LATAM Airlines Group S.A.has become the pioneer customer from the Americas to adopt the innovative Lufthansa Technik AeroSHARK film.
Since December 2023, a modified LATAM widebody aircraft has demonstrated roughly a 1% decrease in fuel consumption during regular flights. Encouraged by these results, LATAM now plans to equip four more Boeing 777 aircraft with AeroSHARK.
LATAM as First Americas Operator
In late 2023, LATAM fitted its first Boeing 777-300ER with the new surface film in São Paulo. This made LATAM the first airline outside the Lufthansa Group and in the Americas to use this groundbreaking CO₂-reduction solution.
The Latin American carrier has been evaluating the sharkskin technology in daily operations since then. Given the proven benefits, LATAM has decided to apply the film to four more aircraft. Soon, five AeroSHARK-equipped planes operated by LATAM Airlines Brazil will take to the skies.
Sebastián Acuto, Director of Fleet and Projects at LATAM Airlines Group, stated, “Modernizing our fleet is crucial to our sustainability commitment and our goal of reaching net zero by 2050. We’re committed to innovation and cutting-edge technologies, ensuring our fleet evolves alongside our environmental objectives.”
AeroSHARK’s Fuel-Saving Impact
AeroSHARK is a surface film that replicates the flow-optimized structure of sharkskin. Developed by BASF and Lufthansa Technik, it features tiny riblets about 50 micrometers in size.
Applying several hundred square meters of this film to an aircraft’s fuselage and engine nacelles reduces drag, cutting fuel use and CO₂ emissions by around 1%.
LATAM Airlines Brazil’s five Boeing 777-300ERs will see a significant operations benefit from AeroSHARK. An estimated annual savings of up to 2,000 tons of kerosene and 6,000 tons of CO₂ emissions is projected. That’s equivalent to about 28 scheduled São Paulo to Miami flights on a Boeing 777.
Robin Johansson, Senior Director Sales Latin America and Caribbean at Lufthansa Technik, commented, “LATAM’s choice reaffirms that AeroSHARK works. This motivates us to keep using our engineering expertise and innovative spirit to contribute to lower-emission aviation.”
“We’re eager to work with more global customers and apply our fuel-saving sharkskin technology to even more aircraft.”
Summary
Lufthansa Technik aims to help more airlines worldwide achieve their sustainability goals. The global MRO leader and BASF continue to improve AeroSHARK. Current focus areas include approvals for larger areas on Boeing 777-300ER and 777F aircraft, as well as other aircraft types.
The company recently announced plans to extend the sharkskin technology to Boeing 777-200ER aircraft.
Including LATAM’s first modified 777-300ER, 21 aircraft from various airlines worldwide now use this nature-inspired technology – and this number keeps growing. LATAM is scheduling its next aircraft modification for November this year.
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