Ethiopian to install winglets on 767s

Ethiopian Airlines (ET) has placed an order with Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) for blended winglets for its Boeing 767-300ERs—a fleet it has already begun to retire.

The order includes three firm and seven options. Installation will take place at the ET Addis Ababa maintenance facility and begin with three aircraft in February.

ET CEO Tewolde Gebremariam told ATW in December he expected the 767 fleet retirement to be completed in 2013 (ATW Daily News, Dec. 14, 2011).

"Ethiopian Airlines has made the choice of purchasing winglets for our 767s because of the enormous performance and operating value they bring,” Gebremariam said. “Specifically from our high altitude hub, the winglets will enhance our take-off performance and increase our payload and flight range, which means additional revenue for the airline."

In 2001, ET became the first 737-700 operator to adopt blended winglets. APB said more than 4,600 blended winglet systems are installed with over 160 airlines and estimated that they have saved airlines more than 2.9 billion gallons of jet fuel.