Page 28 - AAA JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2016 Online Magazine

FEATuRE AIRCRAFT RETROFIT

Fit for Retrofit

Airbus is seeing growing demand for its Sharklet retrofit offering By Atul Chandra

ThE ShARkLET WINGTIP PRODuCTION
Retrofit and In-Service Retrofit (ISR)
offering from Airbus for its A320 Family
aircraft, are increasingly finding favour
with operators of the single-aisle jetliner.
The Production Retrofit has been offered
to A319, A320 and A321 operators since
February 2013, whereas the In-Service
Retrofits (available only on A319 and A320),
commenced in 2015. Sharklet wingtips
have been available as an option since
December 2012, on all new build A320 Family
aircraft and will delivered as standard fit
on the A320neo Family. An estimated
3,500 in-service A319/320s are eligible for
the retrofit and Airbus now has an order A320 aircraft, above serial number MSN 1200 time on-wing for the engine. The Sharklets also
backlog extending to mid-2017. It has sold an (which were delivered without the necessary come with the same LED navigation and strobe
estimated 330 Sharklet kits for production wing structure). The retrofit, takes a 13 days lights, that are fitted on newer A320 Family
and in-service retrofit. Installation of the and 3,500 man-hours, adding 330 kg of weight aircraft, thereby enhancing commonality. MRO
wingtips on approximately 105 A320 Family across the winglets and plug and play kit. operators worldwide are working with Airbus
aircraft have already been completed. An The retrofit involves removal of the outer to offer Sharklet modifications to customers.
additional benefit for airlines is that pilots wing, reinforcement of the wing structure, Approximately 50 MRO providers will be able to
require only a one-hour awareness course attachment of the bathtub and top skin and perform the upgrade work. One of the first firms
on the additional performance available finally, installation of the Sharklet wingtips. to offer Production and In-Service Sharklet
as a result of fitment of the wingtips. The Sharklet retrofit is delivered as a kit retrofit modifications, was Sabena technics,
According to Airbus sources, pilot feedback to the customer and can be installed at the which from last year offered both services at its
has been positive for the retrofit, with operator’s choice of Maintenance Repair & facilities in Bordeaux, France. Swiss MRO firm
reports of reduced mid-air turbulence being Overhaul (MRO) provider. The sole supplier of SR Technics was another of the early movers,
encountered after the retrofit. Sharklets to Airbus is Korean Air’s Aerospace offering retrofit services out of its overhaul
The Airbus Sharklet Production Retrofit, Division, which handed over the 1,000th facilities in Zurich and Malta.
is a post-production solution, that is available fuel-saving wingtip device in February 2014. The first order for an In-Service Sharklet
on all A320 Family aircraft already delivered The Sharklets when retrofitted, replace the retrofit was from Jet Blue which in 2014,
with the latest standard wings. Since the no distinctive smaller, triangular-shaped wingtip placed orders for 110 of its A320 jetliners,
additional wing reinforcement is required, devices seen on older A320 Family aircraft. to be upgraded with Sharklets. The first
all that is required is the installation of A320 Family jetliners that are retrofitted ISR retrofit on a Jet Blue A320ceo aircraft
the Sharklets and a software upgrade. with the 2.4 metre-tall Sharklet wingtips can was completed in October 2015. Retrofits
The production retrofit can be performed deliver fuel burn savings of up to four percent on were also completed for Portuguese airline
for A320 Family aircraft (A319, A320 and the longest sectors. They also can fly up to 100 TAP and Qatar Airlines in 2015. Jet Blue
A321), with serial numbers after MSN 5514. nm further or carry 450 kg of additional payload. was the first airline to complete a Sharklet
Airbus says only one-day is required for Aircraft that receive the wingtips as part of the production retrofit in February 2013 and the
the work to be performed, which takes 65 ISR, further benefit from receiving an additional first Asian airline to complete the Sharklet
man-hours and adds 127 kg of weight across 36,000 flight hours and a service limit extension production retrofit was Tigerair, which took
both winglets. The In-Service retrofit for of 10 years. Engine maintenance costs are also delivery of the aircraft in November 2013.
the Sharklet wingtips, received European lowered, due to the reduced take-off thrust The first A320ceo equipped with Sharklets,
Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and Federal being required for the same take-off weight. The was delivered to AirAsia in December 2012.
Aviation Administration (FAA) validation in up to four percent additional take-off derate American Airlines and Finnair, received the
October, 2015. The retrofit is provided as for the engine, that is a result of the improved first A319 and A321 respectively, with the
a pre-assembled kit solution for A319 and aerodynamic performance, also delivers longer advanced wingtips in 2013.
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