Korean Air has delivered more than 5,000 Sharklets, marking a milestone in its aerospace manufacturing business.
The company said Friday it held a ceremony at the Korean Air Tech Center in Busan to commemorate the achievement, attended by Yoo Jong-seok, chief operating officer and chief safety officer of Korean Air, and Benoit Schultz, chief procurement officer at Airbus.
Sharklets are L-shaped wingtips attached to A320 aircraft that reduce drag by minimizing wingtip vortices, improving fuel efficiency and lowering carbon emissions.
“Reaching 5,000 deliveries reflects Korean Air’s capabilities as a key partner in the global aerospace industry,” Yoo said at the event.
Korean Air began producing Sharklets after winning an international bid in 2010 against competitors from Japan, France and Germany. The company delivered its first unit in 2012 and has since scaled up production with an automated moving line capable of producing more than 50 units per month.
At the ceremony, Korean Air presented commemorative plaques to 15 partner companies, including Airbus, and recognized employees for their contributions.
The milestone underscores Korean Air’s expanding role beyond aviation into high-value aircraft component manufacturing, as airlines and manufacturers seek efficiency gains and lower emissions.
stlee0329@heraldcorp.com
