LUFTHANSA TECHNIK
SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS, READY FOR TAKE-OFF
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LUFTHANSA TECHNIK
I PROFILE
The Lufthansa Technik Group is the world’s leading provider of technical aircraft services. Certified internationally as a maintenance, production and design organisation, the company employs more than 21,000 people in dozens of locations around the globe. Finding solutions that increase the sustainability of an aircraft is part of the Lufthansa Technik DNA. Co-Lead Aerolutions LAB Karin Scheibner and Product Manager for AeroSHARK Jens-Uwe Müller discussed innovation with Hannah Barnett.
L
ufthansa Technik is committed
“Within the Aerolutions Lab – a programme
to improving sustainability in the
set up at Lufthansa Technik – we are
aviation industry and knows that
focused on hardware and digital innova-
it can best achieve this by staying in its
tions that help our customers achieve
lane. The company offers a full range of
cleaner aviation,” Co-Lead Aerolutions LAB
services for commercial, VIP and special
Karin Scheibner said. “We are not dealing
mission aircraft. The portfolio includes
with something like reducing paper cups:
the maintenance, repair, overhaul and
MRO is our core business. We start from
modification of airframes, engines, com-
our main competency and innovate, using
ponents and landing gears, as well as the
our expertise and skills to find products
manufacture of innovative cabin products
that help our customers reduce their
and digital fleet support.
carbon footprint.”
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Despite operating in a challenging
film that successfully mimics shark skin
environment, Lufthansa Technik significantly
and optimises airflow, reducing drag and
increased both revenue and earnings in
enabling significant fuel savings.
the 2022 financial year. The former grew
Alongside leading global chemicals and
from €4 billion to €5.6 billion, up 39%; the
coatings manufacturer BASF, Lufthansa
third-best figure in the company’s history.
Technik developed a functional biomimetic
Adjusted EBIT also set a record at €511 mil-
technology. The film has a barely percep-
lion, up from €362 million the previous year.
tible ribbed texture of small elevations,
As a result, the company was not only
known as riblets. Applied to the aircraft in
servicing more than 800 customers by the
a precise manner aligned with airflow, the
end of 2022, but also over 4,200 aircraft.
riblets achieve efficiency gains by reduced friction and can also improve lift if attached
Shark skin innovation
to the wings.
Lufthansa Technik’s innovations cover
“With AeroSHARK we save around one per
a broad spectrum, including solutions for
cent of fuel and therefore reduce carbon
weight saving and increased aerodynamics,
emissions, though final savings are always
in order to decrease fuel burn overall.
dependent on the operation,” Jens-Uwe
AeroSHARK is one of the company’s
Müller, Product Manager for AeroSHARK,
flagship products. It is a durable bionic
said. “Long-haul services save more and
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LUFTHANSA TECHNIK
I PROFILE
So we began offering this on the lower fuselage of a Boeing 747. And now we have increased the coverage on the fuselage and the nacelles, and will extend to additional surfaces, like the crown area, horizontal and vertical tailplane, the wing, and so on. We intend to save three per cent of fuel eventually.” In the worst-case scenario, incorrect AeroSHARK is currently available for Boeing
application of the technology can mean
777 freighters and 777-300ERs. It will be
weight is added, something the company
extended in the future to long-haul aircraft
is keen to avoid. As a result, Lufthansa
types like the Airbus A330 and then later to
Technik supports customers through the
every aircraft type that flies long distances.
whole process to ensure they achieve the
“Certification takes a while, so we start
maximum savings possible.
with the minimum viable product, just like
According to Mr Müller, the partnership
programmers in Silicon Valley do with their
with BASF has proved an essential element
software. And then we extend the features.
to the successful and ongoing roll-out of
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AeroSHARK: “Without an industrialisation partner we could do lots of research, but our production capacity would be severely limited and we wouldn’t have achieved anything. We needed a big industrialisation partner, like BASF, that is capable of scaling-up.”
A wealth of products Another pioneering product is Cyclean.
it’s good for the environment, but also
Washing a PW1100G engine regularly with
because it saves money.”
Cyclean saves up to 80t of CO 2 emissions
Then there is GuideU, the next generation
per year. The system guarantees a clean
of non-electrical floor path marking systems.
and safe collection of wastewater without
GuideU consists of photoluminescent lighting
any negative impact on the environment.
strips for a cabin floor to guide passengers
“Cyclean helps an engine require less maintenance and improve its efficiency, so it performs better and conserves fuel,”
to exits in the event of an emergency if there is a cabin lighting failure. “This emergency system, which is
Ms Scheibner explained. “This product has
hopefully never needed, is famous around
been very successful, not only because
the world,” Ms Scheibner said. “It comes
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LUFTHANSA TECHNIK
I PROFILE
in every colour and shape so it can be opti-
allows us, as a big company, to collaborate
mally integrated into any cabin design. The
with smaller companies.”
non-electrical flow path marking means not
The show is also an ideal place to
only is no power needed from the aircraft,
demonstrate some of the company’s most
but it doesn’t require any maintenance or
innovative technology. “The thing about
use any fuel.”
MRO Europe is we can show that we are making products not only for Lufthansa,
Forging connections
but for the whole market,” Mr Müller said.
When the European aviation community
“Lufthansa Group owns 2.5 per cent of the
comes together at MRO Europe in October,
total world fleet of Boeing 777 freighters or
Lufthansa Technik will be there. The show
777-300ER. It would be a pleasure to not
offers a valuable forum to network with
only to equip these two-dozen aircraft
different companies, discuss technologies
with AeroSHARK, but to cover the rest.
and establish partnerships.
That’s something we want to showcase
“We have expertise in maintenance and
at MRO Europe. And we also want to
design,” Ms Scheibner said. “Maybe poten-
demonstrate that this is not a solution in the
tial partners don’t have that expertise, but
development stage: it’s not a prototype, it’s
they have something else to offer us. That is
a serial roll-out with real customers and is
where the magic happens at MRO Europe. It
deployed on a real fleet.”
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There is little doubt that Lufthansa
the company, but also for society. I’m in
Technik is playing a vital role in bringing
the fortunate position of having a job that
change to the aviation industry – and
allows me to drive change and bring value;
those at the forefront agree.
and that really excites me.”
n
is what drives me,” Mr Müller said. “It’s about being able to say that we are saving 10 tonnes of fuel every day because I’ve done my job properly over the years.” Ms Scheibner concluded with similar enthusiasm: “Supporting the industry and providing solutions that allow us to reduce carbon is my daily motivation. It is how I know my work is relevant not only for
Lufthansa Technik Co-Lead Aerolutions LAB, Karin Scheibner
“Making serious improvements to aircraft
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