Korean Air distributes wingtips

Korean Air Aerospace Division has been selected by Airbus as sole supplier of the new Airbus-designed Sharklet wingtip devices for the A320 line of aircraft.

Under the terms of the agreement, Korean Air Aerospace will manufacture the composite wingtip devices and supply them to the A320 line final assembly lines in Toulouse, Hamburg and Tianjin.

The first A320 fitted with Sharklets will be delivered from the end of 2012.

Launched for development in October 2009, the wingtip devices, which are around 2.5m tall, will replace the current wingtip fence on the A320 line.

Offered as an option, the devices are claimed to reduce fuel burn by 3.5 per cent over longer journeys, corresponding to an annual CO2 reduction of around 700 tonnes per aircraft.

Airbus further claims that they increase payload range and improve take-off performance.

Korean Air Aerospace is currently involved in a range of programmes for various Airbus aircraft, including elevator sections for the A320 line, fuselage skin panels and floor assemblies for the A330/A340 line, and the cargo doors for the A350 XWB.