Jessica Reed is a writer and editor with AIN. She joined the team in the fall of 2023 after two years covering the aviation industry at Avionics International. She earned her bachelor&#039;s degree in English (Writing &amp; Rhetoric) from Pepperdine University. Her hometown is St. Louis, Missouri, and she since has resided in Santa Barbara, California, and Brooklyn, New York, among others. She is currently based in Vernon, New Jersey.

Writer & Editor

Jessica Reed

Lufthansa Technik’s fuel-saving AeroShark technology is continuing its global expansion. Developed in partnership with BASF, AeroShark is a surface film designed to mimic shark skin's drag-reducing properties, resulting in fuel savings and lower CO2 emissions. The technology has now been adopted by Austrian Airlines and EVA Air, marking a new phase in its implementation across different Boeing 777 variants.
Starting in December 2024, four of Austrian Airlines' Boeing 777-200ERs will be fitted with the AeroShark surface film. The technology, applied to approximately 830 square meters of the aircraft's fuselage and engine nacelles, is expected to reduce the airline’s fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by around 1% per aircraft.
Although this percentage might seem small, Austrian Airlines expects substantial fuel savings—about 2,650 tonnes of jet-A—over the four-year service life of these aircraft. Additionally, the airline estimates that it will avoid more than 8,300 tonnes of CO2 emissions—the equivalent of 46 transatlantic flights between Vienna and New York.
Francesco Sciortino, Austrian Airlines' COO, emphasized the airline's commitment to sustainability. “We take our responsibility seriously and take every possible step to reduce CO2 emissions within our flight operations. Even though our Boeing 777-200ERs are in their final years of service, we take this investment to get one step closer to our CO2 reduction targets.”
Austrian Airlines is not the only carrier investing in AeroShark technology. In August, EVA Air became the first Asian airline to adopt the drag-reducing film, modifying its entire fleet of nine Boeing 777F freighters. The first aircraft, B-16786, was fitted with the riblet film at Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, and the rest of the fleet will follow. EVA Air anticipates annual fuel savings of more than 2,500 tonnes of jet-A, alongside a reduction of 7,800 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
“EVA Air is continually progressing towards its goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, constantly seeking the latest technologies to reduce our carbon footprint,” said Albert Liao, executive v-p of EVA Air’s corporate planning division. “This innovation not only reduces fuel consumption but also lowers CO2 emissions. EVA Air will continuously monitor the actual fuel-saving benefits and further evaluate additional aircraft to be equipped with this technology.”
Lufthansa Technik holds supplemental type certificates for the AeroShark modification of two Boeing 777 variants, and the technology is now in full swing across multiple airlines. A total of 17 aircraft have already been equipped, including 12 Boeing 777-300ERs operated by Swiss International Air Lines and four Boeing 777Fs by Lufthansa Cargo.
The growing adoption of AeroShark is a testament to its effectiveness in reducing frictional resistance, fuel consumption, and emissions. As Wassef Ayadi, senior director of customer relations at Lufthansa Technik, highlighted, “EVA Air is well known for both its pioneering spirit and its technical expertise. We are proud that with AeroShark, we can provide international pioneers like EVA Air with a real quick-win measure to reduce the environmental footprint of their operations.”

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

Lufthansa Technik Expands AeroShark to Austrian Airlines and EVA Air

Austrian Airlines and EVA Air are using the drag-reducing surface film

Lufthansa Technik's AeroShark technology is being adopted by Austrian Airlines and EVA Air, expanding its implementation across more Boeing 777 variants.

Lufthansa Technik Expands AeroShark Rollout

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Kerry Lynch

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

NBAA called a study suggesting business aviation emissions will need to be regulated 'misleading' 

NBAA Challenges Study Highlighting Bizav Emissions

NASA's Gulfstream G-III will use lidar technology to scan contrails of GE's Boeing 747

NASA and GE Plan Flight Tests To Study Contrails

Charles Alcock

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News and developments about aircraft engines, including turbofan, turboprop, turboshaft and piston.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Project also includes Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Honeywell Aerospace, and American Airlines, plus MIT and University of Michigan

NASA Contracts Electra for AACES Sustainable Airliner Program

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

4,000 solar panels have been fitted on buildings across the London-area facility

Solar Generates 25% of Farnborough's Electric Power

Matt Thurber

News and issues concerning general aviation, specifically airplanes and helicopters powered by piston and alternative engines (i.e., non-turbine powered aircraft). Subjects include aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

High-octane unleaded avgas is becoming more available in California

San Carlos Flight Center Adopts Unleaded Swift 100R

Curt Epstein

News and developments about aviation fuel, including jet fuel, aviation gasoline, and biofuel.

News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

NBAA-BACE 2024

In this article

Lufthansa Technik

More In Environment

NBAA Challenges Study Highlighting Bizav Emissions

NBAA called a study suggesting business aviation emissions will need to be regulated 'misleading'

NASA and GE Plan Flight Tests To Study Contrails

NASA's Gulfstream G-III will use lidar technology to scan contrails of GE's Boeing 747

NASA Contracts Electra for AACES Sustainable Airliner Program

Project also includes Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, Honeywell Aerospace, and American Airlines, plus MIT and University of Michigan

Solar Generates 25% of Farnborough's Electric Power

4,000 solar panels have been fitted on buildings across the London-area facility

San Carlos Flight Center Adopts Unleaded Swift 100R

High-octane unleaded avgas is becoming more available in California

Minnesota Selected for SAF Production Site

DG Fuels plans for the $5 billion production facility to be operational by 2030

Still In Its Infancy, SAF Growing by Leaps and Bounds

With jet-A holding a 75-year head start over SAF, it will take time to catch up

Gulfstream Completes 100% SAF Emissions Tests

The weeklong program compared emissions from several fuels

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN