Winglets, on an Airbus

Look quite good. Actually thought the plane looked like one of the ‘Jungle Jets’ for about 1 second before I realised what I was actually looking at! :).

I suppose the winglets increase range as a result of the increased fuel efficiency. I know that A321s can’t reach places like Egypt fully loaded from the UK, so I presume that charter airlines, for instance, could be quite interested if these could be fitted (?) .

Cool.

I can’t wait to see some blended winglets on an A321! 🙂

:rolleyes: In the same way you would call a car sexy. Problem?

Blended winglets are sexier than wingtip fences anyway! Stop complaining!

Dan you think a piece of metal is sexy??

Blended winglets are sexier than wingtip fences anyway! Stop complaining!

I’m guessing he meant that if Airbus couldn’t come up with a better, more fuel efficient design themselves (which we are guessing they didn’t seeing as they trialled their own a while back and are now re-trialling them with a partner) – that Aviation Partners – then they should join forces with those ‘in the know’?

the line you quote was one I wrote in reference to Airbus trialing Aviation Partners Winglets.
Airbus tried themselves and couldn’t achieve the right results, so now they’re “joining” with Aviation Partners for a possible solution, the same company Boeing turned to.

That I understand, it was the “if you can’t beat them” part I didn’t quite get, and still don’t. Never mind, though. 🙂

Paul

Well, I’m not sure a monopoly is a good idea.

But if Aviation Partners are the only company who can make this work, then I see no reason why Airbus should not use them.

Following on from that, I’m failing to understand this as well…
Paul

the line you quote was one I wrote in reference to Airbus trialing Aviation Partners Winglets.
Airbus tried themselves and couldn’t achieve the right results, so now they’re “joining” with Aviation Partners for a possible solution, the same company Boeing turned to. Hence: “If you can’t beat em, join em.”

I guessed it, don’t worry, but there are people who actually are very serious while asking this kind of questions:rolleyes:;)

Well, actually, and trust me it’s sometimes hard to avoid, every airliner looks like every other airliner.
Since you have a cylinder, wings, engines and tail fins, the aero/physics/economics rules give you the same design everytime.

I was being purely and entirely sarcastic in my comment, Steph, although I have added a smiley to make that a bit clearer. 😉

Paul

To the untrained eye an A319 could possibly look a little like a 737-200. Shouldn’t the Airbus look totally different? Can’t they come up with their own ideas of how to use aerodynamic principles to design aircraft?

Well, actually, and trust me it’s sometimes hard to avoid, every airliner looks like every other airliner.
Since you have a cylinder, wings, engines and tail fins, the aero/physics/economics rules give you the same design everytime.
For example, look at bizjets. Appart from say the Piaggio Avanti, to an untrained eye they all look the same. You can of course recognize a Falcon or a Cessna, but overall design is very similar. And every manufacturer would like to propose something instantly distinctable from the rest of the crowd.

Do you remember the very early CG views of the B7E7? The shark fin? What’s now on the real hardware? Economics and structural analysis made it hard to manufacture at a reasonnable price. That’s life in design offices…

Talking about design, and back on the main topic, I find these winglets looking very much like the A350XWB ones… Maybe they are not intended to be mounted on A320 but are just to study possible XWB design solutions…:rolleyes:

Blimey, as I understand it both companies have been known to use engines from the same manufacturer on their products. How very dare they ! 😀

Brilliant! But hang on… Let’s go further. To the untrained eye an A319 could possibly look a little like a 737-200. Shouldn’t the Airbus look totally different? Can’t they come up with their own ideas of how to use aerodynamic principles to design aircraft? :rolleyes:

I know I’m being stupid and cynical there (in a joking sense, I assure you), but why on Earth shouldn’t Airbus go to a company who are leaders in their field? I’m failing to understand your point here, Cloud_9!

Following on from that, I’m failing to understand this as well…

Perhaps its a case of “If you can’t beat them, join them”

Paul

And why has Airbus decided to use a company that is teamed up with their arch-rivals…can’t they find someone else to do it, or perhaps design their own?:mad:

Blimey, as I understand it both companies have been known to use engines from the same manufacturer on their products. How very dare they ! 😀

………..

And why has Airbus decided to use a company that is teamed up with their arch-rivals…can’t they find someone else to do it, or perhaps design their own?:mad:.

Perhaps its a case of “If you can’t beat them, join them”

Airbus tried to go it alone and didn’t get the right results… so they’ve gone to a company who are very well versed in blended winglets and are by no mistake the industry leaders in the field.

I suppose in terms of looks and the partners they’d be working with, Airbus would have to bite their lips and go through with it just so they get some ever more important fuel saving out of them.

One comment on that Flightglobal link was that the winglets would hinder the differentiation from the 737. Please :rolleyes:

cloud_9

It’s fine as long as you give a source to your picture, purely for copyright issues, I suggest a wee edit to add “picture copyright of Airbus France 2008” as stated on the pic, purely because it’s a little small to see in your picture.

cloud_9

It’s fine as long as you give a source to your picture, purely for copyright issues, I suggest a wee edit to add “picture copyright of Airbus France 2008” as stated on the pics.

Sorry if I am not suppose to do this, but I have decided to put up one of those images that is featured in the FlightGlobal link that threedeltamax provided…simply to help make my point. I will remove it if necessary, MODs please advise?

Anyways, just wanted to say that I think with those types of winglets it looks hideous, vile, disgusting and I sincerely hope that they do not adopt them!:mad::(

It just simply looks like a 737 now.

And why has Airbus decided to use a company that is teamed up with their arch-rivals…can’t they find someone else to do it, or perhaps design their own?:mad:

“Picture copyright of Airbus France 2008”