For Falcon 50 operators looking to enhance the performance, efficiency, and appearance of an aircraft that continues to deliver strong mission capability, Aviation Partners, Inc. (API) winglets offer a compelling modernization opportunity.

West Star Aviation’s Chattanooga, TN (CHA), facility has developed significant hands-on experience with API winglet modifications on Dassault Falcon aircraft. In the past two years, the Chattanooga team has completed winglet installations on three Falcon 900 and three Falcon 2000 aircraft.

That experience positions West Star as a natural, experienced resource for Falcon 50 operators considering the performance and operational benefits of an API winglet upgrade.

More Performance from the Falcon 50

API winglets improve aerodynamic efficiency by reducing wingtip-induced drag. For the Falcon 50, those improvements can translate into meaningful gains across a variety of missions.

Performance benefits include:

• Extended range: Up to 5% additional range at Mach 0.80 and more than 7% at long-range cruise speeds.
• Reduced fuel consumption: Fuel savings of up to 7%, or the ability to arrive with additional reserve fuel.
• Improved climb performance: Faster climbs to cruise altitude can reduce or eliminate the need for step climbs.
• Higher operating altitudes: The aircraft may operate up to 1,500 feet higher, providing greater flexibility to optimize routing and avoid traffic or weather.
• Greater payload flexibility: On shorter missions, improved efficiency can provide operators with additional flexibility for payload or fuel reserves.

For operators that continue to find significant value in the Falcon 50 platform, these improvements can help enhance mission capability without moving to a different aircraft.

More Than an Aerodynamic Modification

The benefits extend beyond range and fuel efficiency. The modification incorporates LED navigation and strobe lighting, providing updated lighting technology designed for improved reliability and visibility.

Winglets also give the Falcon 50 a more modern exterior profile. The sleek appearance can refresh an established airframe and potentially increase its appeal when the aircraft is eventually placed on the market.

For owners evaluating whether to replace an aircraft or continue investing in an existing Falcon, the modification can provide a cost-effective way to obtain performance improvements while preserving the capabilities and familiarity of the current aircraft.

Experience Matters During Installation

A winglet installation is a significant aircraft modification requiring expertise beyond the installation of the winglets themselves. Successful execution requires close coordination between structural, mechanical, electrical, engineering, and finishing disciplines.

West Star Aviation’s Chattanooga team brings recent, repeatable Falcon experience to these projects. Having completed six Falcon winglet installations over the past two years, this team understands the planning and execution required for a successful modification.

Typical downtime for a Falcon 50 winglet installation is approximately four to five weeks, depending on aircraft condition, configuration, and project scope.

West Star Aviation has installed 100 (and counting) sets of API winglets on various Falcon and Hawker aircraft across the organization, bringing extensive hand-on experience to make the experience as smooth as possible for operators.   

Consider Combining Winglets with Your Next C-Check

West Star recommends looking beyond the winglet installation as an isolated event. If a Falcon 50 is approaching a major C-Check, coordinating the two projects may provide a more efficient maintenance strategy.

A C-Check already involves significant aircraft access, inspections, and downtime. Combining the winglet modification with the inspection can help operators consolidate maintenance events and make better use of time the aircraft is already out of service.

It can also provide an opportunity to evaluate other improvements, including avionics and connectivity upgrades, cabin refurbishment, and exterior paint. West Star’s broad Falcon capabilities allow these projects to be planned and managed as part of one comprehensive aircraft event.

A Growing Resource for Falcon Winglet Installations

West Star Aviation has extensive experience supporting Dassault Falcon aircraft, and while its Chattanooga facility is building on that expertise with a growing track record of successful API winglet installations, all of West Star Aviation’s full service locations can also install the API winglets, including East Alton, IL (ALN), Grand Junction, CO (GJT), and Perryville, MO (PCD).

For Falcon 50 operators, that combination of Falcon-specific knowledge, recent winglet installation experience, and comprehensive MRO capabilities provides an important advantage when planning a major aircraft modification.

Plan Your Falcon 50 Winglet Upgrade

With increased range, lower fuel consumption, improved climb and altitude performance, greater mission flexibility, and updated aesthetics, API winglets can provide a meaningful enhancement to the Falcon 50.