SWISS’ Entire Boeing 777 Fleet Now Has Shark Skin Technology

SWISS

‘ 12-strong Boeing 777-300ER fleet features new AeroSHARK technology across the fuselages and engine nacelles. The overlay attempts to replicate the hydrodynamic properties of shark skin.

A fully-equipped fleet

The Swiss national airline has now incorporated the shark skin onto all of its long-haul 777 aircraft, with the final example to adorn the technology receiving it at the start of May.

The final aircraft registered HB-JNF, spent the month of April in Hong Kong, where it is believed to have received the skin, according to Flightradar24 data. Last year, the airline saved nearly 2,200 tonnes of kerosene despite its 777 fleet not being fully fitted at the time. Claus Bauer, Head of Technical Fleet Management at SWISS said:

“We are very pleased with the results that we have achieved with AeroSHARK to date. We’re proud, too, to be the first airline in the world to have equipped an entire aircraft fleet with this innovative technology. Each aircraft takes about a week to have its AeroSHARK film applied, which requires high-precision workmanship from our personnel.

I am delighted that our commitment to this technology is delivering such positive results, and is enabling us at SWISS to take a further substantial step in making our flight operations more sustainable.”

What is AeroSHARK

Rather than being completely smooth, shark skin is unique in its ability to minimize drag through specific grooves, which, in aviation terms, allows for a smoother and more efficient flight.

AeroSHARK replicates this hydrodynamic property on aircraft. It is a “special film” made up of “tiny 50-micrometre riblets that reduce aerodynamic drag during flight.”

Photo: Teng Wang | Shutterstock

At the time of the inaugural departure of a SWISS 777 with the technology back in October 2022, CEO Dieter Vranckx said:

“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.”

Photo: SWISS

The technology was developed by both Lufthansa Technik and chemicals and coatings manufacturer BASF. The Swiss Confederation supported the project to place the technology on SWISS Boeing 777s through its “special funding for environmental projects.”

Rolling out elsewhere

Photo: SWISS

The airline is now examining other parts of its fleet to see whether AeroSHARK technology could be installed. In particular, the carrier referenced the remaining aircraft in its long-haul fleet and, eventually, its medium-haul fleet.

Related

How Sharks Are Helping SWISS Cut Emissions

The airline will be able to save around 15,200 tons of CO2 emissions each year.

In other words, SWISS’ A330s and A340s are next on the table in its existing fleet. The airline also plans to take delivery of a new long-haul aircraft type shortly, with the arrival of its Airbus A350s in the second quarter of 2025.

These will replace the Airbus A340s. While unlikely and dependent on the technology’s cost, they could still be retrofitted. The airline only has four Airbus A340-300s in service.

The type is to “operate longer than planned” to provide additional capacity as the A330 fleet begins its retrofit program in 18 months, the airline’s Chief Commercial Officer Heike Birlenbach tells Aviation Week.