Boeing 737-300 Blended Winglets Delivered

  Kawasaki delivered its first Blended Winglets. to Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) in October. Kawasaki is designing, developing and manufacturing the patented innovative winglets for the Boeing 737-300/400/500 models under an official agreement inked with APB in October last year (see Feb. 2002 Business Activities).

  Blended winglets, which are made of a high-tech composite material specially developed for aircraft, are attached to the tips of the wings to enhance performance by extending flight ranges, reducing noise and making other improvements. Winglets are already a standard feature on the Boeing Business Jet. The Boeing 737-700/800 models and Gulfstream's GII Business Jets have also been equipped with them. It is anticipated that they will also be fitted to a wider range of Boeing's existing aircraft, including the 747, 757 and 767 fleets. There are currently 1,000 Boeing 737-300 jetliners in operation around the globe. The winglets will be available as an option for those Boeing aircraft being retrofitted.

  Kawasaki used its proprietary KMS- 6115 composite material to create the latest winglets. KMS-6115 is made from high-performance carbon fibers and toughened epoxy resin, with much greater tensile and compressive strength than conventional composite materials. This is the first time KMS-6115 will be used in a Boeing aircraft.