Aircraft Winglets/Sharklets System Market: Introduction
- Aircraft winglets are upright extensions of the wingtips that enhance the cruising range and fuel efficiency of an aircraft. These winglets are designed as small airfoils that reduce the aerodynamic drag related with vortices as the aircraft moves through the airspace.
- The winglets of an aircraft also help reduce fuel burn and the time to climb. Moreover, these winglets are attached to enhance the field performance by reducing the drag. They significantly boost performance of aircraft by lowering the drag, which may led to considerably faster cruising speed.
Key Drivers of Aircraft Winglets/Sharklets System Market
- Rise in air travel activity has been providing significant opportunities for aircraft makers for the last few years. Changing lifestyle, rising urbanization, economic expansion, increasing disposable income across several countries have all boosted the number of travelers and passenger traffic, which in turn is expected to boost the market in the next few years.
- Stringent regulations and policies enacted by several regional or national authorities require the periodic maintenance and replacement of damaged or worn out components. This factor is anticipated to drive the global aircraft winglets/sharklets market during the forecast period. Growing passenger traffic significantly supports regional and commercial aircraft deliveries with the expansion of fleet size, which is also estimated to drive the aircraft winglets/sharklets market in the next few years.
- For instance, according to the statistics provided by the International Air Transport Association (IATA), in 2019, the number of passengers travelling by air rose to 4.5 billion, an increase of 3.6% as compared to the number in the previous year. Moreover, the number of scheduled passengers is anticipated to rise by about 10 billion with the number of departures to about 90 million by 2040.
Challenges of Aircraft Winglets/Sharklets System Market
- The time taken for the installation is about five to six weeks for falcon aircrafts and two to three weeks for hawker aircrafts. Therefore, it is preferred to efficiently use the downtime of the aircraft during upgrade or scheduled maintenance. The team can work on installation of winglets during the upgrade of avionics or installation of aircraft communication systems in order to minimize the downtime and carry out the operations in an efficient manner.
Opportunities of Aircraft Winglets/Sharklets System Market
- Winglets enhance the operating efficiency of aircraft by reducing the induced drag at the tips of the wing. Improved wing efficiency translates to reduced fuel consumption, more payload, and extended cruising range, which can allow an air carrier to operate on more destinations and longer routes. Sparklets/winglets are responsible for an increase in mileage rates by as much as 7% in the aviation sector.
- Use of winglets is proven to reduce drag, save fuel, reduce community noise, and cut NOx and CO2 emissions. They can also enable additional payload capability and extend a range of aircraft, depending on the need of operator. For instance, the installation of winglets for an entire 58-feet aircraft results in total saving of up to 29 million U.S. gallons of fuel per year coupled with reduction of 277,000 tons of carbon dioxide emission each year.
Regional Outlook of Global Aircraft Winglet/Sharklets System Market
- The market in Europe is expected expand significantly due to the presence of key aircraft manufacturers, such as Airbus, Dassault Aviation S.A., and Leonardo S.p.A., in the region. Moreover, the demand for new aircraft and progressive shift of new fleet due to accelerated retirement of older and less fuel efficient aircraft is also estimated to boost the market. For instance, in December 2021, Airbus stated to foresee the demand for 39,000 new passenger & freighter aircraft continued improvements in fleet efficiency, sustainable fuels, operations, and propulsion technologies.
- The aviation sector in North America is mature, with the presence of a large number of aircraft manufacturers. Therefore, the defense sector benefits from increased government investment in R&D and the procurement of sophisticated fighter planes, helicopters, and transport and trainer aircraft from regional companies. Increased emphasis on improving the infrastructure of private airports, together with positive regulatory developments, is anticipated to boost the aviation sector in North America during the forecast period.
Key Players Operating in Global Aircraft Winglet/Sharklets System Market
- FACC AG
- GKN Aerospace
- Kaman Corporation
- Korean Air’s Aerospace Division
- RUAG Aerostructures
- Aviation Partners, Inc.
- Winglet Technology, LLC
- Aviation Partners Boeing
- Tamarack Aerospace Group, Inc.
- HYUNE AERO-SPECIALTY INC
- Other Major Players
Aircraft Winglet/Sharklets System Market, by Winglet Type
- Blended Winglets
- Raked Wingtip
- Split Scimitar Winglets
- Advanced Technology Winglets
- Sharklets
- Wingtip Fence
- Others
Aircraft Winglet/Sharklets System Market, by Aircraft Type
- Commercial Aircraft
- Narrow-Body Aircraft
- Wide-Body Aircraft
- Regional Jets
- Business Jets
- Military aircraft
Aircraft Winglet/Sharklets System Market, by Platform Type
- B737
- B737 Max
- B747
- B767
- B777
- B787
- A320 Family
- A330
- A350XWB
- A380
- Others
Aircraft Winglet/Sharklets System Market, by Fit
Aircraft Winglet/Sharklets System Market, by Region
- North America
- Europe
- Germany
- UK
- France
- Italy
- Spain
- Russia & CIS
- Nordic Countries
- Rest of Europe
- Asia Pacific
- China
- India
- Japan
- ASEAN
- Rest of APAC
- Latin America
- Brazil
- Mexico
- Rest of Latin America
- Middle East & Africa
- GCC Countries
- South Africa
- Rest of Middle East & Africa