What are wing tips in aircraft?
In subject area: Engineering. A wingtip is defined as the terminal part of an aircraft wing, which typically features a semicircular edge extending from the leading to the trailing edge. It plays a role in the aerodynamic performance of the wing, affecting factors such as lift and drag. Wingtip devices are intended to improve the efficiency of fixed-wing aircraft by reducing drag. Although there are several types of wing tip devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to reduce an aircraft’s drag.They are designed to improve the efficiency of the wing by reducing aerodynamic drag caused by wingtip vortices. Wingtip vortices are swirling air currents that form at the wingtips due to the high-pressure air beneath the wing rolling over to the low-pressure air above it.Raked wingtips, similar to the ones used on the 777-200LR, 777-300ER, and 787 aircraft, are used on the 747-8 instead of winglets used on the 747-400. These wingtip structures help reduce the wingtip vortices at the lateral edges of the wings, decreasing wake turbulence and drag and thereby improving fuel efficiency.
What are wing tips used for?
Winglets are essentially aerodynamic performance enhancers. Their primary purpose is to improve aircraft performance by reducing aerodynamic drag. Drag degrades the aircraft’s performance, especially at high speeds and high altitudes where commercial airliners spend most of their time. If the 777 were fitted with winglets, this would have extended its wingspan, limiting the ability to fit at some airport gates, so Boeing made the decision to avoid adding additional weight and complexity to the aircraft design, instead using raked wingtips as a balance for performance gains, and also limiting weight .The Boeing 777X has folding wingtips to allow the aircraft to fit into the same airport gates and taxiways as existing 777 models.The Boeing 777 does not have winglets because they would increase its wingspan beyond the limit for its airport category, and also add weight and drag. Instead, the 777 has raked wingtips, which are extensions of the wing that curve backwards.Overall, Boeing’s choice of raked wingtips over traditional winglets for the 787 Dreamliner is a key part of its design strategy to enhance performance, reduce fuel consumption, and improve the aircraft’s range.The Boeing 777 does not have winglets because they would increase its wingspan beyond the limit for its airport category, and also add weight and drag. Instead, the 777 has raked wingtips, which are extensions of the wing that curve backwards.
What is the tip of an airplane wing called?
Let’s start outside the aircraft, facing the airplane sideways at the very end of the wing. This section is called the wingtip. The wingtips are the furthest most point of the wing from the aircraft’s body. If you stand at the end of a wing (also called the ‘tip’) and look down the wing, you’ll see the upper surface has a curve (also called a ‘camber’).
Why do some planes have different wing tips?
Although there are several types of wing tip devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to reduce an aircraft’s drag. Such devices reduce drag by increasing the height of the lifting system, without greatly increasing the wingspan. Winglets. For many years, wing designers have attempted to reduce the induced drag component by special shaping of the wing tips. The Wright Brothers used curved trailing edges on their rectangular wings based on wind tunnel results. On modern airliners, the wing tips are often bent up to form winglets.The Boeing 787 Dreamliner does not feature traditional winglets because it utilizes a more advanced aerodynamic design called “Raked wingtips. Raked wingtips extend outward and taper gently, providing the same benefits as winglets, but in a more efficient way.The engineers behind the Boeing 777 faced a similar challenge when deciding whether to add winglets to its wings. You see, the 777 already has impressive wings that span a good distance. If they added winglets, those little wing extensions, the wingspan would grow even longer.
Why are plane wing tips bent?
For many years, wing designers have attempted to reduce the induced drag component by special shaping of the wing tips. The Wright Brothers used curved trailing edges on their rectangular wings based on wind tunnel results. On modern airliners, the wing tips are often bent up to form winglets. Many airplanes have been designed with linearly tapered wing shapes. They offer a good compromise between weight and structural efficiency, enhancing aerodynamic performance by reducing induced drag and improving fuel efficiency.
What is the difference between wingtip and winglet?
A wingtip (or wing tip) is simply the end of the wing farthest from the airplane fuselage. A winglet is a piece of material attached to the end of the wing that may curve up, down, or both. Boeing calls them Winglets and Airbus calls them Sharklets. The latest evolution is called the Scimitar Winglet. But these wingtip devices are both inspired by the wings of birds.The term winglet was previously used to describe an additional lifting surface on an aircraft, like a short section between wheels on fixed undercarriage. Richard Whitcomb’s research in the 1970s at NASA first used winglet with its modern meaning referring to near-vertical extension of the wing tips.