Global Aviation Tech completes its first Tamarack winglet installation on a CJ1 in Wichita.
WICHITA—Wichita-based MRO provider Global Aviation Tech has completed its first installation of a Tamarack active winglet as Tamarack’s newest authorized dealer.
The aircraft broker’s pilot arrived in Wichita on Jan. 10 to pick up the aircraft and begin the journey to the customer, based in Brazil. Global Aviation Tech also installed new LED lighting in the aircraft’s interior.
A second aircraft, this one a Citation CJ3, will arrive in Wichita for winglet installation to begin on Jan. 20, says Jerome Cottner, Global Aviation Tech president.
The first installation went smoothly, Cottner says.
“The active winglet technology is a different install than just a bolt-on winglet, but it’s also doing more than a bolt-on winglet,” he says. “There’s critical inspection points and critical criteria that have to be correct, and that’s what we’ve done.”
With an active winglet, the winglet automatically adjusts positions by optimizing wind flow based on changing flight conditions for a more stable flight, Cottner says.
“Weather—if it’s windy, it’s adjusting to what inputs are given to the system to maximize the true performance of the airplane, so it’s really flying as efficiently as it can,” he says. And that means “immense” fuel savings.
“He’ll get shorter takeoffs; he’ll need less runway to land; he’ll climb to altitude quicker, and he’ll be able to have a more efficient fuel burn while at altitude,” Cottner says. “His airplane will fly from Florida to Brazil with no problems and most likely saving them a lot of money on fuel because they’ll get to altitude quicker—get to cruise and just be good to go.”
Customers also save time and often a fuel stop along the way as well, says Jacob Klinginsmith, Tamarack president.
Tamarack selected Global Aviation Tech because of the depth of its experience as an FAA-approved repair station, its aerospace engineering expertise and its “strong portfolio” as a Supplemental Type Certificate developer, Tamarack officials say. It also was selected because of its central Midwest location.
“They checked all the boxes,” says Eric Cunningham, Tamarack vice president of sales. “The team is outstanding; the location is perfect.” It is conveniently situated to serve customers in North America and Mexico.
The addition of Global Aviation Tech brings Tamarack’s total authorized dealers to four, including Tamarack’s headquarters in Sandpoint, Idaho, Rheinland Air Service (RAS) in Germany and Prince Aviation in Belgrade, Serbia. While not a formal dealer, Banyon Air Service in Florida also performs installations. In addition, Tamarack works with about 20 authorized service centers around the world.
An active winglet installation can be completed in 10 days or less to minimize downtime for clients, Cottner says. It’s also a good time for customers wanting other work performed to schedule it at the same time. With other MRO work happening across the company, Cottner prefers to have only one winglet installation project underway at a time, he says.
In January, Tamarack, based in Sandpoint, Idaho, celebrated completion of its 200th installation at its Transformation Center there. Global Aviation Tech’s completion marks No. 201.
Tamarack is expanding its platforms beyond Cessna Citations. It announced the addition of DeHavilland’s Dash 8 aircraft and the Airbus A320. In 2024, it finalized a large contract with the Air Force. Beyond that, the company is working to expand the technology on additional platforms, Klinginsmith says, with hopes to make some announcements later in 2025.
“The technology was never meant to be only on Citations or only on business jets,” Klinginsmith says. “That’s an important focus for expanding the Citation capabilities but also expanding onto other platforms.”
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