Aeromexico Orders Aviation Partners Boeing Split Scimitar™ Winglets for Boeing Next-Generation 737-800s

SEATTLE, Feb. 21, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) announced today that Aerovias de Mexico, S.A. de C.V. (Aeromexico) has ordered Split Scimitar Winglets for its Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft. APB's newest program is the culmination of a five-year design effort using the latest computational fluid dynamic technology to redefine the aerodynamics of the Blended Winglet into an all-new Split Scimitar Winglet. The unique feature of the Split Scimitar Winglet is that it uses the existing Blended Winglet structure, but adds new strengthened spars, aerodynamic scimitar tips, and a large ventral strake. APB received FAA certification for the Split Scimitar Winglets on February 6, 2014.
"Aeromexico has been a very important customer to APB as it is equipping its entire fleet of Boeing Next-Generation 737 airplanes and two of its 767-300ER airplanes with Blended Winglet technology," says Aviation Partners Boeing director of sales and marketing Christopher Stafford. "With this order, Aeromexico will further enhance the performance of its Boeing 737-800s, yielding significant fuel savings throughout its network and additional payload on long haul routes."

APB will develop and certify the Split Scimitar Winglet System for several variants of the Boeing Next-Generation 737 series of aircraft including the structurally provisioned and non-provisioned 737-700, 737-800, Boeing Business Jets, the structurally provisioned 737-900 and the 737-900ER.

"This important structural modification will represent a significant fuel burn improvement in our rapidly growing operations," says Corneel Koster, Chief Operating Officer for Aeromexico. "The installation of these highly innovative winglets will generate close to 170 thousand liters of annual fuel savings per aircraft. We are currently installing the Split Scimitar Winglets on 13 of our Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 aircraft. Aeromexico is very excited to add the next level of efficiency to these state of the art aircraft, while our passengers enjoy its highly comfortable cabins with the renowned Boeing Sky Interior."

APB expects Scimitar Winglet Systems installed on a 737-800 to save Aeromexico more than 55,000 gallons of jet fuel per aircraft per year resulting in a corresponding reduction of carbon dioxide emissions of 530 tonnes per aircraft per year. Additionally, Aeromexico can realize incremental payload on several of its long haul 737-800 operations such as Mexico City to Lima, Peru and Caracas, Venezuela.

APB's Split Scimitar Winglet program is the most successful product launch in its history. Since launching the program early last year, APB has now taken orders and options for 1,461 Split Scimitar Winglet systems. Over the last 10 years, APB has sold more than 7,000 Blended Winglet Systems. Over 5,100 Blended Winglet Systems are now in service with over 200 airlines in more than 100 countries. APB estimates that Blended Winglets have saved airlines worldwide over 4 billion gallons of jet fuel to-date.
Aviation Partners Boeing is a Seattle based joint venture of Aviation Partners, Inc. and The Boeing Company.