Frequently Asked Questions

What is Active Winglet technology?

Tamarack’s Active Winglet system is comprised of four components:

·     A wing extension
·     Built-in load alleviation device (the Tamarack Active Camber Surfaces, or TACS)
·     An optimally sized winglet
·     The ATLAS Control Unit (ACU) in the fuselage of the aircraft that automatically adjusts the Active Winglets to react to flight conditions

All four components work together to provide maximum aerodynamic efficiency. The brain of the system is the Active Control Unit (ACU) which is located under the cabin near the wing root. The ACU can detect increased wing load, determine its intensity, and deploy the TACS in under 1/10th of a second, allowing the TACS to counteract the increased aerodynamic load. The combination of these parts, working in concert, makes Tamarack Active Winglets three to four times more efficient than traditional winglets.

What are the primary advantages of Active Winglets?

Active winglets offer significant improvements. We won’t brag, but in a nutshell: fuel savings with a correlating reduction in CO2 emissions, increased safety, better climb gradients, longer non-stop flights and reduced fuel stops, improved comfort with less turbulence and a smoother ride, modern looks and great ramp appeal, lower maintenance costs and longer wing life due to less wing stress, increased payload and higher Maximum Zero Fuel Weight, faster time to cruising altitude, less noise pollution and lower stall speed and the ability to use shorter runways. All these benefits come from a modification that doesn’t depreciate, but instead adds value to the plane.

What is the difference between Active Winglets and passive winglets?

Traditional, passive winglets result in less induced drag, and historically provide about 4% fuel savings. However, all passive winglets require more support structure (additional wing structural weight) than do wings without winglets because the passive winglets introduce higher loading in the structure – and more so as they become more aerodynamically effective. With passive winglets, there is a necessary compromise between added aerodynamic efficiency from the winglets and added structural weight to support them. Tamarack’s patented Active Winglet modification features an innovative load-alleviating technology that automatically counteracts the additional wing load caused by winglets when conditions require it without the structural load required to support passive winglets. Put simply, Active Winglets move in response to aerodynamic forces, while passive winglets do not.

What was the certification process for Active Winglets with the FAA and EASA?

Because Tamarack's Active Winglets were the first instance of load alleviation for general aviation aircraft ever, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) classified the technology as “novel.” Novel certifications call for added requirements and testing above and beyond a typical certification effort, including adapting existing Code for Federal Regulations (CFR) transport guidelines related to Interaction of Systems and Structure for general aviation and 14 special conditions. It took two and a half years for the EASA to certify the Active Winglets on the Cessna CJ which included many hours of flight testing, including simulated failure conditions, to ensure safety performance. FAA conducted a follow-on certification which took an additional year.

What is the return on investment?

With Tamarack Active Winglets, calculating return on investment (ROI) or the value proposition is a multi-dimensional and very personal equation. Because Active Winglets provide a range of advantages that reduce operational costs or provide other intangible value, all the different factors need to be considered including aircraft valuation, fuel savings and improved safety, utility and comfort. Many Tamarack customers report the value of their aircraft increased with the addition of the Active Winglets and VREF has put a 100% return on the investment. It is more difficult to put a number on better stability and a smoother ride for passengers, though those benefits should be considered. For 400 hours of annual flying, the investment in Active Winglets is recouped in just 1.3 years.

That isn’t factoring in the benefits to the planet for lower CO2 emissions or the value of the time saved by faster flights and more non-stop flights. With Tamarack, return on investment is improved by the realization of innovation. To read more about your individual return on investment, click here to hear from our Founder and CEO Nick Guida.

What kind of plane is best suited for Active Winglets?

Almost any aircraft with fixed wings including business, commercial, and military aircraft.

Currently, Tamarack’s Active Winglets are available for Citation Jets. For a full list of aircraft, click here. The technology can also be applied to both older aircraft and new designs to provide increased aerodynamic efficiency, safety and sustainability benefits.

Tamarack’s revolutionary Performance SMARTWING™ modification is currently being flight tested for the King Air 350, and has already been flown successfully on the King Air 200, with military and civilian customers alike showing great interest. For more information on the King Air 350 modification, click here.

How do Active Winglets enhance a plane’s performance?

Tamarack’s SMARTWING™ Technology enhances an aircraft’s performance by offering significant range increase, fuel savings, improved climb performance, active turbulence cancelling, higher cruising altitude, increased payload, and safety benefits. And because Active Winglets don't require the added weight and support structures that passive winglets do, there is no aerodynamic compromise.

Do winglets save fuel? How much?

Yes, winglets save fuel. Tamarack’s Active Winglets save more. The exact amount saved depends on a variety of factors, including type of aircraft, weather, range, etc.

Is it true Active Winglets only enhance performance for certain portions of a flight?

