Reducing Fuel Consumption, Emissions with AeroSHARK

DALLAS — How do airlines reduce aviation emissions from their operations? The easiest, most effective way has always been to invest in new equipment.

Next-generation airliners are all built to reduce weight, improve propulsion technology, and introduce lightweight materials. Sometimes, manufacturers can retrofit an entire family of aircraft with new technology, as Embraer announced at the 2024 Farnborough Airshow.

These two solutions are often generational, taking years – if not decades - from the drawing board to the real-life product. A third, more immediate way for airlines to reduce fuel consumption exists.

This goes by the name of AeroSHARK, and Switzerland’s flag carrier was the launch customer for this product. Developed by Lufthansa Technik and BASF and inspired by shark skin, a transparent film is applied to the aircraft’s fuselage and engine nacelle.

AeroSHARK’s riblets disrupt the boundary layer in critical regions on the aircraft’s surface, resulting in lower drag.

After visiting SWISS’s hangar in Zurich and touching the AeroSHARK with our hands, we discussed its history, development, and prospects with Jens-Uwe Mueller, Regional Sales Executive AeroSHARK at Lufthansa Technik.

AeroSHARK Development

“From the early 70s, we have known that sharks’ skins contribute towards improving the aerodynamic loads. Then, in the 90s, aircraft manufacturers tried a drag-reduction product, but the material did not perform as expected. With rising fuel costs, Lufthansa Technik started investigating the riblet technology on an A330 of Lufthansa around 15 years ago."

"The research showed positive outcomes, and we continued with our work. We could combine the riblet with a resistant coating thanks to recent material advancements. Large production rates are needed for commercialization, and we partnered with BASF to manufacture the riblet, which has ultimately allowed us to commercialize the AeroSHARK.”

Despite being a relatively new product, the AeroSHARK has received notable interest inside and outside the Lufthansa group, with recent news reporting the addition of the product on EVA Air’s and ANA’s Boeing 777Fs.

Depending on aircraft utilization, AeroSHARK reduces fuel consumption by 300 to 400 tonnes per aircraft yearly despite a weight addition of 150 kg. This corresponds to a saving of around 1% and a CO2 reduction of almost 1,000 tonnes for each flight. The product has accumulated over 130,000 flight hours and will soon be equipped with more airliners.

Typically, the AeroSHARK is applied to aircraft already in service. Jens-Uwe told us:

“The production process of OEMs is already quite complex, and adding further steps could introduce additional challenges, and the paint should be dried before applying the film. This is done by waiting and flying; the paint layer should be at least two weeks old. Instead of applying directly, the first C-Check may be the best option or any time a major retrofit is planned.”

AeroSHARK Demand

One of the many strengths of the AeroSHARK is its large aircraft pool it can fit.

“Our customers include SWISS, Latam, Austrian, and more. The product can be applied to several variants of the Boeing 777, so there is a pool of thousands of currently flying aircraft. Everyone flying the 777 more than 3000 hours a year could benefit from being a customer and have a meaningful return. You need to be innovative and open-minded to ask your MRO provider to apply it during maintenance.”

“We are currently registering some triple-digit demand, with already 21 aircraft flying equipped with the product. Lufthansa’s 747 was the testbed, then SWISS and Lufthansa Cargo triple sevens followed, Austrian’s Boeing 777s, and customers outside the Lufthansa group like ANA, EVA Air and Latam. In total, we have received orders for 47 applications, and our short-term mission is to receive three-digit orders for the AeroSHARK.”

Reducing fuel emissions should be airlines’ number one priority, and in a perfect world, it would come even before revenue generation. Every step counts towards reducing the civil aviation industry's impact, which is non-negligible at around 2.5% worldwide. Despite more efficient airliners, the number of passengers and the industry’s footprint will inevitably increase.

We ended the interview by discussing the outlook of AeroSHARK commercialization. Jens-Uwe concluded:

“In my vision, nobody will ask by the end of the decade, ‘Why are you flying with the AeroSHARK,’ instead, people will ask “Why are you not flying with the AeroSHARK.’ Similarly to when people did not have mobile phones, it won’t be considered the exception but the standard. At times, maintaining the smooth day-to-day operation of an aircraft may take precedence over certain sustainability initiatives."

"The industry is a bit hesitant sometimes, but we have gained interest in the past years and keep pushing with our product.”