Press Release
JAL Initiates Flight Test to Measure the Fuel Efficiency Improvement Effect by Applying Riblet Shapes in a Large Area on Aircraft
Japan Airlines Co., Ltd. (hereinafter “JAL”), Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (hereinafter “JAXA”), O-Well Corporation (hereinafter “O-Well”), have been conducting flight tests since July 2022 using the Paint-to-Paint Method (*1) to apply a riblet (*2) of about 60 cm2 over the external paint on the fuselage skin of JAL’s Boeing 737-800 aircraft with the aim of reducing CO2 emissions by improving aircraft fuel consumption (*3).
As of February 2023, the aircraft treated with O-Well’s method had been in operation for approximately 1,500 hours, and by June 2023, it had accumulated approximately 2,300 hours. and it was determined in a step-by-step manner that the aircraft exhibits sufficient durability. As a result, JAL, JAXA and O-Well decided to proceed with the application of a large area on the aircraft’s external fuselage skin to verify the fuel efficiency improvement effect. Consequently, the application over a large area on JAL’s aircraft has been successfully completed. Flight tests will begin during normal flight operations.
(*1) Paint-to-Paint Method (O-Well): A method of creating concave and convex patterns on a coating film by using a water-soluble mold on top of an existing coating film.
(*2) Riblet: Fine groove structure inspired by the shape of shark skin which reduces water resistance.
The skin friction can be reduced by forming a fine groove structure on the aircraft exterior panel along the air flow during flight of the aircraft.
(*3) Press Release March 07, 2023 "JAL, JAXA, O-Well, and Nikon Conduct Flight Test with Aircraft for which the World's First Riblet Shape was Applied over External Paint"
In order to achieve the application of riblets on a large area of the aircraft’s external fuselage skin, certain challenges had to be addressed, such as enlarging the size of water-soluble molds and establishing application techniques for larger molds. Additionally, it was essential to evaluate the specific locations and areas for the application. JAL, JAXA, and O-Well have collaborated to verify the optimal methods for addressing these challenges.
As a result of these innovations and verifications, JAL, JAXA and O-Well determined that it is possible to apply riblet to a large area on the external fuselage skin of an aircraft. In November 2023, a total of approximately 25m2 of riblet shapes (green area in the diagram below) were successfully applied to the lower fuselage of one domestic Boeing 737-800 aircraft (JA331J).
Moving forward, JAL, JAXA, and O-Well will confirm the durability, aesthetic appeal, and fuel efficiency improvement effects of the riblet shapes applied on the large area. Furthermore, starting from the next fiscal year, JAL, JAXA, and O-Well will expand the application of riblets to international aircrafts with higher effectiveness to further reduce CO2 emissions.
