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Sharkskin-Inspired Film Approved For Use On Planes - Here's How It Could Make Flights Cheaper
A new product called Aeroshark, which is inspired by shark skin and helps improve fuel efficiency has been approved by the EU for use on some Boeing 777 jets run by Swiss and Lufthansa.
A new product called Aeroshark, which is inspired by sharkskin has been approved by the EU for use on some Boeing 777 jets run by Swiss and Lufthansa.
The use of Aeroshark on aeroplanes has received only recently received a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for use by Swiss International Air Lines (better known as SWISS) and Lufthansa from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA). The STC paves the way for the use of the fuel-saving film on two Boeing 777 variants.
The drag-reducing riblet film, developed jointly by Lufthansa Technik and BASF, will first be used on a series of Boeing 777-300ER (Swiss) and the slightly shorter 777F. Both sets of aircraft run by Swiss and Lufthansa Cargo are set to be modified with the Aeroshark film next month in Zurich and Frankfurt respectively.
Lufthansa Technik claims that Aeroshark features a special surface structure of microscopic ribs also known as riblets that help the film reduce the frictional resistance of aircraft skin. This film which is inspired by sharkskin allows said aircraft to fly more smoothly through the air resulting in the usage of less fuel overall.
Lufthansa Technik that every Boeing 777-300ER equipped with Aeroshark will use up to 400 tonnes less of jet fuel (kerosene) annually. This will also result in an annual reduction of CO2 emissions of 1,200 tonnes annually per plane. For the slightly shorter Boeing 777F jet, the numbers drop down to 370 tonnes of Kerosene and 1,170 tonnes of CO2.
The first Aeroshark-equipped Boeing 777-300ER (HB-JNH) which was used to get the required certification had already begun daily operations in October using a temporary "Permit-to-Fly" from the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) that was valid for this single aircraft only. HB-JNH was modified using Aeroshark at the end of August and took to the air for the STC certification tests with the EASA on the 8th and 9th of September.
The new Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) now also allows Lufthansa Technik to serially apply the nature-inspired riblet films to any given Boeing 777-300ER and 777F aircraft.
Speaking about the fuel-saving film, Soeren Stark, Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa Technik said, "The approval of AeroSHARK for the Boeing 777 variants is an important step in the distribution of this new technology for more sustainability in air transport. With our partner BASF, we can now support our customers in making entire subfleets more climate-friendly. Moreover, we intend to realize the use of the new technology for further aircraft types. We are the only MRO company in the world to offer such solutions to reduce fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions for commercial aircraft. We are naturally very proud of this."
Thoughts About Aeroshark
Aeroshark shows that nature has quite a few tricks we can apply to make our journeys more sustainable. With all the fuel savings and lower emission levels, Aeroshark may way well change the way we fly in the future.
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