carry-on

Image: Southwest Airlines.

The search for improved aerodynamics that maximise lift, and minimise its ugly sister drag, is as old as powered flight. Winglets provide a very effective way of reducing one of the biggest contributors to drag on an aircraft the vortex drag from the wingtips. And there’s a new tip in town – Scimitar.

Why winglets?

Aerodynamics 101 says that the pressure imbalance – high pressure below the wing, low above – creates a problem at the wing tips. The high pressure air below spills over the end of wingtip into the low pressure air above. This is most pronounced at the wingtips. The wing’s forward motion spins this upward spill of air into a long spiral, that trails behind as wing tip vortices or vortex drag.

Winglets reduce the aircraft’s drag by partial recovery of the energy that is lost to vortices. They smooth the flow of high pressure air, reducing its spill to the top of the wing. The Smithsonian Air & Space magazine has a brief, but excellent history of the winglet.

Boeing’s sleek blended winglets on the 737 deliver a a better climb to cruise that eliminated the need to step climb at full payload; steeper climb rates; derated takeoff and climb thrust settings; and, they reduce fuel burn by approximately 3.5 to 4 per cent on 737s.

They also add another efficiency dimension: reducing interference drag. The smooth curve instead of a sharp interior angle as on the A330 or 747 reduces interaction of the boundary layer – smooth air attached to the wing - at the wing/winglet junction which if disrupted causes vortexes.

Enter the scimitar.

First seen on the MD-11, the new 737 scimitar or feathered winglet is a more pronounced design that will deliver a further 2 per cent reduction in fuel burn.

Shaped slightly differently to Boeing’s patent design on the 737 MAX, Aviation Partners Boeing new winglets increase the -800’s wingspan about 15cm, with the lower ventral strake adding approximately one metre (three feet) below the wing. A bigger increase in span delivers a further increase in aspect ratio without materially increasing the wingspan, the extra wingspan lowering lift-induced drag.

The new winglet balances this increase in effective span between the upper and lower parts. It  makes the system more efficient without adding more weight.

On the ground.

Airline research has also shown winglets also have a known psychological impact on customers who believe they makes the aircraft seem bigger, more technologically advanced and reliable.

The downward strake is more vulnerable to damage, requiring increased training, with United writing “scimitar” on the nose of its 737s to alert ground crew. This presents a new risk, but its one that doesn’t phase United Airlines Fleet Vice President Ron Baur “the fuel saving is so great, we’ll take that risk.”

Image: United Airlines.

Yesterday ANA ended 35 years of continuous B747 operations, Boeing 747-400D JA8961 operating the final service from Okinawa’s Naha Airport to Tokyo-Haneda where it greased the tarmac for the last time at 15:13 local time.

It also marks the end of passenger 747 operations in Japan, during which ANA and JAL operated every variant of the B747 produced including the -SR and -400D produced specifically to service the high density Japanese market. The 747′s capacity and reliability created a unique niche facilitated by the growing Japanese economy and tourism during the 80s and 90s.

I thought it was a wonderful aircraft. There is no comparison” – ANA’s CEO, Osamu Shinobe.

9M-MRO captured at Singapore. Photo: wikicommons.

*this post will continue to be updated as official information is released.

Latest update Sunday, March 9 AEST18:00.

SAR operation continues across the Gulf of Thailand and the South China Sea in an unprecedented operation involving the deployment of 22 aircraft and 40 ships from six countries. Today, Malaysia’s DCA also confirmed there is no reason to ground the country’s Boeing 777-200 fleet following the disappearance of the aircraft yesterday.

Latest update at AEST18:25.

Malaysia’s Defence Minister and deputy Transport Minister have confirmed that multiple SAR assets have been deployed in search of missing aircraft 9M-MRO. The assets include Malaysian Navy ships, ships from other Vietnam and China, as well as a Malaysian Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130 and Airbus EC725 helicopters - equipped for combat SAR with electro optical/infrared sensors.

Original post. Latest update at AEST16:25.
There has been a considerable amount of unverified speculation driven by Twitter this morning generating a myriad of conflicting  reports on the whereabouts of Malaysian Airlines flight MH370 that disappeared from radar while operating MH370 from Kuala Lumpur (KUL/WMKK) to Beijing (PEK/ZBAA).

The aircraft remains missing and there is no official confirmation that the aircraft has crashed.

Malaysian and Malaysian Airline Systems (MAS) officials as well as China’s Civil Aviation Authority and Chinese state media agency Xinhua have now confirmed that  the aircraft has disappeared enroute and that a coordinated search and rescue (SAR) operation has been launched by China, Malaysia, and Vietnam. The aircraft was due to land in Beijing at 06:30 local.

