Lufthansa Technik Expands AeroShark Riblet Technology to Airbus A330
Lufthansa Technik is advancing its innovative drag-reducing technology, AeroShark, by developing a retrofit plan for the Airbus A330. This move comes after successful applications on Boeing 777 aircraft, in collaboration with BASF. AeroShark, a surface film that features tiny ridge-like structures called riblets, has been shown to significantly reduce aerodynamic drag.
Currently utilized on nearly 20 aircraft, the riblet film covers substantial areas—up to 950 square meters on the Boeing 777. Jens-Uwe Müller, AeroShark’s product sales lead, revealed at the 2024 International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences Congress that the demand for these retrofits is so high that Lufthansa Technik is training additional teams to meet the orders.
The expansion to the A330 follows increased adoption of the technology across different fleets. All Nippon Airways (ANA) recently started using riblets on both its passenger and freighter 777s, with significant operational improvements expected. ANA plans to assess the technology’s performance for potential expansion across its fleet.
Similarly, EVA Air is modifying its fleet of nine 777 freighters with AeroShark, conducted by Evergreen Aviation Technologies Corporation. The technology, which is also being adopted by Austrian Airlines for its 777-200ERs and by Lufthansa Group for several aircraft types, including a 747-400 and multiple 777s, promises about a 1% reduction in fuel consumption. This efficiency can lead to considerable savings in fuel and CO2 emissions annually per aircraft, with potential for even greater reductions if expanded to more of the aircraft’s surface.
Related news: https://airguide.info/?s=Riblets, https://airguide.info/?s=Lufthansa+Technik
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, aviationweek.com