Nicholas Guida, CEO and co-founder of Tamarack Aerospace, and J. Wickham Zimmerman, a 30-year pilot, aircraft owner and CEO of Californian design company Outside the Lines, have been recognised by the National Aeronautic Association (NAA) for US National Record Aeroplanes Class C-1.e, Group III Speed Over a Recognised Course record. The elapsed time of the record nonstop 26 January flight was four hours, 35 minutes and 11 seconds in a Cessna 525 Citation. The Active Winglet-transformed aircraft travelled 1,386 miles and used a total of 2,610 pounds of fuel.

This record flight was part of the Fly-Off between Tamarack Active Winglets and a flat wing Cessna from Portland, Maine to Palm Beach, Florida. Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) journalists were on board both aircraft to document the event, which was tracked live on the web. The record was recognised by the NAA, which is the record-keeper for US aviation and is the oldest national aviation club in the United States.

Guida is proud of his record-setting flight. “I am excited to see Tamarack Active Winglets be recognised for their capabilities in flight,” he says. “Active Winglet mods can result in up to 33 per cent fuel savings, depending on weather conditions and other variables.”

Zimmerman adds: “I am very pleased with how the Active Winglets performed in January's fly-off and am proud to have been a part of this record setting occasion. Active Winglets provide dramatic fuel savings, increased safety benefits and much more. I am glad that the aviation industry is able to see this game changing technology in action.”

Tamarack Active Winglets consist of a wing extension, a winglet and an autonomous load alleviation system. The technology features instantaneous adjustment to turbulence, providing smoother and safer flights, quicker climbs, allowance for shorter runways, fewer stops and up to 33 per cent reduced fuel use. Tamarack Active Winglets modifications are featured on more than 130 CitationJets today and are being considered for other aircraft including single-aisle commercial and military aircraft.