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One Airbus A319 from Lufthansa City Airlines is the world's first test aircraft for the new generation of technology AeroSHARK, that optimizes fuel consumption.
Lufthansa technology, together with its development partner Surventis (anteriormente BASF Coatings), will try approximately 70 transparent film patches 20 × 20 centimeters each on this short-haul aircraft with registration D-ABGK until February 2027.
These samples of material adhere to specific areas of the sides of the fuselage, as well as the inside and outside of the engine covers. Its performance will be analyzed over the coming months on regular flights between Munich and Hamburg, and is expected to provide valuable information for the development of the technology AeroSHARK. The long-term goal is to realize the potential for additional efficiency in flight operations through more widespread use of AeroSHARK, thus contributing to greater sustainability in air transport.
AeroSHARK now on the Airbus A319
For passengers on board the aircraft Lufthansa City Airlines, named after the city of Starnberg, the test is practically imperceptible. The material is transparent and practically imperceptible to the naked eye.. Flight operations also remain unchanged. For informational purposes, a welcome panel with the AeroSHARK design at the entrance to the aircraft attracts the attention of travelers interested in the test.
Till the date, the AeroSHARK movie, that saves combustible, It has been used in the fuselage and engine covers of long-haul aircraft certified for this technology. With its current research and development work, Lufthansa Technik and Surventis now take an important step forward. Together, They are developing the next generation material, which could also be used on the wings, as well as horizontal and vertical stabilizers in the future. These areas are exposed to higher aerodynamic loads.
With the test that has already begun, several new samples of the AeroSHARK material are being evaluated in real-world conditions. The 70 Test patches differ in their material and layer composition. The objective of the study is to identify the material that combines the greatest durability with easy application, easy cleaning and residue-free disposal. Lufthansa Technik carries out regular material inspections during ground downtime in Hamburg.
Inspired by nature
Till the date, AeroSHARK is the only microchannel technology approved for commercial aviation. Consists of a specially developed surface film with microscopic ribbed structures, inspired by shark skin. Shark skin has fine grooves aligned with the direction of flow—known as microchannels—that reduce frictional resistance and improve flow characteristics in the water.. AeroSHARK applies this effect to aviation: The functional surface film presents microchannels of only 50 micrometers high, precisely aligned with the airflow. It is applied to the fuselage and engine covers of the aircraft and reduces aerodynamic drag during flight. This technology reduces fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions on each flight, currently at approximately 1 %.
22 Lufthansa Group's long-haul aircraft are now equipped with AeroSHARK
As of July 2026, the group Lufthansa had already equipped 22 airplanes with AeroSHARK: the entire fleet of Boeing 777-300ER from SWISS (twelve planes), cinco Boeing 777F from Lufthansa Cargo, four Boeing 777-200ER of Austrian Airlines and a Boeing 747-400 they Lufthansa. Thanks to that, Lufthansa Group's AeroSHARK fleet saves 19 metric tons of fuel and 60 metric tons of CO₂ per day. AeroSHARK is also gaining popularity in the sector: other airlines, in addition to the Group Lufthansa, They are already using this innovative film to increase the fuel efficiency of their long-haul aircraft..
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