First sharkskin-style cargo aircraft makes debut

The world’s first cargo aircraft modified with fuel-saving AeroSHARK surface technology has entered service. The maiden flight came after October 2022 saw a SWISS passenger aircraft, which had been modified with the shark skin type surface addition developed by Lufthansa Technik and BASF, make a similar debut journey. The cargo flight was en route from Frankfurt to Chengdu, via a stopover in Bengaluru, Lufthansa Technik said on February 3, with the AeroSHARK addition expected to make the long journey 1% more fuel-efficient. “AeroSHARK is a surface film that mimics the microscopic structure of shark skin. It consists of ribs around 50