Patent ID: 8894018

Claim:
A method to break down, destabilize, or destroy an in flight wake vortex shed from an aircraft's wing having a wingtip arrangement with at least one winglet movably mounted to an extremity of the aircraft's wing, guide means that extends parallel to a vertical, longitudinal or lateral axis of the aircraft, and actuating means connected to the winglet for actuating in use displacement of the winglet relative to the aircraft's wing, the method comprising: actuating the actuating means to displace the winglet, linearly along the guide means, from an initial stationary position, in which the in flight wake vortex shed from the wing is stable, to a continuous moving condition, in which the winglet is displaced to at least one secondary temporary stationary position, remote from the initial stationary position, and having any angle relative to a plane extending through a vertical, longitudinal, or lateral axis of the aircraft so as to alter the winglet's angle of attack; and persisting in the continuous moving condition as long as it is required to break down, destabilize or destroy the in flight wake vortex.