Aviation Partners blended winglet technology sets records every day; very soon it's going to be surprising to see a straight-wing GII on any ramp -- the new standard is quickly becoming the IISP.

SEATTLE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sept. 26, 1995--After knocking a full two hours off the Los Angeles to Paris world record this summer, and setting new standards in time to climb and range with its patented wide-sweep blended winglet technology, what world records are left for Aviation Partners and the IISP?

"Our customers are breaking records every day during normal flight operations," says Aviation Partners CEO Joe Clark. "Day to day operations of IISP users have become a real affirmation of our blended winglet performance enhancement technology.

"We believe that our expertise in advance winglet technology can significantly enhance the performance of any corporate or commercial aircraft flying today. Our team of aerodynamicists and flight test engineers have a combined experience level of over 250 years working in the field of innovative aviation design concepts."

IISP operators are enjoying 7 percent to 8 percent reduced fuel consumption at cruise, range increases in the order of 210 nm, higher initial cruise altitudes and boosted fuel reserves on critical long haul flights such as New York to Los Angeles and the West Coast to Hawaii.

Depending on their particular mission profiles, IISP operators are reporting a variety of winglet benefits ranging from enhanced climb performance to an overall improved return on investment. Wearing blended winglets will not only make your GII a more valuable and productive aircraft but improves aesthetic appeal and resale value all at the same time.

"The mission of Aviation Partners is to create, develop and market advanced blended winglet technology and performance enhancement systems for business and commercial aircraft," says Vice President of Marketing Dick Friel.

Over the past two years Aviation Partners has transformed 26 straight-wing GIIs with advanced technology, patented winglet systems and these operators have since become the companies best sales force.

Aviation Partners' first blended winglet system was installed on the Las Vegas-based Mirage (Golden Nugget Aviation) GII in June of 1993 and one of the more recent installations, in May of 1995, went to Long Island-based Jordan Industries.

Jordan Industries Chief Pilot David Zucchero, who bought the winglet system to save on first hour burns, believes his IISP will pay for its aerodynamic enhancements over the next three to five years. "We're saving an average of 500 pounds per hour on a 600 hour annual flight schedule which translates into fuel savings of between $70,000 and $75,000 per year. These winglets will pay for themselves in the first three to five years of operation."

Aviation Partners blended winglets are showing up on GIIs all over the continent and are beginning to push up the world market price of a now more valuable GII fleet. The goal today is to expand further into the international market and to outfit the remaining of the domestic GII fleet with blended winglet technology.

"We're pleased with the market acceptance of our winglet technology," says Clark. "A GII wearing blended winglets has become the best value of any corporate jet flying today."

Having established world class expertise in advanced winglet technology, with some of the best ex-Boeing aerodynamicists in the business, Aviation Partners is now ready to apply its patented blended winglet technology to other makes and models of business and transport category aircraft.

"We see an emerging market in extending our winglet technology to a broader range of aircraft," says Friel. "It's truly amazing what a difference a pair of well-designed blended winglets can make to the aerodynamic performance and fuel efficiency of any aircraft. Manufacturers have redesigned whole airplanes just to gain the kind of 7 percent to 8 percent benefits we've been able to achieve with our technology."

Aviation Partners, and its team of aerodynamicists under Dr. Louis B. Gratzer, is currently working with manufacturers and operators to extend the benefits of blended winglet technology to both transport and business aircraft.

"One day soon you will see the efficiencies of our wide-sweep blended winglet systems on business and transport aircraft throughout the industry," says Clark. "We'd like to extend the benefits that IISP operators are now enjoying to a broader section of the market." -0-

Aviation Partners will continue to break world records with its blended winglet technology but the real records are being broken every day in the normal operations of IISP operators.

Patent no. 5348253

CONTACT: Aviation Partners Inc., Seattle

Joe Clark or Dick Friel, 206/763-6796

206/762-1171 or 800/WINGLET