Hawaiian Airlines Completes First Installation of Blended Winglets on 767-300s

Hawaiian Airlines has completed its first installation of Blended Winglets on its Boeing 767-300 jets, the company’s newest and biggest “green” initiative that will significantly reduce fuel usage and carbon dioxide emissions of its aircraft.

Hawaiian is one of the first airlines in the world to install winglet technology on Boeing 767 aircraft after recent certification of the modification by the FAA. The company expects to have winglets installed on eight of its 767s by summer 2010.

“Installing winglets on these aircraft makes them among the most efficient, environmentally friendly aircraft in the world fleet,” said Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian’s president and CEO. “Being a leader in winglet technology for 767 aircraft means we’ll be among the greenest operators of this aircraft, and the first to benefit with lower fuel expense and greater payload.”

Standing 11-feet tall and extending upward from the end of each wing, the winglets improve the efficiency of the 767’s wings by smoothing out airflow across the upper wing near the tip. One result is reduced aerodynamic drag, which means less thrust is needed to fly the same speed. This translates into lower fuel use, with savings of between 700 and 800 gallons of fuel for every round trip between the West Coast and Hawaii, or an estimated 2 million gallons of fuel per year.

In addition to the long-term fuel savings, a key benefit of the new technology is its immediate effect on Hawaiian’s carbon footprint. Use of the winglets will reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 2,250 tons per aircraft per year, or an estimated 18,000 tons annually once all eight aircraft are fitted.

Wings fitted with winglets also produce more aerodynamic lift, which will allow Hawaiian’s 767s to carry 10,000 to 15,000 additional pounds in payload on certain weight-restricted flights, which translates into greater cargo-carrying capacity.

Other benefits of the winglets include increasing the operating range of each aircraft, reducing engine maintenance costs, and improving take-off capabilities.

Hawaiian’s new fleet of Airbus A330 aircraft, which begin arriving in April 2010, will be fitted with winglets as factory-installed equipment.

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