The Boeing 777-200ER registered 9M-MRO departed with 227 passengers and 12 crew members at 12:41am, disappearing from radar around 02:40 while transiting Subang Air Traffic Control in Malaysia at approximately 35,000 feet, 30 minutes after departure from Kuala Lumpur International Airport.

Airspace over the Gulf of Thailand/South China Sea where 9M-MRO went missing, and which is now the focus of an ongoing SAR operation.

There is now confirmation that the last point of contact of MH370 was 120 nautical miles off Kota Bharu over the South China Sea near a waypoint named BITOD. Vietnam and China have now deployed SAR ships toward the area.

The aircraft did not transmit a distress signal, and no flight plan would be available unless it is officially released by MAS or authorities through whose airspace jurisdictions MH370 would pass.

There are unconfirmed reports the aircraft made contact with Vietnamese ATC and that the aircraft was identified Vietnamese radar before it disappeared. Civil Aviation Authority Vietnam Flight Control Department manager Bui Van Vo said the aircraft failed to check-in at GMT17:21 “it’s code didn’t appear in our system”. Vietnam’s ADS-B coverage is known to be excellent along the country’s eastern seaboard; further, the majority of airports throughout SE Asia have primary radar coverage from 50-100 nautical miles, so a radar return would only appear if the aircraft was in range of the radar head.

The captain has logged 18,365 flying hours after starting with the airline 1981, the first officer has logged 2,763 hours having joined the airline in 2007. According to aviation reference databases 9M-MRO was built in 2002 and is powered by Rolls-Royce Trent 800 engines.

Boeing and the NTSB continue to monitor the situation and have yet to provide official statements.

Those who may have relatives travelling on this service are advised to call Malaysian Airlines on +603 7884 1234.

Got my #avgeek on last weekend at the RAAF’s Centenary Airshow, and thought I’d share some photos of the incredible flying programme and static display that celebrated a centenary of military aviation in Australia. The airshow was held to mark the anniversary of the first Australian military aviation flight undertaken by Lt Eric Hudson of the Central Flying School who took off in a Bristol Boxkite on March 1, 1914.

This is a post that will be updated throughout the day as information develops.

The Qantas Group has announced a record half-year PBT loss of $252 million broken down as follows:

• Domestic a $57 million profit
• International $262 million loss
• Loyalty – a record $146 million profit
• Freight $11 million profit
• Jetstar Group airlines a $16 million loss

There will be a reduction in domestic capacity with A330s redeployed to international services to accelerate B747-400 retiement.

Brisbane and Sydney-Singapore services will be downgraded to A330 aircraft. Melbourne – London services will be permanently re-timed.

B767 retirement will be accelerated with the fleet to be retired by the second half of FY15.

While Jetstar experienced a 2 per cent improvement in unit costs, Jetstar Asia has experienced significant yield, as well as fuel price and foreign exchange pressure in its Asian operations. Growth across its Asian operations will be frozen and the current A320 order book will be renegotiated with Airbus.

The last three of 14 Boeing 787-8 orders for Jetstar will be deferred.

REX Regional Express

First cab off the rank, and in line with its guidance released earlier in February REX has issued a Profit Before Tax for the six-months to December 31 of AUD$5 million – a 60 per cent decline on 1H FY2013.

Announcing the results in a report entitled “aviation is crisis”, COO Gary Filmer says “the Abbott government needs to take immediate steps to fulfil their election promises to regional aviation outlined in the Coalition’s Policy for Aviation before the irreversible collapse of regional aviation occurs.” Filmer also made it clear that any Federal Government debt guarantee extended to Qantas should be available to the regional airline.

REX attributes its weak performance to the “continuing weak Australian economy”. The airline saw revenue decline 5 per cent to $130.1 million dollars on a load factor decline of 2.7 per cent to an average 54.1 per cent.

REX’s passenger Cost/ASK increased by 0.5 per cent, with the airline also experiencing an increase in the proportion of total cost attributed to fuel. However, overall the airline’s cost control programme saw a decline in total cost by $200,000 to $ 103.1 million.

Sydney Airport

Sydney Airport today released its 2013 full year results to December 31, announcing a Profit Before Tax of $126 million on the back of a small increase in revenue to $1.139 billion.

Aeronautical revenue grew delivering 49 per cent or $548 million of total revenue after a 4.1 per cent increase in international passengers drove capacity additions by more than half of the 36 international airlines serving Sydney. Retail revenue was also strong, following increases in retail space in T1 and T2.

The airport reiterated its potential to handle capacity growth and its ongoing airport investment programme as the airport fights an impending, but again delayed decision, on a second Sydney Airport.

Now we all wait with baited breath for Air New Zealand’s expected profit and Qantas’ half-year catastrophe. Friday it’s Virgin Australia’s turn. In the meantime here is a reminder of last year’s full year performance.