Following the lead of Lufthansa Cargo and Swiss International Air Lines, EVA Air and All Nippon Airways have become the first Asian carriers to adopt a high-tech aircraft coating that reduces drag by emulating the skin of a shark. According to an article on the Freightwaves news outlet, AeroShark surface coating is configured with sharkskin-like “riblets,” described as small protrusions in the coating measuring just 50 micrometers (0.002 inches) that have been shown to reduce aerodynamic drag by 1%. According to Lufthansa, if resurfaced with AeroShark coating, the global fleet of long-haul aircraft could reduce overall fuel burn by some 5 million tons per year.
All Nippon began operating its first AeroShark-coated Boeing 777 freighter on Aug. 31. The carrier said it plans to add the coating to its passenger aircraft by next spring, though freighters see a slightly greater benefit since their overall surface area doesn’t include windows.
AeroShark coating was developed by Lufthansa Technik, the maintenance and tech services corporate cousin of Lufthansa Airlines, in partnership with German chemical and coating manufacturer BASF. The coating is said to be weather-resistant and easy to apply to fuselage skin and engine nacelles during regular scheduled maintenance.
Lufthansa Cargo’s B777 fleet could save more than 4,400 tons of fuel per year, the company said, the equivalent fuel burn of 53 cargo flights between Frankfurt, Germany, and Shanghai, China.
