4 ms·
Amazing that those winglets alone are worth GBP 400,000. It's just a few layers of metal, no?
by hamburg 12y ago
Amazing that those winglets alone are worth GBP 400,000. It's just a few layers of metal, no?
- brixon 12y agohttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingtip_device http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingtip_device "The winglets increased the 747-400's range by 3.5 percent over the 747-300, which is otherwise aerodynamically identical but has no winglets."
- AlexMuir 12y agoI was amazed by that figure as well. They are six-foot extensions that decrease fuel consumption by about 4 to 6 percent [1]. I'd imagine that insurance and warranties mean that operators can only use approved Boeing parts. [1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingtip_device#Passenger_aircraft http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wingtip_device#Passenger_aircra...
- mnw21cam 12y agoInsurance - will they pay us if it breaks? Warranties - will they replace it if it breaks? Regulation - will they sue the pants off us and ban us from flying if we use a non-approved part, regardless of whether it breaks or not?
- danbruc 12y agoI wondered the same and found this thread [1] - they are obviously priced based on the added value, i.e. reduced fuel consumption - and not on material and manufacturing costs. [1] http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/3089549/ http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/re...
- JunkDNA 12y agoClassic example of pricing based on value to the end-user (in this case, a pretty nice fuel savings) and not on actual cost of materials. Something to keep in mind as a developer when selling your skills, software, etc...
- mapleoin 12y agoSo where is the competition?
- msandford 12y agoWhere is the regulatory certification so that it can be allowed on an airplane?
- TylerE 12y agoNot so sure...consider how much is cost to engineer (probably at least a few millions + all the testing/certification costs) spread out over less than 10k units.
- dm2 12y agoThe link below says the fuel cost per hour for a 747-300 is ~$21,000. http://www.what2fly.com/operating_cost/boeing/747-300.php http://www.what2fly.com/operating_cost/boeing/747-300.php The winglets save about 3 - 3.5+% fuel consumption. (from Boeing's website and Wikipedia) So it only takes roughly 2000 hours of flight time to recover the costs from a used set of winglets ($650k each according to the article). 2000 flight hours is generally less than 2 years worth of flights for a normal 747-300. (Couldn't find a great source, didn't look too hard: http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/492074/ http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/re... ) According to this they weight between 375 - 518 pounds and are ~6 feet tall, which is significantly more than they look. http://www.b737.org.uk/winglets.htm http://www.b737.org.uk/winglets.htm Edit: doubled the hours, thanks bhousel
- bhousel 12y ago$650k per winglet, not per set. So actually more like 2000 hours, but that's still significant fuel savings..
- gambiting 12y agoWhat I don't understand is, why would you order an aircraft without them in the first place,if the saving is so big?
- rtkwe 12y agoA guess, there are a lot of older planes out there in the fleets and the winglets were a later improvement.
- smackfu 12y agoGenerally they would be older airframes where winglets weren't an option at the time of manufacture. Also, if you are running a lot of short flights, fuel costs may not be your primary concern. For example, the 747-400D is a model meant for short domestic routes like between Japanese islands, and doesn't have winglets.
- joezydeco 12y agoA few layers of metal and airworthiness approval from every jurisdiction the airplane will fly through.