Active Winglets provide the most benefit when the coefficient of lift is high, i.e., take offs and climbs, at efficient altitudes. However, they enhance the aerodynamic benefits and provide other benefits such as ride smoothing and increased payload capability throughout the entire flight.

How do Active Winglets smooth the ride?

The load alleviating aspect of the Active Winglet system, when ‘dumping’ wing loads, smooths out the bumps associated with turbulence, providing a noticeably smoother ride. The Active Winglets act as aerodynamic shock absorbers. It works like this - when the wing bounces up in turbulence, the Active Winglet technology pushes the wing down. When the wing is moving down, the system pushes the wing up. Turbulence isn’t eliminated, but greatly moderated.

Are Active Winglets safe?

Yes, Active Winglets are very safe. As an innovative technology, the Active Winglet modification was rigorously tested during the certification process, first by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and then by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) including many hours of flight testing, including simulated failure conditions, to ensure safety performance. Safety is what certification is all about and Tamarack’s Active Winglets passed all the tests of both agencies. During certification all critical failure conditions were flight tested and it was demonstrated that in the extremely unlikely case of an Active Winglet failure, a pilot of average skill can control of the aircraft for a safe outcome. We have a page dedicated to discussing Active Winglet failures, here.

How does the pilot know the system is working properly?

If the system senses a fault, a red annunciator in the cockpit informs the pilot of the failure. If there is no annunciator light, the system is working properly. There are procedures to address failures in flight, and those can be reviewed in the Aircraft Flight Manual Supplements, which are available on our Customer Support page, here.

Do Tamarack’s Active Winglets connect to other aircraft control systems?

No, the Active Winglets do not connect or interface with any part of the aircraft’s flight control system. Complete independence provides increased safety and versatility.
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Do the active elements move in unison?

Yes, they move symmetrically to relieve wing load when the system senses increased loads on the wing.

Can you see the TACS move while you are flying?

Yes, if you can see the wing tip you may see the TACS (the active, load alleviation parts of the system) move, but during a normal flight, movements occur only during turbulence, or sustained maneuvers (like banking turns).

What if one TACS goes up while the other is down?

In the unlikely event of asymmetric deployment, the pilot is to reduce airspeed in order to reduce the impact of the induced roll and counteract with aileron input. Thanks to the ATLAS system’s design, asymmetric deployment would be a rare occurrence. For more details on asymmetric deployment, click here. We have provided the full recovery procedure detailed in the FAA-approved Aircraft Flight Manual Supplement, plus a pilot’s perspective of a real-life asymmetric deployment.

Why do I see winglets on other planes?

Airlines install winglets for the perceived return on investment. Traditional, passive winglets provide a fuel savings of about 4%, and a comparable reduction in emissions. The goals of emissions reduction and fuel savings are moderately achieved, but Active Winglets offer a far more substantial reduction in both without the compromise of added load for support structures required by passive winglets.

Where can I have Active Winglets installed?

Tamarack Aerospace headquarters is located in Sandpoint, Idaho. We have three Tamarack Transformation Centers located in Idaho, South Carolina, and Oxford, England. The Transformation Centers offer Tamarack quality installation of Active Winglets in under 10 days. We are also pleased to have a worldwide network of nearly 20 Tamarack Authorized Service Centers in nine countries.

What is the installation process like?

Installation takes between 7-10 days to complete. When the plane arrives, our mechanics go to work and remove the existing wingtip, install the extension, and connect wiring to the fuse box where everything is connected to the circuit panel. Within two days, the Active Winglets are installed, and rigging checks are performed. The part that takes the longest, of course, is the paint, and watching it dry. Once complete, our techs run cabling and begin inspections to ensure accuracy. We are also in communication with our customer at every step of the process and assist with any travel details. Once the transformation is complete, we explain all the changes that have been made, assist with fuel planning, and how to fly the plane most efficiently with Active Winglets.

What role does Tamarack see itself playing in making the aviation industry greener?

Tamarack’s SMARTWING™ technology is a game changer for aviation sustainability. Active Winglets are the best and fastest way for aviators to see an immediate and significant reduction in CO2 emissions and fuel consumption and are the single largest environmental upgrade currently available for any business jet. Today all the word’s airlines are announcing plans to go carbon neutral and will spend billions of dollars addressing the issue. They will buy carbon offsets, invest in new fuel sources, more efficient engines, lighter airframes, and carbon-capture technologies. While we support investments in all these technologies, they will take time to perfect, certify, commercialize, and scale across the industry. Tamarack’s SMARTWING™ Technology offers proven emissions reduction and decreased fuel consumption. The use of SMARTWING™ Technology on business, military, and commercial aircraft alone would contribute significantly towards the goal of aviation sustainability, and Tamarack Aerospace aims to be a leader in this effort.

Frequently Asked Questions

Learn More About Active Winglets