Wing Glitz
Oct 2, 2009, 6:48 am
#1
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Wing Glitz
I have often wondered why planes sometimes have decorative panels on the end of wings. Yesterday I asked a flight attendant what they were, and she said they were wing glitz. This was a BD plane and the wing glitz consisted of funny go-faster shaped triangles with red bits painted on them. When I arrived at LHR, I saw that Virgin planes had Union Jacks painted on the ends of their wings, but the king of wing glitz had to be Royal Air Maroc, who had huge vertical extensions stuck on the ends of their wings - but they justs eemed to be white like the rest of the plane.
Has anyone else noticed the new fashion for wing glitz - which airlines have the glitziest wings?
Has anyone else noticed the new fashion for wing glitz - which airlines have the glitziest wings?
Oct 2, 2009, 7:15 am
#3
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The correct word is winglets, and their function is to reduce drag/increase lift/lower the fuel consumption of the plane.
These are standard on some aircraft types, and has nothing to do with the airline - except on the 737NG, where they come as an option. The triangle-shaped one you saw on the BD-plane, are actually called "wingtip fences", and are standard on the Airbus A318/319/320/321.
These are standard on some aircraft types, and has nothing to do with the airline - except on the 737NG, where they come as an option. The triangle-shaped one you saw on the BD-plane, are actually called "wingtip fences", and are standard on the Airbus A318/319/320/321.
Oct 2, 2009, 8:34 am
#4
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Oops, I thought that they're called "wing bling." 
Oct 2, 2009, 8:53 am
#5
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Wing glitz - FANTASTIC!!!
Oct 2, 2009, 1:42 pm
#6
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Oct 2, 2009, 1:57 pm
#7
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Wing Glitz is so cute!!!
Oct 2, 2009, 4:36 pm
#8
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Oct 2, 2009, 8:06 pm
#9
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I have often wondered why planes sometimes have decorative panels on the end of wings. Yesterday I asked a flight attendant what they were, and she said they were wing glitz. This was a BD plane and the wing glitz consisted of funny go-faster shaped triangles with red bits painted on them. When I arrived at LHR, I saw that Virgin planes had Union Jacks painted on the ends of their wings, but the king of wing glitz had to be Royal Air Maroc, who had huge vertical extensions stuck on the ends of their wings - but they justs eemed to be white like the rest of the plane.
Has anyone else noticed the new fashion for wing glitz - which airlines have the glitziest wings?
Has anyone else noticed the new fashion for wing glitz - which airlines have the glitziest wings?
Oct 2, 2009, 8:28 pm
#10
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Seriously: no aircraft that has to fly at 500+ mph, maximizing payload and range while minimizing fuel consumption, will carry anything on the outside that doesn't have a flight-related function. Some of them might be painted in decorative ways, but a purely decorative panel? Ain't gonna happen.
Oct 2, 2009, 8:32 pm
#11
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Seriously: no aircraft that has to fly at 500+ mph, maximizing payload and range while minimizing fuel consumption, will carry anything on the outside that doesn't have a flight-related function. Some of them might be painted in decorative ways, but a purely decorative panel? Ain't gonna happen.
Oct 3, 2009, 12:31 pm
#12
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Obviously you've never heard of wing glitz before.
Oct 4, 2009, 9:58 pm
#13
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I wonder, can one make certain conclusions about the "status" of the airline or the nation it represents by the size or colour of their aircraft's "wing glitz".
Last edited by 17thousandkm; Oct 4, 2009 at 11:31 pm Reason: Spelling, grammar
Oct 5, 2009, 5:56 am
#14
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Wing Glitz
Soon we'll see winglets pierced and adorned with earrings or even winglet art with scenes of sunsets in Hawaii. Yes, very much like the ladies at the CVS counter or at La Carreta at MIA.
Jan 26, 2010, 3:52 pm
#15
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Wow. Over 3 months later and this thread has not yet made it to TalkMail?
It seemed to have so much potential...
It seemed to have so much potential...