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Winglets On The MD-80

L1011CPH From Denmark, joined Mar 2008, 28 posts, RR: 0
Posted (4 years 9 months 2 weeks ago) and read 6511 times:

Hey all,

I have a question regarding the MD-80 and the winglets. These days it seems to be very popular to retrofit winglets on older airplanes. I was in CPH yesterday where there are a very big amount of MD-80. Of cause SAS still has alot of them but also other airliner is still using them.
So will the MD-80 ever gonna be retrofitted with winglets? If not then why?
I know they are pretty old but they are still a huge amount of MD.80 in use world wide.
Hope to hear from you Smile
Best regards Emin

12 replies: All unread, jump to last

BmiBaby737 From United Kingdom, joined Jun 2005, 1636 posts, RR: 10
Reply 1, posted (4 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 23 hours ago) and read 6482 times:

Not much use, but... there were 'Fake' winglets applied to this aircraft back in 2006 for the Farnborough Air Show.

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VHHYI From Australia, joined Oct 2007, 97 posts, RR: 0
Reply 2, posted (4 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 20 hours ago) and read 6237 times:

Not necessarily fake, the company that developed the hushkit on that aircraft said they were developing one:
http://www.comtranlimited.com/media.html .. in 2006.
I guess they haven't convinced any operators to fit them.

This Porsche is like an Airbus;an Engineering marvel, but without passion - Jeremy Clarkson

L1011CPH From Denmark, joined Mar 2008, 28 posts, RR: 0
Reply 3, posted (4 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 19 hours ago) and read 6150 times:

After reading the article I makes me thinking why it hasn´t been a succes? Saving 5% fuel when only retrofiting the winglets seemse to be alot. Specially when there are so many "mad dogs" still flying......

DALMD88 From United States of America, joined Jul 2000, 2365 posts, RR: 15
Reply 4, posted (4 years 9 months 1 week 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 6082 times:

I don't see it happening. The cost of the winglets wouldn't likley be recouped over the inservice time of the airplane for the major current operators; AA, DL, and SAS. All three are beginning to remove them from service.

Alessandro From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 5, posted (4 years 8 months 3 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 5488 times:

Well, cargohaulers will use the MD-80 for a long time, so I think winglets can happen.

Avioniker From United States of America, joined Dec 2001, 1109 posts, RR: 11
Reply 6, posted (4 years 8 months 3 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 5449 times:

The wing on an MD80 is very flexable compared to the DC9 and would require an inordinate ammount of reinforcement in the fuselage to wing attach area and mid span area to support the additional wingtip lift generated by the winglets.
It all comes down to financial balance.
I don't see it happening either.
Smile

One may educate the ignorance from the unknowing but stupid is forever. Boswell; ca: 1533

2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62
Reply 7, posted (4 years 8 months 3 weeks 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 5446 times:

AIRLINERS.NET CREW
HEAD DATABASE EDITOR

Quoting Alessandro (Reply 5):
Well, cargohaulers will use the MD-80 for a long time, so I think winglets can happen.

Are there presently any companies planning to offer cargo conversions to MD-80s?

2H4

Intentionally Left Blank

Flynavy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 8, posted (4 years 8 months 3 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 5315 times:

Quoting Alessandro (Reply 5):
Well, cargohaulers will use the MD-80 for a long time, so I think winglets can happen.

Such as?

Braniff747SP From United States of America, joined Oct 2008, 2623 posts, RR: 1
Reply 9, posted (3 years 7 months 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 4203 times:

Quoting DALMD88 (Reply 4):
AA, DL, and SAS. All thre

Well, AA has MD's leased till 2020...?

The 747 will always be the TRUE queen of the skies!

PGNCS From United States of America, joined Apr 2007, 2513 posts, RR: 45
Reply 10, posted (3 years 7 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 4038 times:

Quoting Alessandro (Reply 5):
Well, cargohaulers will use the MD-80 for a long time, so I think winglets can happen.

Like who? Don't get me wrong, I like the MD-80 just fine and have oodles of time in it, but it has a small cabin cross section so I am highly dubious about cargo conversions. I cannot imagine that on an older aircraft with relatively short average stage lengths that financially there is any incentive to design and install winglets.

Old plane + Short legs = No winglets

DocLightning From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 16814 posts, RR: 57
Reply 11, posted (3 years 7 months 4 days ago) and read 3977 times:

Quoting PGNCS (Reply 10):
I cannot imagine that on an older aircraft with relatively short average stage lengths that financially there is any incentive to design and install winglets.

But WN is putting them on 733s. Anyway, they can offer a noise reduction because they reduce needed takeoff power. At least the 737's API ones do.

Starlionblue From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15870 posts, RR: 66
Reply 12, posted (3 years 7 months 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 3974 times:

Quoting DocLightning (Reply 11):
they can offer a noise reduction because they reduce needed takeoff power

Or increase climb rate and thus decrease noise heard on the ground.

"There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." - from Citadel by John Ringo