Company History

1991

Joe Clark and Dennis Washington form Aviation Partners, Inc. (API) and hire Dr. Bernie Gratzer and a dream team of retired Boeing and Lockheed aerospace engineers.

1993

Aviation Partners, Inc. installs high-aspect-ratio Blended Winglets on Gulfstream II and immediately markets the retrofit after FAA approval.
Aviation Partners, Inc. flight-tests Spiroid wingtips on a Gulfstream II and achieves more than 10% greater fuel-efficiency at cruise but delays commercialization in favor of Blended Winglets that are more stylish and more easily satisfy FAA and aircraft authorities.

1994

September 20th: Dr. Bernie Gratzer receives patent #5,348,253 for Blended Winglets.

1995

Clay Lacy knocks two hours off the Los Angeles to Paris World Speed Record on a Gulfstream II with API Blended Winglets.

1996

Clay Lacy established seven new time-to-climb records, including a dramatic climb from sea level to 40,000 ft (12,000 m) in just 6 minutes and 20 seconds on a Gulfstream II with API Blended Winglets.

1999

Aviation Partners, Inc. Blended Winglets tested on Boeing Business Jet.
Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) joint venture formed to offer Blended Winglets for Boeing aircraft. Blended Winglets are offered as a standard feature on the Boeing Business Jet.

2000

September 5th: APB awarded Supplemental Type Certificate for 737-BBJ Blended Winglets.

2001

March 23rd: APB awarded Supplemental Type Certificate for 737-800 Blended Winglets.
Hapag-Lloyd is the first airline to operate a Boeing 737-800 with retrofit Blended Winglet technology.
South African Airlines is first to order winglet-equipped Boeing 737-800s, stating that the winglets allow the 737 to outperform the rival Airbus A320 on long flights.
Air-Berlin is first to fly a Boeing 737-800 with factory-installed Blended Winglets.
August 27th: APB awarded Supplemental Type Certificate for 737-700 Blended Winglets.

2002

July 8th: Copa Airlines becomes first operator in Americas to fly with Blended Winglet technology.

2003

May 29th: APB awarded Supplemental Type Certificate for 737-300 Blended Winglets.
June 2nd: WestJet Airlines orders up to 94 shipsets of 737-NG Blended Winglets
June 12th: Southwest Airlines orders 169 shipsets of 737-700 retrofit Blended Winglets.

2004

April 26th: Continental Airlines becomes the first U.S. Major to order Blended Winglets when they place an order for both 757-200 and 737-NG Blended Winglets.
May 9th: Shandong Airlines becomes first Chinese operator to order Blended Winglets from APB.
July 9th: All Nippon Airways orders 45 shipsets of 737-700 Blended Winglets.
October 16th: 500th shipset of Blended is installed on a Continental Airlines 737-800.

2005

February 24th: Ryanair places largest single order in APB’s history announcing that they will purchase 225 shipsets of 737-800 Blended Winglets.
May 23rd: APB awarded Supplemental Type Certificate for 757-200 Blended Winglets.
October 24th: GOL Linhas Areas Inteligentes S.A. orders 60 shipsets of 737-800 Blended Winglets.
October 31st: Virgin Express becomes the first customer to order 737-300 Blended Winglets.

2006

March 29th: American Airlines orders 76 additional shipsets of 737-800 Blended Winglets.
May 1st: 1000th shipset of Blended Winglets is installed on an American Airlines 757-200.
May 26th: Northwest Airlines orders 757-200 Blended Winglets.
June 20th: Southwest Airlines orders up to 90 shipsets of 737-300 Blended Winglets.
July 19th: American Airlines orders 104 additional shipsets of 757-200 Blended Winglets.
September 26th: Continental Airlines orders 48 shipsets of 737-300 and 737-500 Blended Winglets.
September 26th: With orders from Continental Airlines, KLM, and Alaska Airlines, APB launches certification program for 737-900 Blended Winglets.
October 12th: US Airways orders 757-200 Blended Winglets.

