Latest news with #SustainableSkiesLab
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
The ‘shark skin' technology that could make flying cheaper
Scientists have developed an artificial 'shark skin' coating for aeroplanes, which they say could potentially reduce turbulence and save airlines billions in fuel costs. As part of its Sustainable Skies Lab, the American airline Delta has partnered with the Australian aerospace firm MicroTau to investigate whether the coating could be applied to planes. It may sound like science fiction, but some airlines have already developed similar technologies and are already adding it to their fleets. Here is everything we know about the 'shark skin' technology, and how it could make for a cheaper, smoother, cleaner ride at 35,000 feet. What exactly is 'shark skin' technology? To understand the technology, we must begin with the shark. While sharks may appear smooth, their skin is in fact covered in a layer of minuscule overlapping grooves called dermal denticles, which allow the shark to glide through water more efficiently. Scientists think that they can mimic the effect on planes by adding microscopic grooves, or riblets, to the outside of an aircraft. This biomimicry, they say, could revolutionise the efficiency of aircraft. So no animals were harmed in its creation? Despite the name, the 'shark skin' is entirely artificial. Incidentally, Delta is also teaming up with Airbus to investigate another flying technique called 'fello'fly' which takes inspiration from the movement of migrating geese. How could 'shark skin' technology reduce fuel costs? When an aircraft moves through the air, tiny whirlpools called hairpin vortices form on the plane's surface, creating resistance. The idea is that applying the riblets to the aircraft could reduce drag by smoothing the air flow. This would help to reduce fuel consumption by up to 4 per cent, according to Delta. Applied across the industry this could amount to a saving of as many as 4 billion gallons of fuel and millions of tons of CO2 emissions. For example, if applied to an Airbus A380 flying from Sydney to LA, an airline would save around $5,000 and the aircraft would save more than 18 metric tons of emissions. So as a knock-on effect, the technology could plausibly make flying cheaper for passengers, too. The International Air Transport Association, of which the majority of global airlines (including Delta) are members, has pledged to achieve net zero by 2050. And what about turbulence? Researchers say that the film coating could have other positive impacts for passengers, including increasing the speed of aircraft and reducing turbulence. In a study from 2016, the University of Melbourne found that turbulent boundary layers, thin layers of liquid or air that form around bodies of vehicles, can contribute to drag. 'Even when aircraft is flying through perfectly still air, there is still this layer that forms over the aircraft and gets thicker and thicker toward the back of the plane. Within that layer, everything is chaotic and turbulent,' said Associate Professor Hutchins. 'We've found if you replicate that shark skin texture on the surface of an aircraft, you get some reduction in drag due to the turbulent boundary layers,' Hutchins added. In the 2016 report, it was suggested that maintenance issues and concerns around the colouring of the shark skin could have slowed progress in the adoption of the technology. Could it be added to any aircraft? MicroTau, the Australian firm that has teamed with Delta, has used laser technology to create the shark-skin pattern on self-adhesive patches. They say that these could be added onto existing aircraft, and indeed other modes of transport. Is this actually going to happen? It appears so. In fact, some airlines are already using their own version of the technology. Lufthansa, Latam, Swiss, Austrian Airlines and All Nippon Airways have adopted 'Aeroshark' which works in a similar way and have already added it to some of their fleet. Japan Airlines has also developed its own version of the technology in collaboration with the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). Their method, however, uses a water-soluble mould to create riblet grooves on a painted surface. Applying this requires meticulous skill. Delta says it will now begin testing the 'shark skin' riblets on its Boeing 767 fleet. Sangita Sharma, director of Delta's Sustainable Skies Lab, said: 'We'll do ground testing, and then we'll work our way towards on-wing testing and eventually live aircraft testing. So this process is actually multi-year, very long, because safety and reliability are first.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
CBS News
23-04-2025
- Science
- CBS News
Delta testing new technology inspired by shark skin to improve fuel efficiency
Before their next fleet of "birds" take to the friendly skies, Delta Air Lines is looking to the ocean for inspiration. Their goal is to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. That means Delta is looking anywhere it can to make it happen. "I think engineers have looked to nature for a long time for inspiration," said Sangita Sharma, the Director of Delta's Sustainable Skies Lab. The airline has teamed up with MicroTau, an Australian aerospace company, to study the use of this special skin that can be applied to a plane to increase it's fuel efficiency. "It mimics shark skin, and it leverages these micro grooves to reduce a type of surface drag. That surface drag could lead to a fuel benefit of up to four percent," Sharma explained. She said 4% doesn't sound like a lot, but it adds up with the airline burning 4 billion gallons of fuel each year. "We'll do ground testing, and then we'll work our way towards on wing testing and eventually live aircraft testing. So this process is actually multi-year, very long, because safety and reliability are first," Sharma said. With all the testing and approvals needed by Delta, the Federal Aviation Administration and the aircraft's manufacturer, it'll be a while before you see the changes the next time you board. In the meantime, Sharma said they are still dedicated to being as eco-friendly as possible "Our motto is no one better connects the world, and we want to be able to continue connecting the world for the next 100 years, and we're not going to be able to do that unless we find a way to hit our net zero targets." Delta has also teamed up with Airbus to test a new flying technique called "fello'fly". They're taking inspiration from migrating geese to help improve fuel efficiency even more. The next flight test phase for that project is slated for later this year.
