Visitors to the MEBA static display will see some Dassault Falcon business jets equipped with Aviation Partners, Inc. (API) Blended Winglets. And more models of the Falcon family will sport API winglets as regulatory approvals come through early next year for upgrades to the 900 and 50 series.

Two months ago at the NBAA Convention, Seattle, Washington-based API began taking orders for Blended Winglet upgrades for the Falcon 900, and already buyers have committed to 10 shipsets. Certification by the FAA and EASA is expected in March 2011, but buyers can order the Blended Winglets for a pre-certification price of $575,000.

API has already certified Blended Winglets as an upgrade for the Falcon 2000, and Dassault Falcon incorporates Blended Winglets on new-production Falcon 2000LXs and 900LXs. All of the Falcon Blended Winglets are "high Mach" devices "optimized for cruise speeds of Mach 0.80 and higher," according to API. Performance improvement for the Falcon 2000 includes drag reduction of 5 percent at Mach 0.80 and more than 7 percent at long-range cruise speed. API expects the same results for the Falcon 900 and 50 retrofits.

All models of the Falcon 2000 family are retrofittable with the Blended Winglets, and once the 900 and 50 retrofits are approved, the winglets can be installed on the Falcon 50 and 50EX and 900, 900B, 900C, 900DX, 900EX and 900EX EASy models.