Comments on: Winglets for the A320…and a Saint? http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/2008/09/18/winglets-for-the-a320and-a-saint/ Dan Webb on Aviation Tue, 07 Feb 2012 16:36:07 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Dan Webb http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/2008/09/18/winglets-for-the-a320and-a-saint/comment-page-1/#comment-183 Dan Webb Thu, 18 Sep 2008 16:36:19 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/?p=138#comment-183 I'm not sure if the winglet market is done just yet. Southwest started installing them when oil was much cheaper, and the potential increases in range and takeoff performance are also tempting. In my opinion, cheaper oil will weaken demand for the winglets but not completely, especially on new aircraft that will be in a fleet for awhile. They will pay for themselves over time, it's a question of how long it will take. I’m not sure if the winglet market is done just yet. Southwest started installing them when oil was much cheaper, and the potential increases in range and takeoff performance are also tempting.

In my opinion, cheaper oil will weaken demand for the winglets but not completely, especially on new aircraft that will be in a fleet for awhile. They will pay for themselves over time, it’s a question of how long it will take.

]]> By: Court http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/2008/09/18/winglets-for-the-a320and-a-saint/comment-page-1/#comment-182 Court Thu, 18 Sep 2008 14:53:25 +0000 http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thingsinthesky/?p=138#comment-182 Great! Just in time for the price of oil to come back down. Before oil went hog-wild, after-market winglets never really made sense because of the high fixed costs to relatively minimal fuel savings. If oil continues it's downward trend, I predict we'll see Airbus scrapping the program once again. The question is, will we start to see them as an option on newly manufactured A320's? Right now the 737 has a definite "prettiness" advantage over the A320 series because of those winglets. It could tip the tables in the inevitable A vs. B threads at A.net ;) Great! Just in time for the price of oil to come back down.

Before oil went hog-wild, after-market winglets never really made sense because of the high fixed costs to relatively minimal fuel savings. If oil continues it’s downward trend, I predict we’ll see Airbus scrapping the program once again.

The question is, will we start to see them as an option on newly manufactured A320′s? Right now the 737 has a definite “prettiness” advantage over the A320 series because of those winglets. It could tip the tables in the inevitable A vs. B threads at A.net ;)

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