With STC approval, the roll-out of AeroSHARK developed jointly by Lufthansa Technik and BASF, to launch customers Lufthansa Cargo and Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS).
Lufthansa Technik and BASF have received a so-called Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) for the series modification of two Boeing 777 aircraft with the fuel-saving AeroSHARK riblet films. After being awarded the STC approval, the sub-fleet-wide roll-out of this sustainability technology which is developed jointly by Lufthansa Technik and BASF can now commence at the service of the launch customers Lufthansa Cargo and Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS). The next modification layovers in Frankfurt and Zurich are already scheduled for early January 2023.
Due to its special surface structure of microscopic ribs – so-called riblets – AeroSHARK reduces the frictional resistance of the aircraft skin. As a result of this, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are reduced by around one percent. For each Boeing 777-300ER jet operated by SWISS, this means annual savings of around 400 tons of kerosene and more than 1,200 tons of carbon dioxide. The slightly shorter Boeing 777F jet saves around 370 tons of fuel and 1,170 tons of CO2 each year.
“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,” said Soeren Stark, Chief Executive Officer, Lufthansa Technik. “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,” he further added.
The first AeroSHARK-equipped Boeing 777-300ER of the Swiss airline (HB-JNH), which also completed the flight test program for the now-received EASA certification, had already begun daily operations in October 2022 using a temporary “Permit-to-Fly” from the Swiss Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) that was valid for this single aircraft only. The STC issued by EASA will now allow Lufthansa Technik to serially apply the nature-inspired riblet films to any given Boeing 777-300ER and 777F aircraft.
The AeroSHARK modification of HB-JNH already began at the end of August 2022 and culminated in so-called STC flights with EASA on 8 and 9 September 2022. During these flights, detailed proof had to be provided that the AeroSHARK modification had no negative impact on the operational safety and handling of the Boeing 777. The STC flight was followed by several weeks of evaluation of the collected data and other documents, such as measured values from flow simulations. After recently completing its review of all submitted documents, EASA finally granted the STC approval.Dr. Uta Holzenkamp, the head of the Coatings division, BASF, and in this position also responsible for functional films.
“Realizing such a project is only possible through cooperation in partnership and great trust in each other’s expertise. Together, we have succeeded in developing a tailor-made solution that combines economic action and sustainability in equal measure,” said Dr. Uta Holzenkamp, head of Coatings division, BASF. “With the Novaflex Sharkskin functional film, we are helping our customers to achieve their individual sustainability goals and in this way make aviation measurably more environmentally friendly,” she further added.
SWISS and Lufthansa Cargo will successively equip all twelve of their 777-300ER and eleven 777F aircraft with AeroSHARK. They will thus be the first passenger and cargo airlines worldwide to optimize a complete sub-fleet with the riblet films. Once all Boeing 777 jets at Lufthansa Cargo and SWISS have received the AeroSHARK modification, the carbon footprint of the Lufthansa Group will reduce by more than 25,000 tons annually.
Lufthansa Technik and BASF have intentions to consistently develop AeroSHARK further for additional aircraft types and larger surfaces. This will help them in the future to support airlines around the globe in achieving their emissions targets. In initial model calculations, the sharkskin technology in its maximum expansion stage could even avoid CO2 emissions on the scale of up to three percent.
