Lufthansa Technik tests AeroSHARK on a short-haul A319 for the first time
Lufthansa Technik, together with development partner Surventis (formerly BASF Coatings), has begun testing a new generation of AeroSHARK technology on an Airbus A319 operated by Lufthansa City Airlines. The aircraft, registered D-ABGK, is the first short-haul jet in the world to trial this technology, and the test is scheduled to run until February 2027, according to Lufthansa Group.
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About 70 transparent film samples measuring 20 x 20 centimetres are applied to the fuselage and engine cowling, both inside and out. The aircraft, named after the city of Starnberg, will operate in regular service on the Munich–Hamburg route throughout the test period. According to Lufthansa Group, passengers will barely notice the test — the film is transparent and virtually invisible, and nothing changes about the flight itself. An information panel featuring the AeroSHARK design at the aircraft door alerts passengers to the trial.
Until now, the fuel-saving AeroSHARK film has been used on the fuselage and engine cowlings of long-haul aircraft certified for the technology. With this new research, Lufthansa Technik and Surventis aim to push development further — they are working on the next generation of the material, which could in future also be applied to wings and to the horizontal and vertical stabilisers, areas subject to higher aerodynamic forces.
The 70 samples being tested differ in material composition and layer structure. The goal of the trial is to find a material that combines maximum durability with easy application, simple cleaning and residue-free removal. Lufthansa Technik carries out regular inspections of the samples during aircraft downtime at Hamburg Airport.
AeroSHARK technology is inspired by shark skin. It is a functional surface film featuring microscopic grooves called riblets, which mimic the grooves on shark skin oriented in the direction of flow — in sharks, these reduce drag and improve movement through water. The riblets used in AeroSHARK are approximately 50 micrometres high and precisely aligned with the direction of airflow. The film is applied to the fuselage and engine cowlings and reduces aerodynamic drag in flight. According to Lufthansa Group, it is currently the only riblet technology approved for commercial aviation, and on aircraft already equipped with it, it cuts fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by roughly 1 percent per flight.
- Aircraft tested
- Airbus A319, D-ABGK
- Operator
- Lufthansa City Airlines
- Development partner
- Surventis (formerly BASF Coatings)
- Test end date
- February 2027
- Number of samples
- approx. 70
- Sample size
- 20 x 20 cm
- Route tested
- Munich–Hamburg
- Fuel savings
- approx. 1% per flight
According to Lufthansa Group figures as of July 2026, 22 long-haul aircraft across the group are already fitted with AeroSHARK film: the entire fleet of twelve Boeing 777-300ERs at SWISS, five Boeing 777Fs at Lufthansa Cargo, four Boeing 777-200ERs at Austrian Airlines, and one Boeing 747-400 at Lufthansa. According to the group, this AeroSHARK-equipped fleet saves 19 tonnes of jet fuel and 60 tonnes of CO2 every day. Lufthansa Group adds that airlines outside the group are also starting to adopt the film to boost the fuel efficiency of their long-haul aircraft.
According to Lufthansa Group, the long-term goal of the research is to extend the use of AeroSHARK to further parts of aircraft, achieving additional operational efficiency savings that should contribute to the sustainability of air travel.