International. British Airways, like EasyJet (see news aquí), announced that it has extended its tests on a coating designed to improve fuel efficiency, in a move that seeks to save the airline from millions of pounds in the costs of this input.
The material of the new paint is effectively mixed with the surface of the aircraft, which could be metal, edges, rivets or paint, thus creating a smooth finish. This helps prevent the accumulation of dirt on the aircraft and increase the aerodynamic performance of the aircraft.
As reported on its website TripleO (www.tripleops.com), the company that develops the product, this material has been applied to the Airbus A318, which operates exclusively on the London – New York route. During a year of testing, the plane has used less fuel than a second A318 and it does not have the coating.
The airline said the coating will now be used on the Boeing 777-200 and is expected to translate into an improvement in fuel efficiency in hopes of saving costs of about 100,000 pounds (about $155,000).
Before applying the TripleO coating, the aircraft is cleaned with a "polarizing" solution, this allows the coating to link with the surface of the aircraft and create a smooth finish. The coating lasts approximately two years, before reapplying it.
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