision to add Split Scimitar Winglets to the carrier’s 737 family of aircraft comes at a time when the airline had already installed the APB winglet products on a range of its current fleet, albeit the ubiquitous Blended Winglets. These are currently flying on the Boeing 737-800, 737-900ER, 757-200, 757-300, and Boeing 767-300ER.

Currently, the ubiquitous Blended Winglets are a widespread wingtip device, which is common across most modern aircraft. These winglets support a smooth transition across the wing while reducing drag. This provides improved fuel efficiency and, as a result, adds additional range for the aircraft.

As a comparison, Split Scimitar Winglets feature both an upward and downward pointing fin, which creates a weaker vortex on the wing tip, resulting in improved fuel efficiency, reduced drag, and, as a result, a significant reduction in the overall carbon emissions of each flight.

Ubiquitous Blended Winglets

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These are designed with one upward fin and are a common sight on popular aircraft around the world, including the Boeing 737, 757, and 767. The design is smooth and features curved extensions that blend right onto the wing’s edge. These have been engineered to reduce drag by reducing the formation of the airplane’s wingtip vortices. These vortices are swirling air masses that create aircraft drag.

The smooth design allows a more aerodynamic aircraft, which has been shown to increase the operating aircraft’s fuel efficiency, which, as a collective result, will save airlines billions of dollars in annual operating costs. Not only will they save airlines in their pocket, but also ensure the plane’s longitudinal and directional stability, which allows the aircraft to handle smoother landings, especially in wild weather such as high winds.

The Ubiquitous Blended Winglets were first introduced in the early 2000s and have been installed and adopted on aircraft around the world. Developed by Aviation Partners, the manufacturer first installed these onto the 737, and subsequently, they are now a feature on new aircraft at the assembly line, but can also be retrofitted onto existing aircraft.

Split Scimitar Winglets

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First certified in 2014, Aviation Partners’ joint venture with Boeing allowed a blended winglet design, which was first offered on the 737NG. Its success led to similar designs being developed for the 757 and 767. The split scimitar is designed with an aerodynamically shaped cap, with a ventral strake that extends downwards. This is proven to save more fuel, add additional range, and even increase in overall payload.

The dual-blade design is unlike normal standard winglets, given its upward and downward blades that optimize airflow. The design allows the plane to create a weaker vortex, lowering the overall drag of the airplane. This has resulted in increased fuel savings, as planes are shown to lower fuel burn by 1.6% to 2.2% per aircraft. This enhanced performance stimulates fuel savings for airlines, given their increased payload and better operational performance.

Many of the world’s largest airlines have already adopted these winglet designs, with Europe’s largest budget carrier, Ryanair, being one of the biggest adopters of the split scimitar winglet. Other airlines, such as United Airlines and Qantas, have also led to the retrofit of these on existing aircraft, while accepting new deliveries of planes with these already installed. Aeromexico also has the Split Scimitar winglets on its Boeing 737-800 fleet.

Other Carriers’ Adoption Of The Split Scimitar Winglet

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United Airlines invested in the split scimitar winglet due to the attraction of increased fuel efficiency, which would, as a result, mean lower operational costs. The design provides around 2% of fuel savings, and is fully implemented across the carrier’s 737, 757, and 767 fleet. The lower emissions mean that these planes are now more fuel-efficient, improving the airline’s carbon footprint.

Qantas Airways, the flag carrier of Australia, also opted for the split scimitar in a bid to improve its fuel burn across its 737-800 aircraft fleet. The significant savings expected from these will lead to a significant annual fuel saving for the airline’s balance sheet. The carrier program of work to install the split scimitar winglet at Qantas is expected to run through until some stage in 2026.

This retrofit at Qantas will see the fleet of its narrowbody Boeing 737s have its winglets gradually replaced, cementing these popular aircraft into the next decade of operations. The red-tailed airline is fitting the winglets on all 23 of its Boeing 737-800s. These aircraft are deployed on domestic routes, while also providing capacity on short-haul international services such as to New Zealand, Indonesia, and other South Pacific nations.

Why Will Split Scimitar Winglets Work For Delta?

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Atlanta-based Delta is investing in the development and installation of split scimitar winglets, in a bid to not only help improve the fuel efficiency of its Boeing 737 aircraft, but also lower the airline’s carbon footprint. These winglets achieve improved operational efficiency due to their design being reshaped in the traditional blended design. Reduction in drag is a big factor for airlines being able to improve operational handling, as high-pressure air spills onto the lower pressure of the tip.

This creates vortices that sap energy from the jet, but the downward strakes weaken these vortices, so, compared to blended winglets, this design is far superior. With Delta looking to improve its efficiency, this also supports its goal of reducing its carbon emissions, reminding the industry that it remains committed to finding ways to develop cleaner, greener ways to fly. Delta has committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, and is striving to do so through the initiatives detailed below.

The maximized efficiency produces long-haul savings, with the airplanes being able to operate longer flights, which is why we are now seeing the carrier introduce the 737-900ER and 737-800 on longer services. Given that fuel is a major operating cost for airlines, these improvements result in billions of dollars shaved off carriers’ yearly fuel bill.

What’s Next?

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While Delta partnered with Aviation Partners in 2015, the latest move to acquire additional APB winglet products is evident in the carrier’s dedication to ensuring sustainable air travel. There is a solid environmental argument for this investment, with the winglets reducing overall fuel consumption on any aircraft that has the split scimitar or even blended winglet fitted. Delta Air Lines is one of the world’s largest airlines and one of America’s ‘Big Three’ carriers.

The new partnership will see benefits that not only trickle to the airline’s bottom line, but also to the passengers’ tickets. Understanding the economics of fuel reduction and optimized performance should result in lower operating costs for the airline, meaning cheaper airfares for travelers.

The split scimitar winglet will see Delta reduce its overall per passenger emission while improving the overall onboard experience, not just in feel-good factor, but also lower the effects of strong jet streams and air vortices that can affect the enjoyment of the flight, but also reduce the amount of carbon emissions that the aircraft would have once produced when carrying more drag.

APB noted that it “couldn’t be more excited” to partner with Delta, and believes its commitment to sustainability pairs well with the results of the split scimitar winglets. Delta will quickly see the benefits of a small return on each flight, as the cost savings as a result of improved performance add up and reward the airline. The upgrade undoubtedly supports the airline’s ambitions for reduced operating costs, lower fuel burn, and a reduction in the carrier’s global carbon footprint.