Airbus A330 to receive shark-skin inspired AeroSHARK technology

Lufthansa Technik is expanding its AeroSHARK technology to Airbus aircraft for the first time. An Airbus A330-300 operated by Discover Airlines is currently undergoing test flights and modification at the Elbe Flugzeugwerke in Dresden, Germany.

AeroSHARK is a specialized surface film developed by Lufthansa Technik and Surventis (formerly BASF Coatings). The film features microscopic, parallel grooves known as riblets that mimic the structure of shark skin. This design reduces aerodynamic drag by breaking up turbulence, which in turn lowers fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by approximately 1% per flight.

While the technology has already been certified and implemented on several Boeing 777 models within the Lufthansa Group, this project marks the transition to the Airbus A330-200 and A330-300 series. Lufthansa Technik is currently in the final stages of obtaining supplemental type certification (STC) from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

As of August 2026, the Lufthansa Group has equipped 22 aircraft with AeroSHARK, resulting in daily savings of roughly 19 tonnes of kerosene and 60 tonnes of CO2. Future developments aim to expand the application of the film to wings and tail sections to potentially double the efficiency gains.