Tamarack winglet installation offer garners interest

SANDPOINT — According to Tamarack Aerospace President Jacob Klinginsmith, three new customers have signed up for free installation of the company’s active winglet system and more than two dozen other prospective Cessna CJ jet customers have contacted the company interested in learning more.

Tamarack, which has installed more than 100 active winglets in CJ jets, offered to install the $42,000 system for free in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The action allows customers to realize significant savings on installations booked through June 30, ensuring that employees and Tamarack’s supply chain remain strong and promoting the use of the sustainable active winglet technology, Tamarack officials said in a press release. The system — comprised of wing extensions with upturned winglets and additional flight-control surfaces — is designed to improve range, speed and fuel efficiency.

During this time of business interruption by the pandemic, Tamarack officials said the free installation is its contribution to help kick-start the aviation industry back to full speed when that is possible.

Among those taking part in the company’s offier is fastener distributor QFC Industries, Inc. President and pilot, Clay Roark, who decided to take advantage of the free active winglet installation offer so he could get more performance from his CJ1. Many of Roark’s customers provide essential services and are busy during the crisis. He told Tamarack officials that it is vital that he still works with them from his Arlington, Texas, base of operations. He makes regular trips to customers and to his eight business office/warehouses.

The offer for installation of the active winglet system was an offer that was just too good to pass up as an investment, especially since the system actually increased the value of his aircraft, Roark said.

“I’ll get to 41-thousand feet more than 30% faster and realize significant fuel savings up there, along with more stable flight in the thinner air, allowing me much longer non-stop flights with the active winglets,” he said. “I intend to keep the aircraft for quite a while and this was a great time to have these [active winglets] put on.”