New Winglet Design for the Boeing 757

Presenter(s)

Jerry Ma

Abstract or Description

In the last 40 years, wingtip devices have captured the attention of many aeronautical engineers in their effort to improve the efficiency of aircraft performance. As aircraft get larger and fly farther, wingtip device technology's effects on efficiency will be more dramatic. For example, a Boeing 747, enhanced with a proposed winglet (Blended winglet), would save an estimated 23,000 pounds of fuel on flights from the U.S. West Coast to Hong Kong. The efficiency doesn’t just translate to fuel saving but also to longer range and carrying a larger payload. This project aims to develop a new vortex-reducing winglet device for fixed-wing aircraft and gain a greater understanding of how wingtip devices modify vortex structure. Using the Boeing 757 as the test case, different winglet designs will be analysed using a low-speed wind tunnel to compare the differences in Induced drag (CDi), Drag (CD), and Lift coefficient (CL). This will produce an optimal winglet design for the 757 and provide empirical data to support the final product. Currently, the airfoil for the testbed has been designed in CAD and fabricated with a 3D printer. Basic performance data from the wind tunnel was also collected. In the future, I hope to use the testbed to research and analyse different winglet designs. This research will assist in the efficiency of aircraft and save costs in air travel in the future. 

Mentor

Dr. Elliott