Avelo Airlines Installs Fuel, Emissions-Reducing Finlets On Fleet

HOUSTON, TX — Earlier this month, Avelo Airlines announced its partnership with Seattle-based Vortex Control Technologies to install fuel and emissions-reducing Finlets on the airline’s fleet of Boeing Next-Generation (NG) 737 jetliners.

Avelo completed its first Finlet installation in September 2023 and expects its entire fleet of 16 Boeing Next-Generation 737-700s and 737-800s to be retrofitted by the end of the year, the airline shared.

The airline that serves Tweed New Haven Airport, is the first airline in the world to install the Finlets on 737-800 aircraft and the second airline in the world to utilize the Finlets on any aircraft, it noted.

VCT’s Finlets, which are mounted on the aircraft’s aft fuselage, are setting a new standard in operational efficiency for Avelo and other carriers adopting this innovative green technology, the airline noted in a news release.

According to the airline, VCT Finlets will reduce Avelo’s total fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 1.4 percent. So far, Finlets have been installed on seven of Avelo’s 16 737s fleet. Once Avelo’s entire fleet is fitted with Finlets, the airline estimates an annual reduction of 11 million pounds of carbon emissions and 560,000 gallons of fuel.

“We’ve set out to build a different and better kind of airline at Avelo. Investing in cost-saving innovations and technologies is a cornerstone of our business," Avelo Airlines Chairman and CEO Andrew Levy said. "We are excited to be the first airline in the world to install VCT Finlets on Boeing NG 737-800 aircraft. This investment will have a meaningful reduction in our annual fuel costs, while also significantly reducing our carbon footprint. It’s a win-win for our business and the planet. VCT is a great partner, and we are proud to have had the opportunity to collaborate with them on the development and testing of this game-changing innovation.”

VCT Finlets are a patented array of small “fins” strategically placed on the aft portion of an aircraft’s fuselage, which modify airflow and reduce drag. In turn, they help decrease fuel consumption and carbon emissions while enhancing an aircraft’s range, performance, and endurance. Their small size and straightforward installation process require less than one day to outfit each aircraft—minimizing any operational impact, per an Avelo news release.

“The FAA certification of Finlets on 737NGs is the culmination of over a decade long design effort involving wind tunnel testing, computational fluid dynamics, and comprehensive U.S. Air Force and FAA flight tests on the C-130, C-17 and 737NG aircraft," VCT CEO Andrew G. Morgan said. "Avelo has been a terrific partner in this endeavor, and we look forward to assisting them in achieving their sustainability goals while also reducing costs.”