2007

February 22nd: APB receives 2007 Airline Industry Aviation Technology Achievement award from Air Transport World.
March 22nd: United Airlines orders 757-200 Blended Winglets.
March 28th: With order from American Airlines for 47 shipsets, APB formally launches certification program for 767-300ER Blended Winglets.
March 30th: APB and Alaska Airlines enter into Hometown Partnership; Alaska Airlines agrees to install Blended Winglets on all future new 737-NG aircraft deliveries.
May 17th: Delta Air Lines orders 737-800 retrofit; 737-700 in-production; and 757-200 Blended Winglets.
May 24th: APB awarded FAA Supplemental Type Certificate for 737-500 Blended Winglets.
June 8th: Delta Air Lines orders 767-300ER Blended Winglets.
September 13th: Aviation Capital Group commits to order for 100+ 737-700/800 in-production Blended Winglet Systems.
September 14th: Air Berlin orders 85 737-700/800 in-production Blended Winglets Systems.
October 10th: APB awarded FAA Supplemental Type Certificate for 737-900 Blended Winglets.
December 6th: 2000th shipset of Blended Winglets is installed on a Continental Airlines 737-900.
December 21st: AirTran orders 54 737-700 Blended Winglet Systems completing fleet-wide transition to Blended Winglets.

2008

March 15th: Norwegian Air Shuttle orders 42 737-800 in-production Blended Winglet Systems.
March 20th: Turkish Airlines orders 22 737-800 retrofit Blended Winglet Systems to complete 100% fleet transition to Blended Winglet technology.
March 26th: Xiamen Airlines orders 37 737-800 in-production Blended Winglet Systems.
April 2nd: Southwest Airlines exercises options for 31 additional 737-300 Blended Winglet Systems.
April 17th: RBS Aviation Capital orders 40 additional 737-700/800 in-production Blended Winglet Systems.
May 19th: TUIfly Nordic becomes 7th customer for 767-300ER Blended Winglets.
June 4th: GOL orders 40 additional 737-700/800 in-production Blended Winglet Systems.
June 16th: DHL becomes 8th customer for 767-300ER Blended Winglets.
June 26th: With orders from Continental Airlines and Condor, APB formally launches 757-300 Blended Winglet certification program.
July 8th: Air New Zealand becomes 9th pre-certification customer for 767-300ER Blended Winglets with order for 5 Systems.
July 17th: FlyDubai orders 50 737-700/800 in-production Blended Winglet Systems.
July 20th: 767-300ER Blended Winglets make first flight (non-revenue) to start certification flight test program.
July 23rd: DAE Capital orders 50 737-700/800 in-production Blended Winglet Systems.
September 9th: Hawaiian Airlines become 10th pre-certification
customer for 767-300ER Blended Winglets with order for 8 Systems.
September 10th: The Government of Iraq signs agreement with APB
for 30 shipsets of 737-NG winglets for in-production installation on new
aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between 2013-2017.
September 18th: TuiFly / ThomsonFly exercise options to
purchase 9 additional 767-300ER and 12 additional 757-200 Blended Winglet
Systems.
December 8th: Yakutia becomes first airline in Russia to order
Blended Winglets (757-200).

2009

January 13th: LAN exercises options for 11 additional 767-300ER
Blended Winglets Systems (taking total order to 37 shipsets).
January 27th: Garuda Indonesian Airlines orders 25 shipsets of
737-800 Blended Winglets to be installed in-production for new aircraft
scheduled to deliver from Boeing between June 2009 and May 2012.
February 27th: American Airlines orders 43 additional shipsets
of 737-800 Blended Winglets to be installed in-production for new aircraft
scheduled to deliver from Boeing between July 2009 and December 2010.
March 6th: APB awarded Supplement Type Certificate for 767-300ER Blended Winglets
March 4th: Jet Airways and JetLite order 30 shipsets of 737-800 Blended
Winglets to be installed in-production by Boeing for new aircraft to be
delivered between July 2009 and February 2015.
March 26th: APB awarded Supplemental Type Certificate for 767-300ER Blended
Winglets by EASA
July 16: APB awarded a Supplemental Type Certificate for 737-500 Blended Winglets by EASA
August 16: APB awarded a Supplemental Type Certificate for 757-300 Blended Winglets by the FAA
September 2: APB was awarded the STC for the 767-300 Freighter from EASA

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Company History