Jetstar A320 wingtips
 

While waiting for a Qantas 767 flight from Tullamarine to Sydney on the weekend, I was doing a bit of plane spotting and noticed something different about Jetstar's A320's. Three A320's had upswept wingtips similar to those seen on Boeing 737's. Does anyone know if these planes are new to the Jetstar fleet, are they an A320 upgrade or retrofit? The planes spotted with these wingtips are VH-VFT, VH-VFU and VH-VFP.

http://i933.photobucket.com/albums/a...bo1961/229.jpg

They are "Sharklets" and are on the any new aircraft that are coming in.
I am sure others can give you more details

They look like winglets to me :D

Does anyone know the story behind VFU's one grey sharklet?

Newly built A320WL's VH-VFN onwards all have 'Sharklets'. Don't know if Jetstar plan to retrofit them to their A320/321 fleet.

Most new 319,320,321's being delivered to airlines around the world have the Sharklets, for their fuel saving benefits.

They're only 10+ years behind the rest of the world with winglets. I guess the French have to call them something different in order to save face :D

I think there are some other minor differences with the newer model - it has a slightly pointier nose, and there seems to be some reinforcement / fairing at the base of the vertical tailplane. The newer plane is better looking IMHO.

I always thought the older wingtip with the two small fins was the sharklet model, and the newer one the winglet. Oh well...

Terrence, as far as I am aware there are no changes to the profile of the aeroplane, the nose remains the same and the reinforcement you mention around the fin has been there all along, just difficult to see some times depending on the paint scheme and angle.

Indeed as far as I am aware there are no changes from the CEO to the NEO other than those associated with the new engines (pylon etc). I don't think they even modified the gear as it was tall enough if I remember correctly.

Happy to stand corrected. :-)

As John said, there's no changes to the aircraft other than the Sharklets.

I don't quite understand why when Airbus brought the NEO out, they didn't also redesign the wing, like when Boeing brought out the 737NG. The ability to get another couple of thousand feet higher (currently limited to 39,800ft), would make even more difference again on fuel burn.

Mick