A320 engine winglets.
 

A couple of weeks ago in Edinburgh I saw a BA A320 or A319, (not sure which), with two winglets on either side of each engine.
They appeared to be fixed (as opposed to retractable), something I've never seen on any Airbus before and none of the other similar types I saw on the day appeared to have them.

I assume they're part of some aerodynamic scheme, can anyone shed any light on the subject?

Ta.

I think I know the type of thing you mean, although i wouldn't use the term "winglet" to describe them myself. I think the term "vane" is more appropriate here since winglets generally refer to vertical upward wing tip extensions.

As to their purpose, i think they are used to redirect part of the airflow around the engine nacelle and wing for some reason. The flow in the nacelle/wing area is very complicated and I am guessing they found that part of the flow was having some detrimental effect. Could be drag related in cruise configuration or something to do with flow over the wing/flap system during take-off and landing.

Have seen similar on B737 although there its only located on the inboard side of the nacelle. For the 737 at take-off the linked photo shows a vortex from the vane as the flow is redirected over the wing rather than under it.

Hope that is of some help :)

http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/open.file/0275961/L/

Cheers Merlin,

that would explain what I saw.

Also found on DC-10 #1 & #3 nacelles. On that aircraft they were used to control airflow at the wing LE at high AOA (near stall).

I suspect their role on other ships is similar.

Those are called strakes (MDC) or chines (Boeing)

At high AoA's, the part of the wing behind the engine nacelle will stall.
The strakes will direct the airflow in such a way that this happens at a later
point. On a DC10, the stall speed is lowered by 5 kts with these.

M

Also on Evas MD11 yesterday.

Nacelle Chines
A Nacelle Chine is a device that re-strikes airflow during take off. Boeing build Nacelle Chines for the Boeing 777 using an internally developed fabrication process.


http://www.boeing.com/commercial/win...098chine_n.jpg

But also on the A320 with CFM56-5 there called Strake.

From the Dunlop Aviation Tyre manual:-

A useful article ... please do recall that we have a lot of URL references for all sorts of questions in the Tech Log sticky ...

The Shorts Belfast has these 'chines' fitted to its fuselage sides. On the subject of engines ; if the engine explodes its is designed to contain the blast, is it therefore an implosion and what is the protective casing around the engine made off? If my memory serves on the few times this has happened the casing has not always done its job?