British Airways will continue to run the trial for the tripleO paint coating, which is specifically designed to be used on planes to increase fuel efficiency.
British Airways and tripleO
The new paint material effectively blends with the surface of the plane which could be metal, edges, rivets or paintwork, thus creating a smooth finish. It helps in preventing the accumulation of dirt on the aircraft and increase the aerodynamic performance of the aircraft.
For the purpose of the trial, the unique coating will be applied on Boeing 777-200. Earlier the coating was applied to an Airbus A318 of British Airways which covered the route of London city to New York. During the last trial period, the Airbus A318 was compared with another Airbus A318 which did not have the coating and it was established that the plane which had the coating achieved better fuel efficiency than the one that did not have the coating. The company hopes to achieve better fuel efficiency when the coating is applied to a bigger aircraft and expects to make a saving of more than £100,000 during the trial. The coating not only increases the paint life but also enhances the appearance of the aircraft and does not require frequent repainting.
Before the first coating of TripleO is applied, the plane is first cleaned with a polarising solution which will enable the coating to bond well with the surface. The lifetime of the coating is two years after which it can be reapplied.
According to the Director of Engineering of British Airways, Gary Copeland, the extensive testing procedures carried out by the airlines are becoming beneficial to its clients.