N255NN, one of Envoy’s E175s flying as American Eagle, heads out for departure at DFW. As Embraer was finalizing the details on the E2 family of E-Jets in 2013, they also realized the existing E-Jet family was still very popular and would benefit from modest upgrades aimed an increasing fuel efficiency. Part of that upgrade involved two sets of fuel-burn improvement packages. The first one (called Package 1) was set of aerodynamic clean up features to reduce drag across the airframe- gap filling seals to close up spots on the tail, revising the rain deflectors above the passenger doors, lower drag wheel fairings, and revised environmental control system inlets, were based on work done for the E190/195 family and retroactively applied to the E175s. In addition, changes in the operation of the environmental control system and the anti-ice systems reduced engine bleed air demands which in turn improved engine efficiency. Package 2 also did an aerodynamic clean up around the APU and introduced new lower drag anti-collision beacons, but the most distinctive change were new bigger winglets that were canted out 45 degrees and adds nine feet to the wingspan. The new winglets do increase aerodynamic bending loads on the wing, so localized strengthening of the wing box and skin skins adjacent to the new bigger winglet are necessary. The biggest benefactor of the new winglets are the E175s which get a 5.5% reduction in fuel burn. The E190 gets a 3.5% improvement in fuel burn and the E195 gets a 4% improvement in fuel burn with the new winglets. The winglets aren’t retrofitted but are on new build E175s. The new winglets debuted in March 2014, first installed on a United Express E175. I have heard the called “shruglets” and “pterodactyls” but Embraer calls them EWTs- Enhanced Wing Tips”. #Avgeek #aviation #aircraft #planeporn #KDFW #DFW #airport #igTexas #planespotting #airlines #Embraer #E175 #N255NN #AmericanAirlines #AmericanEagle #EnvoyAir #DFWavgeek #instagramaviation #splendid_transport #instaaviation #aviationlovers #aviationphotography #flight #AvGeeksAero #AvgeekSchoolofKnowledge #AvGeekNation (at DFW Airport) https://www.instagram.com/p/B3BWXwRBYcw/?igshid=lmx8et35digd
