Aircraft wing with a wing tip device and a strut

A method of modifying a primary wing by fitting a wing tip device, the method comprising the steps of:

• joining a root of the wing tip device to a tip of the primary wing at a first connection,
• aligning, along a spanwise direction, a leading edge of the wing tip device with a leading edge of the primary wing across the first connection, and
• fitting an external strut extending between the primary wing and the wing tip device, the external strut being connected to the primary wing at a second connection, the second connection being inboard of the first connection and outboard of a root of the primary wing, such that loadings on the wing tip device generated during use, are transferred, via the external strut, to a location on the primary wing that is inboard of where the root of the wing tip device is joined to the tip of the primary wing,
• wherein the external strut is exposed to air flowing across the primary wing during all flight operations of the primary wing.

A primary aircraft wing comprising:

• a fixed primary wing having a leading edge, a trailing edge, a root and a wing tip opposite, along a spanwise direction, to the root;
• a wing tip device having a leading edge, a trailing edge and a root;
• a first connection connecting the wing tip of the fixed primary wing to the root of the wing tip device, wherein the leading edge of the fixed primary wing is aligned in the spanwise direction with the leading edge of the wing tip device across the first connection;
• and
• an external strut extending between the fixed primary wing and the wing tip device, wherein the external strut is joined to the fixed primary wing at a second connection outboard, along the spanwise direction, of the root of the fixed primary wing and inboard of the wing tip, and the external strut is exposed to air flowing across the primary wing during all flight operations of the primary wing.