Low-Order Numerical Analysis of Winglet Geometry Effects on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of B737NG and A320 Wings Using Python
Keywords:
winglet, induced drag, lift-to-drag ratio, phyton, aerodynamicsAbstract
Winglets are wingtip aerodynamic devices used to mitigate lift-induced drag by weakening wingtip vortices and improving the effective spanwise lift distribution of finite wings. This study develops a reproducible low-order Python framework to compare the aerodynamic characteristics of a B737NG wing representation equipped with a split scimitar winglet and an A320 wing representation equipped with a sharklet. The model combines finite-wing lift-slope correction, induced-drag formulation, a simplified total-drag model, force estimation from dynamic pressure, second-order polynomial regression, and parameter sensitivity analysis. Three angles of attack, namely 0 deg, 5 deg, and 10 deg, were evaluated under pre-stall assumptions. The calculated outputs included lift coefficient, induced drag coefficient, total drag coefficient, lift force, drag force, induced-drag-based lift-to-drag ratio, and total lift-to-drag ratio. The main simulation showed that the highest total lift-to-drag ratio occurred at 5 deg, reaching 17.7567 for the split scimitar winglet and 17.5217 for the sharklet. Polynomial regression estimated local maxima at 6.83 deg and 6.79 deg, respectively. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that increasing the Oswald efficiency factor and effective aspect ratio reduced total drag and increased aerodynamic efficiency. The novelty of this study lies in a transparent Python-only screening workflow that operationalises finite-wing theory for early-stage winglet comparison before higher-fidelity computational fluid dynamics or wind-tunnel validation.
Keywords: winglet, induced drag, lift-to-drag ratio, Pyhton, aerodynamic
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Copyright (c) 2026 Achmad Ferdinand Syach Ferdinand, Ahmad Atif Fikri
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