Lufthansa has
partnered with Airbus and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing
Technology and Advanced Materials (IFAM) to
test a new surface coating that mimics shark
skin on two Airbus A340-300s.
Shark
skin technology that has previously been tested on ships and
more famously was used byMichael
Phelps and other competitive swimmers; until
it was banned by The International Swimming Federation might be used
by Lufthansa in near future.
The
new technology mocks the riblet effect of a shark's skin in aircraft
paints -- tiny riblets on the surface reduce flow resistance when
moving at speed.
Latest
research indicates that shark skin structures can
reduce fuel
consumption by about 1 percent and lower
operating costs.
Eight
10 x 10 centimeter patches of the special lacquer coating have been
attached to the fuselage and wings of the two aircraft.
It’s
hoped that the new coating system will enhance the aerodynamics
and energy
efficiency of the plane.
The
new coating is also dirt-repellent, UV-stable and abrasion- and
erosion-resistant.Source:
CNN
