I was in a Delta flight JFK to FLL and was on a 737-900.I noticed the plane had split winglets  like the max.  The sea tback card clearly said 737-900 and I don't think Delta has ordered any 737-max.  All photos on the Boeing site show the 737-900 with single winglet?

Can the Delta 737-900 have split winglets, or was I on a MAX?

20 minutes ago, paulyg123 said:

I was in a Delta flight JFK to FLL and was on a 737-900.I noticed the plane had split winglets  like the max.  The sea tback card clearly said 737-900 and I don't think Delta has ordered any 737-max.  All photos on the Boeing site show the 737-900 with single winglet?

Can the Delta 737-900 have split winglets, or was I on a MAX?

I believe the new Delta 900ER's are fitted with the Scimitars along with LED external lighting. Maybe they are retrofiring the older ones as well.

The ABP Split Schimitar winglet are an aftermarket product that airlines can buy to replace the standard Boeing Winglet, itself a licenced earlier ABP product.

The inner strengthening parts are shared, so providing the wing is already equipped with the older winglet they are a straight swap physically. Then you must swap the FMC software to cater for the fuel savings they give.

TUI are fitting them to a lot of their new and older NGs too. I suspect, after Airbus allegedly screwed ABP over with the Sharklet thing (ABP designed a winglet for the A320 series and Airbus effectively copied it and didn't licence ABP's)  then this design is ABP's revenge.

They are actually quite different from the MAX's wingtip.

LEDs are also mostly retrofitable. Really the only way to gauge an aircraft's age is to check the registration online. The shorter engine shroud on the CFM56-7BE came in mid 2014. LED lighting and removal of the extending landing lights AND taxi light on the nose leg came in 2016.

 

Hope that helps.

Edited March 4, 20188 yr by MarkJHarris

1 hour ago, MarkJHarris said:

The ABP Split Schimitar winglet are an aftermarket product that airlines can buy to replace the standard Boeing Winglet, itself a licenced earlier ABP product.

The inner strengthening parts are shared, so providing the wing is already equipped with the older winglet they are a straight swap physically. Then you must swap the FMC software to cater for the fuel savings they give.

TUI are fitting them to a lot of their new and older NGs too. I suspect, after Airbus allegedly screwed ABP over with the Sharklet thing (ABP designed a winglet for the A320 series and Airbus effectively copied it and didn't licence ABP's)  then this design is ABP's revenge.

They are actually quite different from the MAX's wingtip.

LEDs are also mostly retrofitable. Really the only way to gauge an aircraft's age is to check the registration online. The shorter engine shroud on the CFM56-7BE came in mid 2014. LED lighting and removal of the extending landing lights AND taxi light on the nose leg came in 2016.

 

Hope that helps.

I believe Norwegian, has retro-fitted a lot of their 737's with LED lighting as well? (haven't seen split-schimitar winglets on them, though...)

Anyway, thanks alot for the insight, Mark.

Very much appreciated!

Edited March 4, 20188 yr by Anders Bermann

Mark and others are correct in that they are aftermarket additions.  You actually see quite a few IRL.  In fact, I periodically see aircraft with the Scimitar on one side, and standard winglet on the other side (really weird to see, I did a double take the first time I saw that)

Also, look at the back of the engine.  Max engines have the sawtooth design on the back side whereas 8/900's do not