Boeing is now fitting split scimitar design improvements to its winglets, improving fuel performance by an estimated 1.5% over the 4% already gained by fitting the wind-tip structures. The USA remains ten years of Europe in this area. Europe’s way back in? The rather secretive €51 million SARISTU – SmARt Intelligent Aircraft STrUctures – programme, a consortium of 61 European aerospace companies and research institutions from 16 European countries researching morphing leading trailing and trail edge devices which could deliver 6% fuel saving improvements after 2015. But these are unlikely to be offered as retrofits as all the elements are integrated. It will be too much, too late.