Austrian Airlines has successfully launched its first Boeing 777-200ER, equipped with AeroSHARK surface technology, on its maiden flight. The aircraft, registered as OE-LPC, departed Bangkok International Airport yesterday night and arrived in Vienna under flight number OS26. This achievement follows the European Union Aviation Safety Agency’s (EASA) approval of AeroSHARK for the Boeing 777-200ER, enabling Austrian Airlines to lead the adoption of this ground-breaking technology on this aircraft type.
Developed collaboratively by Lufthansa Technik and BASF, AeroSHARK is a surface film that mimics the microstructure of sharkskin to optimise airflow over the aircraft fuselage and engine nacelles. This innovative technology improves fuel efficiency by approximately one percent, resulting in significant reductions in CO2 emissions. For Austrian Airlines, AeroSHARK aligns with its sustainability strategy, which prioritises reducing environmental impacts in flight operations.
The modification of Austrian Airlines’ Boeing 777-200ER fleet is progressing, with four of six aircraft expected to be equipped with AeroSHARK by March 2025. The installation was seamlessly integrated into a scheduled maintenance visit, ensuring minimal disruption to operations. Austrian Airlines is the first carrier to apply this technology to the Boeing 777-200ER, supported by Lufthansa Technik’s extended Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from EASA.
Austrian Airlines projects that by 2028, the AeroSHARK-equipped Boeing 777-200ERs will save around 2,650 metric tonnes of kerosene, reducing CO2 emissions by approximately 8,300 metric tonnes. This reduction equates to roughly 46 direct flights between Vienna and New York.
AeroSHARK’s success builds on its deployment across other Lufthansa Group fleets and beyond, with 22 modified Boeing 777 aircraft currently in operation across six airlines. Lufthansa Technik and BASF are committed to expanding the application of AeroSHARK to additional aircraft types and larger surface areas, further advancing sustainable aviation.