Forbes
28-03-2025
- Business
- Forbes
JetZero - A New Entrant To The Commercial Aerospace Duopoly?
Artist rendering of JetZero in flight. Recent events show JetZero is continuing to make progress against its goal of launching a Blended Wing Body aircraft that could potentially upend the current commercial aerospace duopoly and propel radical change in the flying experience. The revolutionary aircraft was detailed in my article 'Has the Time Finally Come For This Sci-Fi Looking Aircraft' ( August 29, 2024). Last week I had the opportunity to tour the company's Long Beach, California headquarters and meet with the company's leadership. The JetZero aircraft promises to reduce fuel burn and emissions by 50% due to reduced drag of the aerostructure. Alaska Airlines has invested in the project and the US Air Force has awarded a $235 million contact for a demonstrator that could serve as an air refueling tanker, cargo or transport aircraft. Northrop Grumman, and it's subsidiary, Scaled Composites, are building the prototype in Mojave, California. Artist rendering of JetZero tanker refueling a US Air Force B-2 bomber. Over the last several months, JetZero has made several important announcements underscoring its growing momentum. In September of last year, Steve Dickson, former FAA Administrator joined the company's Advisory Board. Dickson oversaw the agency through COVID and recertification of the Boeing MAX after tragic accidents in 2018 and 2019. In December of 2024, BAe Systems was selected to provide and integrate the actuator control units into the aircraft's flight control systems. Each pilot will have an active sidestick controller. The units are previously certified with Gulfstream and Embraer thereby minimizing risk of performance problems or regulatory delay. Earlier this month, Delta Airlines announced a partnership with JetZero to assist in the design of the interior through its Sustainable Skies Lab. Departing from the traditional tube and wing architecture of the last century, the Blended Wing Body offers a very different interior space allowing for several changes to the traditional flying experience. Boarding doors will allow for two abreast entry, speeding the boarding process. Passengers will have their own dedicated overhead bin space, alleviating anxiety as to whether one's bag will be able to be carried in the cabin. JetZero cabin interior. Seating will be divided in multiple sections each akin to a small movie theater with sixteen rows apiece. The feel is more that of the upper first class deck of the Boeing 747, which was a favorite of many frequent fliers. Lavatories and galleys will also be more accessible as passengers will not have to traverse a long tube to get to the rear of the aircraft. Although the interior design is still being finalized, the horizontal spread of the aircraft cabin and reduced depth mean that a lavatory, or galley, is within six to seven rows fore or aft. Two days after the Delta news, JetZero announced the selection of Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace of Raytheon Technologies as the providers of the propulsion system and supporting structures. JetZero will use Pratt's PW2040 engine which powers the Boeing 757 and US Air Force C-17 Globemaster transport. Each engine can provide 37,000 to 43,000 pounds of thrust. The engines sit over the body of the aircraft allowing for noise attenuation. Pratt & Whitney Canada will provide the Auxiliary Power Unit of which 3,800 are certified and in use on aircraft. Collins Aerospace will design and build the nacelle structure, which includes the engine inlet, fan cowl, fan duct, fairings and engine support structure. Collins has provided such structures to the Boeing 787, Airbus A350, A320neo and A220 and the Embraer E2. A central tenet of the design philosophy of JetZero is to use hardware and systems that have already been certified. As pointed out with the sidesticks, this reduces design and integration lead time and lowers risk. But with engines, there is an added dimension. Traditionally, improvements in engine design provided the enabling condition for the creation of a new aircraft model. For many decades, improvement in engine efficiency provided the lion's share of overall reduction of operating cost. Wing design and other aerodynamic changes contributed, but engine efficiency was key. To make an engine more efficient requires hotter internal combustion temperatures, more exotic metal alloys and coatings to withstand the higher operating temperatures and other sophisticated design techniques such as complex shaping of fan blades using leading edge composite and material technologies. However, the latest generation of engines have experienced a myriad of problems including powdered metal erosion and frictional issues which have grounded airline fleets for months. Moreover, the time to repair the engines has become substantially longer and more expensive. The Blended Wing Body derives the preponderance of its operating cost improvement from its aerodynamics and thus avoids the risk of propulsion technology that is pushing the limits of physics. However, the unique architecture of the Blended Wing Body also poses a challenge. The interior of the aircraft is pressurized to allow for the cabin air to contain enough oxygen for the crew and passengers to not have to wear masks. The cylindrical shape of the aircraft tube distributes this pressure relatively evenly around the structure. Non-cylindrical structures are more difficult. JetZero states that they have confidential intellectual property that addresses this issue. JetZero's recent announcements underwrite a program that is looking to fly a prototype demonstrator in 2027. An assembly location for the aircraft is slated to be announced soon. But to address the commercial market opportunity - of a 250 seat aircraft that can serve the mid-market of passenger transport - requires investment numbered in the tens of billions of dollars, and has proved to be the undoing of many other aviation start ups recently, such as Aerion, Lilium and Volocopter. JetZero states they are actively working with potential investors and has strong airline order interest. With Boeing unable to move forward with a new airplane financially, Airbus not needing to, Embraer considering entry into the large market and China gearing up, the playing field is ripe for a new entrant, and a new flying experience.
