FARNBOROUGH, England — /PRNewswire/ — China Southern Airlines has ordered Blended Winglets for its future Boeing Next Generation 737 deliveries, positioning the carrier as China's most efficient and environmentally responsible airline.  The order, which provides for winglet installations on 55 aircraft delivering between 2011 and 2015, is APB's largest winglet order to-date in China.

"China Southern made this commitment after a long evaluation process, and they are looking forward to the performance improvements that the Blended Winglets will bring," says Aviation Partners Boeing CEO John Reimers. "We are very pleased to reach this monumental agreement with China's largest airline."

Blended Winglets provide China Southern numerous benefits, all of which result in economic and environmental improvements.  The improved takeoff performance, reduced fuel consumption, longer range capability and reduced pollutant emissions provided by APB's patented technology support China Southern's efforts to maintain its leading position within China's airline industry.  

"Blended Winglets are visible proof of China Southern's commitment to reducing fuel requirements and pollutant emissions," says Reimers. "These will be the most efficient airplanes on routes between the western provinces and Beijing.  Blended Winglets are simply the most effective performance enhancement available on the market today."

Once all 55 aircraft are in-service with Blended Winglets, China Southern expects: annual fuel savings of more than 7,700 tonnes; an annual carbon dioxide emissions reduction of more than 24,000 tonnes; as well as range improvements and a two-tonne improvement in takeoff performance from locations such as Kunming.

APB and China Southern will now discuss retrofitting winglets onto China Southern's existing fleet of Boeing Next Generation 737 aircraft. Retrofit Blended Winglets offered by APB can be installed in as few as three days, and provide performance and operational benefits identical to factory installed winglets. China Southern currently operates a fleet of about 80 Boeing Next Generation 737s, so the resulting benefit should more than double the above savings once the entire fleet is winglet equipped.  

More than 3,600 Blended Winglet Systems are now in service with over 120 airlines in more than 80 countries. APB estimates that Blended Winglets have saved airlines worldwide more than 2.1 billion gallons of jet fuel to-date.  Aviation Partners Boeing is a Seattle based joint venture of Aviation Partners, Inc. and The Boeing Company.

www.aviationpartnersboeing.com