Falcon 2000 Goes Green
Meridian Air Charter’s Teterboro based Falcon 2000 recently went green with the addition of a set of API winglets. After the first flight with the new winglets Director of Operations Tim Burke remarked “The aircraft practically floated off the runway on takeoff and the climb improvement was quite noticeable. We got to our cruise altitude much quicker using less fuel than before.”
The winglets improve the aerodynamics and efficiency of the wing which in turn improves the fuel economy and climb performance. Although a considerable investment, the payoff in fuel savings is expected within a couple of years. A 7% reduction in fuel burn is expected along with a similar range increase. This will make the already fuel efficient Falcon 2000 even greener. The super mid-size Falcon 2000 has lower fuel burn than many smaller cabin aircraft with a significantly larger cabin. Any traveler sensitive to their carbon footprint will appreciate this aircraft. In addition to being a great coast to coast aircraft, its range and low charter rate makes it a cost effective option for travel to Europe. One quick stop is all it takes.
The installation was performed by Duncan Aviation in Lincoln, Nebraska under the watchful eye of Maintenance Director Robert Santangelo. “You can’t beat Duncan Aviation for their competitive pricing and impeccable workmanship” said Robert. This is the second winglet installation performed by Duncan for Meridian. In 2008, a Hawker 800A in the fleet added the winglets and benefited by a fuel savings of over 6%.