Swiss has become the world’s first airline to use new technology designed to reduce aerodynamic drag.
A transparent Aeroshark film – so called because it replicates the hydrodynamic skin of a shark – has been applied to the fuselage and engine nacelles of one of the carrier’s B777-300ER aircraft (registration HB-JNH).
The adapted aircraft took its first scheduled passenger flight between Zurich and Miami on Friday October 14.
Swiss said that the technology – which has been jointly developed by Lufthansa Technik and chemicals and coatings manufacturer BASF – had been designed to both lower both inflight fuel consumption and carbon dioxide emissions.
The film features 50-micrometre “riblets” that reduce aerodynamic drag during flight, and is set to be applied to all of Swiss’ B777 aircraft.
The airline said that the technology added to its existing actions to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, including investment in Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF).
Commenting on the news Swiss CEO Dieter Vranckx, said:
“Our adoption of Aeroshark is an excellent example of how we can use innovative technologies to make air travel more sustainable.
“Our aircraft fleet is already one of the most advanced and most carbon-efficient in Europe. Thanks to Aeroshark, we can enhance these credentials even further in a field where every saving counts.
“We are proud to be the first passenger airline in the world to adopt this new technology. And we will continue to consistently invest in such sustainable solutions.”
