Winglets vs. Raked Wing Tips.

[flyingbosshog]

Ok is there any real difference between the effects of a raked wing tip and a winglet..... Sure they look different but do they have a different affect on the drag and overall wing wash?

[MaxPower]

Ok is there any real difference between the effects of a raked wing tip and a winglet..... Sure they look different but do they have a different affect on the drag and overall wing wash?

There are advantages of winglets that deal with airflow that improve the efficiency of the wing, and consequently reduce fuel required.
And there are disadvantages of winglets that involve structural considerations. As previously mentioned in other threads, flutter is a real problem, so materials must be chosen carefully and the wing TIP itself must be rather rigid. (In the MD-11, fuel management contributes to wingtip rigidity, and once fuel quantity in the outboard tanks falls below a certain threshold, the wing is speed limited because of the winglets. But sure, both has the same effects. Namely to reduce the drag and eventually saves your aircraft the less fuel burned !