Does anyone know about those Strut's standing up on the end of Modern Aircraft Wingtip's?

[Hobe Sound AK]

I was once told by a Pilot when I asked him about all the Strut's or Rudder's on the end's of all Modern Aircraft Wing Tip's. He informed me that they dont really do anything at all! However I noticed the Whole World execpt for small Prop. Planes, and Jet Fighter's, have changed over in just 20 Year's. I dont see how it can help the Plane being on the very end of the Wing??

[imanaknut]

The wing tip "fence" or "winglet" is designed to control the airflow off the end of the wing. If a pilot told you that they don't do anything at all, he should stick to Volkswagons and Chevys and the like.

They control the flow off the end of the wing. Wingtip vortexes are literally tornadoes that form at the end of the wing and are generated as soon as the main gear leave the runway on takeoff, and the nose gear touches down on landing. By controlling the flow off the wing tip, drag is reduced, lift is increased, and it results in substantial fuel savings. They are one of the most efficient ways to boost the fuel economy of the modern aircraft, and on smaller ones allow for greater lift which allows shorter take off rolls.

So it really scares me that a person operating an aircraft would say such a thing as what you were told.

[imanaknut]

If you want to get an idea on how good winglets work, fold up a paper airplane without winglets, then throw it. See how it behaves. Then pick it up, bend up the wing tips to simulate winglets and give it another toss. You will be amazed at how much more stable even a paper airplane is with winglets on the wing tips.

[Hobe Sound AK]

He might have been a smail Plane Pilot Nut. I have not flown on a Large Jet, sience 1985.

[davepool]

I used to fly hang gliders with an aeronautical engineer in the 70s who tried to sell me on the idea of installing winglets on the tips of my kite to help reduce turbulence and help with yaw and pitch stability, since my longest flights only lasted maybe 30 minutes and i my max air speed never exceeded 50mph, i never tried them. He was designing a cross country glider that could be balloon dropped from 5000 ft

[JTHunter]

Hobe - have you ever watched a major jetliner land? Do you remember the smoke the main tire assemblies frequently emit when they hit? Then, have you ever seen that smoke form a "horizontal tornado" (a VORTEX) from the backs of the wingtips? That is part of the purpose of the winglets. It helps break those vortices from the wingtips as they increase the "drag" on the planes.
They serve the same function on the wingtips as the "boattail" or bevel on the bottom of a rifle bullit. Less drag, more power at a given distance, greater efficiency.

[deth502]

The wing tip "fence" or "winglet" is designed to control the airflow off the end of the wing. If a pilot told you that they don't do anything at all, he should stick to Volkswagons and Chevys and the like.

They control the flow off the end of the wing. Wingtip vortexes are literally tornadoes that form at the end of the wing and are generated as soon as the main gear leave the runway on takeoff, and the nose gear touches down on landing. By controlling the flow off the wing tip, drag is reduced, lift is increased, and it results in substantial fuel savings. They are one of the most efficient ways to boost the fuel economy of the modern aircraft, and on smaller ones allow for greater lift which allows shorter take off rolls.

So it really scares me that a person operating an aircraft would say such a thing as what you were told.


iirc, (and its been a looong time, so i could be remembering wrong) but on average, the addition of a fence on the end of a wing effectively make the wing "1/3 longer" as far as generated lift is concerned.

[Hobe Sound AK]

Wow finding out a lot here, I had once thought it was just to make the end of the Wing look sharp. Paul.

[Krupski]

I was once told by a Pilot when I asked him about all the Strut's or Rudder's on the end's of all Modern Aircraft Wing Tip's. He informed me that they dont really do anything at all! However I noticed the Whole World execpt for small Prop. Planes, and Jet Fighter's, have changed over in just 20 Year's. I dont see how it can help the Plane being on the very end of the Wing??


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_8tQKVLzE0

Pay close attention starting at 0:25

The vertical winglets on modern aircraft minimize this vortex effect.

Obviously, if energy it being prevented from spinning a large mass of air off the wingtips, the energy stays in the aircraft and the result is reduced drag and better fuel efficiency.

[JTHunter]

Nice video Krupski!
That's the point I was trying to make. Hobe - Even though that jet had winglets, it still made vorticies. They just weren't as big or strong as they would have been W/O the winglets.