Air cargo goes to the sharks

   As part of a test to lower fuel consumption by 1 percent and lower operating costs, Lufthansa Technik officials have placed small patches that mimic shark skin near the fuselage and the edge of the wings on two A340-300s. 
   The project revolves around material that mimics shark skin because a shark’s natural skin features small grooves that reduce drag. The test will use patches that measure nearly an inch square. If this test proves successful, the next step is to use larger patches, eventually developing an automated way to attach the skin-like patches onto the planes. New technology may soon allow the imitation shark skin to be embossed into aircraft paint. 
   In the current test, the planes will then be flown under trail conditions until the summer as part of the Multifunctional Coating research project. Lufthansa Technik AG, Airbus Operations and the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Advanced Materials have spearheaded the project since the middle of 2011. Up to now, the parties have been investigating the viability of using a skin-like substance on planes. – Jon Ross