Aviation Partners Spiroid winglets

[mz]

This new circular winglet has been making the news lately with claims on big fuel savings (over 10%) or so.

http://www.aviationpartners.com/spiroids.html

 

[CammNut]

Far from new - Aviation Partners actually flew this spiroid-equipped GII back in the early 2000s and it didn't catch on then.

 

[Trident]

Nevertheless, the idea is not dead, it seems:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Dassault-Falcon-50/1749946/L/

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Dassault-Falcon-50/1749948/L/

 

[saintkatanalegacy]

they're really nice drag reduction mods

 

[fightingirish]

Some say drag reduction methods at the wing-tips like these "Spiroid Winglets" are the holy grail of modern aerodynamics.

 

[Trident]

Slightly OT: there is now a wing tip mod for the MD-80 series out there, apparently:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Jetran-Air/McDonnell-Douglas-MD-82/1075139/L/

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Jetran-Air/McDonnell-Douglas-MD-82/1088763/L/

The same airframe before modification for comparison:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Jetran-Air/McDonnell-Douglas-MD-82/1051746/L/

 

[Triton]

Falcon 50 outfitted with Aviation Partners Spiroid winglets.

Source:

Warwick, Graham. "Spiroids - Winglets on Steroids" Leading Edge 7/30/2010
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/blogs/aviation_week/on_space_and_technology/index.jsp?plckController=Blog&plckBlogPage=BlogViewPost&newspaperUserId=a68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9c&plckPostId=Blog%3aa68cb417-3364-4fbf-a9dd-4feda680ec9cPost%3a0d22617c-6afb-4aec-a956-46ed9f534b11&plckScript=blogScript&plckElementId=blogDest

 

[Grey Havoc]

Winglets - All Shapes, Sizes - and Uses (Aviation Week/Things With Wings blog)