Lufthansa Group has begun flight testing the next generation of its AeroSHARK technology, which is designed to reduce aircraft fuel consumption and carbon emissions. For the first time worldwide, an Airbus A319 operated by Lufthansa City Airlines, registered D-ABGK, is serving as the test platform for the new AeroSHARK material.
The trial, which will continue until February 2027, involves applying 70 transparent film patches measuring approximately 20 × 20 centimetres to selected areas of the aircraft’s fuselage and engine nacelles. The material will be evaluated on scheduled Munich–Hamburg flights to assess the durability, cleanability and long-term performance of different material combinations.
Inspired by nature, AeroSHARK technology features a special surface coating that mimics the microscopic riblet structure of sharkskin. These riblets, around 50 micrometres high, reduce aerodynamic drag and improve aircraft efficiency. The current version of the technology provides approximately 1% fuel savings and a corresponding reduction in CO₂ emissions on long-haul aircraft.
Lufthansa Technik and development partner Surfunteis are aiming to extend the next-generation coating beyond the fuselage and engines to include wings as well as horizontal and vertical stabilisers.
As of July 2026, Lufthansa Group had equipped 22 long-haul aircraft with AeroSHARK technology, including SWISS Boeing 777-300ERs, Lufthansa Cargo Boeing 777Fs, Austrian Airlines Boeing 777-200ERs and one Lufthansa Boeing 747-400. According to the group, the fleet saves around 19 tonnes of fuel and 60 tonnes of CO₂ emissions every day. AeroSHARK technology has also begun to be adopted by airlines outside the Lufthansa Group.
