Aviation Partners Tests 'Spiroid' Winglets on Falcon 50

Aviation Partners of Seattle flew a Dassault Falcon 50 testbed outfitted with new experimental "spiroid" winglets to Oshkosh, Wis., for the EAA AirVenture airshow last week. The new design is part of a NASA-funded research program aimed at boosting efficiency. The winglets were installed on the business jet last Friday at West Star Aviation in East Alton, Ill. Aviation Partners next plans to conduct a 75- to 100-hour flight-test program with the airplane, which is based at Seattle's Boeing Field.