All Nippon Airways (ANA) becomes the second airline in Asia to install AeroSHARK technology, inspired by shark skin. ANA is the first airline to operate the passenger and cargo versions of the Boeing 777 equipped with this innovation.
The first Boeing 777F (JA771F) that already has this technology has begun its scheduled cargo flights, and it is estimated that AeroSHARK will be installed on another passenger aircraft (JA796A) by next spring, which boosts ANA’s commitment to investing in environmentally friendly technologies.
The JA771F had hundreds of square meters of riblet films applied to the fuselage, the first AeroSHARK-optimized service was between Tokyo-Narita and Chicago O’Hare. The Boeing 777F and 777-300ER aircraft will have their fuselages almost entirely covered in shark skin-inspired film, resulting in savings of approximately 250 metric tons of fuel and 800 metric tons of carbon dioxide for each aircraft.
“The introduction of AeroSHARK technology on our Boeing 777 aircraft marks an important milestone in our sustainability strategy, in support of our broader goal of reducing carbon emissions across our fleet. We are proud to be the first airline in the world to implement this innovative technology on both the passenger and cargo versions of the Boeing 777, reinforcing our commitment to delivering excellence and reducing our carbon footprint,” said Kohei Tsuji, Member of the Board of Directors, Executive Vice President of ANA Engineering and Maintenance Center.
“Drawing inspiration from nature is deeply rooted in Japanese arts and culture. So, what airline could be more suitable for our nature-inspired AeroSHARK than the world-famous ‘Inspiration from Japan’? We are delighted to extend our long-standing and fruitful cooperation with All Nippon Airways on a proven solution to reduce their carbon footprint.” “I am confident that AeroSHARK will help ANA become an increasingly green ‘Japan Inspiration’,” said Dennis Kohr, Senior Vice President Corporate Sales Asia Pacific at Lufthansa Technik.
Lufthansa Technik currently holds Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for the AeroSHARK modification of several Boeing 777 types, which is now being installed on several airlines globally. Around 20 long-haul aircraft are already operating with the technology in service worldwide, and this number is gradually growing.
