Lufthansa Technik has entered the final phase of the additional type certification for AeroSHARK on the Airbus A330-200 and A330-300. Lufthansa Group announced the milestone on 9 September 2026 in its official project update, moving the surface technology closer to approval for the two A330 variants.
Discover Airlines supplies the test aircraft
Discover Airlines is providing an A330-300 for the certification programme. The aircraft is being modified at Elbe Flugzeugwerke in Dresden and will perform test flights before and after the modification over several weeks. Lufthansa Technik says the aircraft is intended to become the first Airbus aircraft in the world equipped with AeroSHARK.
The work is being conducted with the European Union Aviation Safety Agency. It covers extensive technical documentation, ground tests and flight tests, followed by final validation in service during normal airline operations. The immediate development is therefore a certification programme centred on one test aircraft, rather than a confirmed installation across every A330 in service.
If the application is approved, AeroSHARK will become available for the Airbus A330-200 and A330-300. The certification itself does not commit Lufthansa Group or other airlines to retrofit their fleets; the scale of any wider installation will depend on the final approval and subsequent airline decisions.
What AeroSHARK changes on the aircraft surface
AeroSHARK was developed by Lufthansa Technik and Surventis, formerly BASF Coatings. The system uses a surface film covered with grooved microstructures inspired by shark skin. Its riblets are about 50 micrometres high and aligned with the airflow. They are applied to the aircraft fuselage and engine nacelles to reduce drag in flight.
The intended result is lower fuel consumption and reduced CO₂ emissions. Lufthansa Group currently puts the saving at about 1% per flight. That figure reflects the technology’s reported operational effect, while the A330 application still has to complete its testing and in-service validation before it can be approved.
Why approval could extend AeroSHARK’s reach
Before the A330 programme, AeroSHARK had been certified for the Boeing 777F, 777-300ER and 777-200ER. Lufthansa Group said in August 2026 that 22 of its aircraft were equipped with the system, saving approximately 19 metric tonnes of kerosene and 60 metric tonnes of CO₂ each day. Airlines outside Lufthansa Group are also already using the film on long-haul aircraft.
Lufthansa Group describes the A330 as the world’s second most delivered long-haul aircraft, giving the certification effort potentially broad fleet reach if approval follows. The company and Surventis are also developing a next-generation material for other surfaces, including wings and tail assemblies. Lufthansa Group says that extension could double the potential savings, but it remains a development objective rather than an approved A330 capability.
Mastercard is supporting the current AeroSHARK phase through its strategic sustainability partnership with Lufthansa Group. For now, the concrete milestone is the completion of the A330 certification process. The next meaningful decision will come with the final approval, after which airlines can determine whether the potential fuel and emissions savings justify wider retrofits.
Official sources
Primary source: Official source: newsroom.lufthansagroup.com