Editing Wingtip device (section)

{{Short description|Aircraft component fixed to the end of the wings to improve performance}}
{{distinguish|wing fence}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Use American English|date=March 2021}}
[[File:Airbus A350-941 F-WWCF MSN002 blended winglet ILA Berlin 2016 08.jpg|thumb|The [[Airbus A350]] wingtip device]]
[[File:737-NG winglet effect (simplified).svg|thumb|Line drawing of [[wingtip vortices]] behind a conventional wingtip (on the left) and a blended winglet (on the right)]]

'''Wingtip devices''' are intended to improve the efficiency of [[fixed-wing aircraft]] by reducing [[drag (physics)|drag]].<ref name="bca_aero_17_wingtip_devices">{{cite magazine |url= http://www.boeing.com/commercial/aeromagazine/aero_17/winglets.pdf |title= Blended winglets for improved airplane performance |author= Robert Faye, Robert Laprete, Michael Winter |magazine= Aero magazine |number= 17 |publisher= Boeing |date= January 2002 }}</ref> Although there are several types of [[wing tip]] devices which function in different manners, their intended effect is always to reduce an aircraft's drag. Such devices reduce drag by increasing the height of the lifting system, without greatly increasing the [[wingspan]]. Extending the span would reduce [[lift-induced drag]], but would increase [[parasitic drag]] and would require boosting the strength and weight of the wing. At some point, there is no net benefit from further increased span. There may also be operational considerations that limit the allowable wingspan (e.g. available width at [[Gate (airport)|airport gates]]).