Airbus completed installation of the first set of ‘Sharklet’ wing-tip devices on the company’s A320 development aircraft (MSN 001), preparing for the flight-test campaign in the coming weeks. The sharklets, specially designed for the A320 Family, will reduce fuel burn by up to 3.5%, corresponding to an annual CO2 reduction of around 700 tonnes per aircraft. This reduction is equivalent to the CO2 produced by around 200 cars annually. The number matches the results found on the APB winglets on the 737 family. The wingtip devices are ~2.5m tall and replace the current wingtip fences. Offered as an option on new-build aircraft, as well as being standard on the A320neo Family, Sharklets will also enhance the aircraft’s payload-range and take-off performance.
