West Star Aviation's Lovell Field facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee was recently named as an authorised API winglet installation centre for Falcon Aircraft. Specific models include Falcon 50, 900 and 2000 series aircraft.

The company's facilities at St Louis Regional airport in East Alton, Illinois and Grand Junction Regional airport in Colorado were already authorised installation centres for API on the same models. The addition of the Chattanooga facility brings the number to three. API is actively expanding its installation facilities to better serve their customers.

“API's winglet installation relationship with West Star goes back almost 20 years, starting with the Hawkers at Grand Junction in 2004 and more recently the Falcons at East Alton in 2010. We look forward to many more years of this great partnership, offering expanded slot availability to our mutual customers, as we bring Chattanooga online,” says Aviation Partners president Gary Dunn.

API winglets for Falcon aircraft offer several benefits including increased range (up to five per cent at Mach .80, seven per cent at LRC) and improved climb (higher initial cruise altitude and faster time to climb). Currently, API winglet installations at West Star Aviation are estimated to take approximately five business weeks of downtime.

The addition of blended winglets is popular at the time of aircraft ownership change as new owners can take advantage of post-acquisition down time and financing opportunities. Other owners opt for the modification during C-checks, dry bay mods, avionics upgrades, interior refurbishment or as a stand-alone project.