'Riblet' Skin To Reduce Fuel Consumption on Jets | Aviation International News

Sustainability and Environment

'Riblet' Skin To Reduce Fuel Consumption on Jets

Lufthansa Technik and BASF have developed an aircraft surface skin that reduces friction and improves fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.

Swiss International Air Lines workers applying the AeroSHARK skin to the fuselage of a Swiss Boeing 777-300ER. — Swiss International Air Lines workers apply the AeroSHARK skin to the fuselage of a Swiss Boeing 777-300ER. (Photo: Lufthansa Technik)

By Jerry Siebenmark • Senior Editor

December 21, 2022

Lufthansa Technik has received a supplemental type certificate from EASA for the installation of AeroSHARK riblet films on two Boeing 777 variants. Developed jointly by Lufthansa Technik and BASF, AeroSHARK is a surface structure composed of microscopic ribs that reduces the frictional resistance of the aircraft skin, thereby decreasing fuel consumption and carbon emissions by 1%.

That means an annual reduction of about 400 tonnes of kerosene and more than 1,200 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions on a Boeing 777-300ER. On the slightly shorter 777F, AeroShark is expected to provide an annual savings of about 370 tonnes of fuel and 1,170 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions.

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