Saturday, October 5, 2024 Lufthansa Technik AG has announced LATAM Airlines Group S.A. as the first external customer and carrier based in the Americas to adopt the fuel-saving AeroSHARK technology.
Since the modification of an aircraft in December 2023, LATAM has recorded around a one percent reduction in daily jet fuel consumption. Encouraged by these results, LATAM plans to retrofit four additional Boeing 777 aircraft with the AeroSHARK film. “Our fleet modernization strategy is a cornerstone of our commitment to sustainability and our vision of achieving net zero by 2050.
We remain focused on innovation and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies, ensuring our fleet evolves in line with our environmental goals,” said Sebastián Acuto, Director of Fleet and Projects at LATAM Airlines Group. LATAM made history in December 2023 by becoming the first airline outside the Lufthansa Group and in the Americas to install the bionic surface technology on its Boeing 777-300ER in São Paulo. The airline has since tested the sharkskin-inspired film, which optimizes airflow, in daily operations.
Following the positive performance, LATAM will now equip four more aircraft with the innovative CO2-saving technology, bringing the total number of modified planes operated by LATAM Airlines Brazil to five. Proven Results: LATAM’s AeroSHARK Trials Confirm Fuel Savings AeroSHARK, developed by Lufthansa Technik and BASF, is a specialized surface film that mimics the flow-enhancing prope.
