Lufthansa Technik

LUFTHANSA TECHNIK

SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS, READY FOR TAKE-OFF

powered by Inside Sustainability

inside-SUSTAINABILITY.com

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.”

66 Inside sustainability

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

Inside sustainability 67

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

68 Inside sustainability

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

Inside sustainability 69

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.”

70 Inside sustainability

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

Inside sustainability 71