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Here’s the simple reason why planes have winglets

Aside from saving fuel costs, they also allow wings to be longer without increasing the wingspan beyond what’s allowed in certain airports

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A Boeing 737. Photo: Boeing/Business Insider

By Benjamin Zhang and Mike Nudelman

Ever look out the window of a plane or watch as it pulls up to the gate?

Have you ever wondered why some planes have pointy bits at the ends of the wings?

What you see are “winglets,” and they have essentially become standard equipment on all new airliners.

Why are they there?

“Winglets help reduce the drag associated with the creation of lift,” Robert Gregg, Boeing’s chief aerodynamicist, told Business Insider.

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