DAE Capital, the aircraft leasing and financial business arm of Dubai Aerospace Enterprise (DAE), has signed a deal with Aviation Partners Boeing (APB) to buy 50 shipsets of Blended Winglets for its new 737-700/800 Next Generation aircraft.

DAE Capital maintains a leasing portfolio of 33 aircraft and holds orders for more than 200 Boeing and Airbus aircraft, deliveries of which it expects to begin in 2010. The Dubai-headquartered company is rapidly establishing itself as a world-class aircraft leasing business.

Meant to improve the aerodynamic efficiency of an aircraft by reducing drag on the wingspan, winglet technology improves takeoff performance and climb rates, increases payload and range capacity and cuts noise.

Its manufacturer has shown that Blended Winglets can cut back fuel consumption by 5 percent, depending on route and stage length. Under those assumptions, fuel savings for typical 737- 800/700 operators can exceed 100,000 gallons per aircraft per year, meaning a company could recoup the winglet investment in two to three years.

Lower fuel consumption leads directly to a reduction in CO2 emissions, said explained DAE Capital CEO Bob Genise. “Any airline operating aircraft with blended winglets in its fleet is therefore not only driving up operational efficiencies; it is also sending out a wider message of its commitment toward lowering its environmental impact.”