FLUG REVUE first flight gallery: Boeing 757 Blended Winglet

First Flight Gallery: Boeing 757 Blended Winglet

Read the original first flight press release:

Blended Winglet Equipped Boeing 757 Makes First Flight

Another Aircraft Model Enters the Sky with Blended Winglets - Landmark Milestone Achieved

SEATTLE, March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- On March 9th a Continental Airlines Boeing 757-200, outfitted with 8 foot 2 inch tall Aviation Partners Boeing Blended Winglets, flew from Everett, WA to Los Angeles with a brief stop en route at Boeing Field Seattle. "The first flight was a complete success," says Aviation Partners Boeing Vice President of Programs Jay Inman.

"From an airline perspective, this is our most significant Blended Winglet Program ever. With this technology, Boeing 757-200 operators will experience block fuel improvement of up to 5%, saving as much as 300,000 gallons per aircraft, per year for every Blended Winglet Performance Enhanced 757-200," said Aviation Partners Boeing Vice President Sales and Contracts Patrick LaMoria.

FAA certification of 757-200 Blended Winglets is anticipated in May 2005 with first customer installations beginning in July. Initial launch customers Continental Airlines and Icelandair are the first operators that will take advantage of patented* Blended Winglet Technology on their 757-200's.

"Market interest in this program has been unprecedented," says Aviation Partners Boeing CEO Mike Marino. "The 757-200 is a very popular aircraft that has been coming up in value lately. More and more airlines are looking to increase the utilization of one of the most efficient aircraft every designed on a cost per seat basis. Blended Winglet Technology, now available for the 757-200, is helping to make this possible."

Aviation Partners Boeing expects to Performance Enhance the majority of the 600 plus existing fleet of 757-200s with revolutionary Blended Winglet Technology. Operator benefits include: a block fuel improvement of up to 5%, approximately 200 nautical miles of additional range or up to 10,000 lbs. of incremental payload capability, improved second segment climb, enhanced operational flexibility (such as trading improved fuel burn for faster cruise speeds), improved takeoff performance out of high, hot, or obstacle limited airports, reduced engine maintenance costs, enhanced aesthetic appeal, increased aircraft residual value, and a range of environmental benefits that will equate to an economic payback period of less than 3 years for most operators.

"The 757-200 Blended Winglet Program is a tremendous milestone for us and very exciting from a sales perspective," says Aviation Partners Boeing Chairman Joe Clark. "This landmark program will translate into about 180 million gallons in annual fuel savings when the entire fleet of 757-200's is upgraded with Blended Winglet Technology. Anytime you can enhance the productivity of an existing asset we feel it is a wise business investment."

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Last updated 14 March 2005

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