Lufthansa Technik is in the final certification phase for AeroSHARK on the Airbus A330, extending the shark-skin-inspired riblet film to an Airbus aircraft for the first time. The test programme uses a Discover Airlines A330-300 and includes flight testing and modification work at Elbe Flugzeugwerke in Dresden, with EASA oversight. Approval would allow the fuel-saving surface film to be installed on both A330-200 and A330-300 variants.
The campaign involves pre- and post-modification test flights as part of the certification process. AeroSHARK is already approved on selected Boeing 777 variants, and an Airbus A330 clearance would widen Lufthansa Technik’s commercial reach in the market for drag-reducing coatings.
The A330 application also expands the technology beyond earlier fuselage-only use and covers a substantially larger surface area than previous installations. Certification remains in progress, so the aircraft is not yet cleared for operational deployment under the new Airbus configuration.