easyJet trials nanotech coating

Budget airline easyJet is starting a trial of US military nanotechnology, aimed at

improving the fuel efficiency of

its passenger aircraft.

Eight easyJet planes will be given an ultra-thin polymer coating that bonds to the paint on the outside of the aircraft and minimises drag by reducing the accumulation of dirt and debris on the surface.

The technology will add only four ounces in weight, the company says, and could cut jets' fuel usage by as much as 2 per cent, compared with untreated counterparts.

The trial planes' fuel consumption will be compared with the rest of the fleet over 12 months.