Summary Draft 1

The article “What is a raked wingtip?” by Essential Pilot (2018) highlights the concept of the raked wingtip design used by Boeing in their B787 aircraft. One of the primary aerodynamic challenges for aircraft is drag, with vortex drag accounting for nearly 40% of the total drag during cruise (Kim, 2015). Wingtip vortices are formed when high-pressure air meets lower-pressure air at the wingtip during lift generation, causing vortex drag. To address this, aircraft manufacturers employ wingtip devices such as winglets and raked wingtips. Wingtip devices increase the aspect ratio of the wing, reducing the tip vortices and induced drag (Tamayo, 2018). The article asserts that the B787's backward-swept wingtip is a revolutionary advancement over traditional upward-curving winglets.

Essential Pilot (2018) suggests that this design represents a more effective solution than existing options in the market.

References

Essential Pilot. (2018, August 25). What is a raked wingtip? Essential Pilot. http://essentialpilot.co.za/2018/08/25/what-is-a-raked-wingtip/

Tamayo Ibáñez, A. (2018). Numerical study of current wing-tip devices for commercial aircraft. University of Barcelona. https://upcommons.upc.edu/handle/2117/174536

Kim, U. (2015). Numerical analysis and optimization of wing-tip designs. San Jose State University. https://www.sjsu.edu/ae/docs/project-thesis/Uram.Kim-S15.pdf