Company History / Timeline
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
2010
- February 25th: China Southern Airlines orders 55 737-700/800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between May 2011 and October 2013.
- May 4th: Hainan Airlines orders 45 737-800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between April 2011 and April 2015.
- May 13th: Allegiant orders 6 757-200 Blended Winglet systems.
- May 18th: Malaysia Airlines orders 35 737-800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between September 2010 and December 2014.
- June 6th: Air China orders 30 737-800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between January 2011 and August 2014.
- July 16th: Babcock & Brown orders 20 737-800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between March 2011 and May 2014.
- July 20th: Air Algerie orders 14 737-800 Blended Winglet systems; half for immediate retrofit and half to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between September 2010 and June 2011.
- November 5th: Air Lease Corporation orders 60 737-800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between 2012 and 2017.
- December 7th: Aerosvit Airlines orders 7 767-300ER, 2 737-500, and 1 737-300 Blended Winglet systems.
2011
- January 6th: Delta Air Lines orders 25 additional 757-200 Blended Winglet systems.
- February 1st: China Eastern orders 30 737-700/800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between July 2011 and October 2015.
- March 29th: Virgin Blue orders 50 737-800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between July 2011 and September 2015.
- March 29th: CIT Leasing Corporation orders 38 737-800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between September 2011 and March 2017.
- May 11th: Shandong Airlines orders 16 737-800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between July 2011 and October 2013.
- May 12th: Ethiopian Airlines orders 10 737-800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between November 2011 and June 2015.
- May 12th: ILFC orders 33 737-800 Blended Winglet systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing between September 2012 and February 2016.
- May 13th: United Air Lines orders 12 767-300ER Blended Winglet systems.
- July 8th: Shenzhen Airlines orders 40 737-700/800 Blended Winglet systems
to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from
Boeing between 2012 and 2015. - July 27th: GOL orders 20 additional 737-700/800 Blended Winglet systems to
be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing
between 2016 and 2018. - August 5th: Delta Air Lines orders 8 additional 767-300ER Blended Winglet
systems. - August 31st: El Al orders 3 737-800 Blended Winglet retrofit systems.
- September 14th: Air China orders 20 737-800 Blended Winglet systems to be
installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver from Boeing
between January 2013 and July 2015. - November 15th: Southwest Airlines orders 23 737-700/800 Blended Winglet
systems to be installed in-production for new aircraft scheduled to deliver
from Boeing in 2012. - November 18th: United Airlines orders 2 additional 767-300ER Blended
Winglet systems. - November 30th: GECAS orders up to 160 additional 737-700/800 Blended
Winglet systems. - December 5th: Ethiopian Airlines orders 3 767-300ER Blended Winglet
systems. - December 8th: Delta Air Lines orders 4 additional 767-300ER Blended Winglet
systems. - December 23rd: Azerbaijan Airlines orders 2 767-300ER Blended Winglet
systems.
