We’ve covered the AeroSHARK film that can be installed on aircraft to help with drag reduction a few times. Well, it seems that Lufthansa Technik and its partner Surventis are getting the next generation of the AeroSHARK ready for testing.
Lufthansa Technik are testing a new generation of materials for wings and tail assembly in flight operations with an Airbus A319 operated by Lufthansa City Airline.
This aircraft will become the world’s first test aircraft for a new generation of fuel-saving AeroSHARK technology. On the short-haul aircraft, registration “D-ABGK,” Lufthansa Technik, together with its development partner Surventis (formerly BASF Coatings), will test approximately 70 transparent foil patches, each measuring 20 x 20 centimetres, until February 2027.
These material samples are attached to selected areas on the fuselage sides, as well as inside and outside the engine cowling.
Their performance will be analysed in regular flight operations between Munich and Hamburg over the coming months and is intended to provide insights for the further development of AeroSHARK technology.
The long-term goal is to unlock additional efficiency potential in flight operations through the wider use of AeroSHARK, thereby contributing to greater sustainability in air transport.
In terms of what the passengers see… it’s invisible to the eye. The material is transparent and barely perceptible. Here’s an example of the older generation AeroSHARK material against a mockup fuselage.
Aeroshark close-ups – Images, Economy Class and Beyond.
The flight path is also unaffected. A welcome panel in the AeroSHARK design at the aircraft entrance informs interested travellers about the test.
To date, the fuel-saving AeroSHARK film has been used on the fuselage and engine cowling of long-haul aircraft certified for this technology. With their current research and development work, Lufthansa Technik and Surventis are now taking an important step further. Together, they are developing the next generation of material, which will also be used on wings, horizontal stabilisers, and vertical stabilisers in the future. These areas are subject to higher aerodynamic forces.
The newly launched test run will investigate various new AeroSHARK material samples under real-world conditions. The 70 test patches differ in their material composition and layer structure. The investigation aims to identify the material that combines maximum robustness with easy application, straightforward cleaning, and residue-free removal.
Regular material inspections will be carried out by Lufthansa Technik during ground time in Hamburg.
How it works
AeroSHARK is currently the only riblet technology approved for commercial aviation. It is a specially developed surface film with microscopically fine ribbed structures modelled after shark skin. Shark skin has fine, flow-aligned grooves, called riblets, which reduce drag and improve aerodynamic properties.
AeroSHARK installed on a demonstrator fuselage – Image, Economy Class and Beyond.
AeroSHARK transfers this effect to aviation: The functional surface film features riblets only about 50 micrometres high, precisely aligned along the airflow. Applied to the fuselage and engine nacelles of an aircraft, it reduces drag during flight. The technology reduces fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions on every flight – currently by approximately 1 per cent.
Whilst 1% may not sound a lot, 1% per flight adds up after a while. And as we all know, the smallest savings count in aviation, especially over the lifetime of an installation over six years.
Real World Savings
As of July 2026, the Lufthansa Group has already equipped 22 aircraft with AeroSHARK.
The installations comprise the entire SWISS Boeing 777-300ER fleet (twelve aircraft), five Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 777Fs, four Austrian Airlines Boeing 777-200ERs, and one Lufthansa Boeing 747-400. This allows the Lufthansa Group’s AeroSHARK fleet to save 19 tons of kerosene and 60 tons of CO₂ daily.
In addition, Lufthansa Technik has marketed and sold AeroSHARK to ANA and EVA Air in Asia, and LATAM in South America – all of which are seeing benefits too.
There’s a lot more about AeroSHARK and its technology at https://www.lufthansa-technik.com/en/aeroshark, as well as the applications and platforms it can be fitted to.
Lead Image, Lufthansa Group. Other images, Economy Class and Beyond at Lufthansa Technik’s stand during Aircraft Interiors Expo.
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