China Southern Airlines

Aviation Partners Boeing (APB), a joint venture (JV) formed between Aviation Partners and Boeing, has received a contract from China Southern Airlines to retrofit an additional 40 Boeing 737-700 and 737-800 aircraft with blended winglets.

It is believed to be the largest order in its history from a Chinese airline for retrofit blended winglets, and will offer improved fuel efficiency, as well as allow for an increased takeoff weight.

Aviation Partners Boeing sales and marketing director Craig McCallum said blended winglets would contribute to China Southern Airlines’ profitability.

"With 40 additional aircraft utilising our technology, China Southern can expect almost $11 million in additional contribution to profit annually, while reducing their CO2 output by more than 20,000t," McCallum said.

APB has already retrofitted the winglets on 32 of the airline’s aircraft.

“With 40 additional aircraft utilising our technology, China Southern can expect almost $11 million in additional contribution to profit annually, while reducing their CO2 output by more than 20,000t.”

Offering reliable form of fuel hedging, the performance of the blended winglets is expected to last for the life of the aircraft in spite of fuel prices, the company said.

With more than 5,000 blended winglet systems equipped on Boeing 737s, 757s, and 767s operated by 200 airlines, the system is estimated to have saved 3.3 billion gallons of jet fuel worldwide.

Powered by new CFM56-7B engines produced by CFM, the 737-700ER offers a maximum range of 10,425km and can seat 48 passengers for premium service or nearly 126 passengers in a two-class configuration.

The Boeing 737-800 aircraft is powered by a CFM56-7BE engine and its wing airfoil design will allow it to offer a cruise speed of .789Mach (530mph), compared with .745Mach offered by earlier 737 models.

Image: The single-aisle 737-800 aircraft can seat between 162 to 189 passengers. Photo: courtesy of Boeing.