A new Japanese produced riblet-shaped coating film that aims to reduce air resistance on aircraft and fuel consumption has been installed on a ZIPAIR Tokyo Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
A new Japanese produced riblet-shaped coating film that aims to reduce air resistance on aircraft and fuel consumption has been installed on a ZIPAIR Tokyo Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
In a statement posted on January 28, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced the installation of the coating on the ZIPAIR 787-8 – registration JA851J – was completed at parent company Japan Airlines' (JAL) hangar at Narita International Airport.
Image: Areas where the new riblet coating was installed on a ZIPAIR Tokyo's 787-8 (JA851J). Credit: JAXA
Image: New riblet coating installation on a ZIPAIR Tokyo's 787-8 (JA851J) at JAL Hangar, Narita International Airport. Credit: JAXA
Part of a collaboration between JAXA's Space Innovation Partnership (J-SPARC), JAL, and Owell Corporation (Owell), the coating consists of a fine groove structure inspired by the shape of shark skin. From the observation that water resistance is reduced on shark skin, air resistance could be reduced during flight with the fine groove structure in the outer plate of the aircraft installed according to the flow of air. It is an improvement by Owell of the past “Paint-to-Paint Method,” and can be done at either Narita or Haneda Airport.
Image: New riblet coating installation method (in Japanese). Credit: JAXA
The ZIPAIR 787 is the second JAL Group aircraft to undergo the installation of the coating. A JAL Boeing 787-9 (JA868J) used on international flights had it installed and since January 2025.
According to JAXA's riblet resistance reduction estimation technology, the coating on the JAL 787 will be expanded to the upper fuselage. With the installation, JAXA stated the expanded coating will improve the resistance reduction rate during cruising from 0.24% to 0.31%, reduce fuel consumption by around 154 tonnes, and CO2 emissions of around 492 tonnes per year. The tests were done on the Narita-Frankfurt route over the past year.
Image: Riblet coating installation plan on a JAL Boeing 787-9 (JA868J). Credit: JAXA
JAXA added it is currently researching and developing a new shape rebret - a sharp-angle single-bladed riblet – with a higher resistance reduction rate.
“We will continue to verify the durability, aesthetics, and fuel efficiency improvement effects of ribbed coating films on long-distance international flights, and will work to further expand the scope of construction aircraft and construction, thereby promoting the decarbonization of aircraft.”
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