Tag Archives: scheme

Alaska Livery A320s – Something’s Missing

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With Alaska Airlines taking over Virgin America, there is a lot of repainting to be done of the fleet.  I have seen a few of the newer A321neos around in Alaska colors (mostly special schemes) but I hadn’t had any luck with the A320s in the traditional Alaska scheme.  A visit to SFO was bound to change that given that this was the base for Virgin America.  Sure enough I got to shoot a few of the jets in their new livery.  I have to say, I think it looks quite good on the A320.  Of course, there is something of the livery that is missing.  None of the Airbus jets carries the “Proudly All Boeing” graphic.  None of the Embraers do either although that might soon be something they can add before too long!

Accidentally Getting Lufthansa’s New Livery

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Lufthansa changed their livery recently.  It was not universally appreciated and I can’t say I disagree.  It really is rather dull.  I hadn’t even bothered to keep an eye on whether it was on a jet coming to Seattle.  Instead, while out in Federal Way, I saw a 747 heading my way so decided to take a couple of shots.  Turns out it was the new colors (or lack thereof).  Soon it will be a common sight as they repaint the fleet but this was my first encounter.

Recce Jets and Pretty Colors

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Japanese jets have a reputation for interesting colors and, while the fighter units were pretty dull gray, the recce jets were far more interesting.  Most of the flying jets I saw were in the blue camo scheme and they look very nice.  One the first wave I saw, there was also a jet in green and brown camo.  Sadly it only flew once and I messed up a bunch of my shots.  The other scheme on the ramp was a green and grey scheme that looked a lot like the old German colors.  Sadly, it stayed on the ramp the entire time I was there.

Kodiak Tiger With Floats

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While waiting for a few vintage types to arrive at Paine Field for Skyfair the following day we got an interesting bonus.  A Kodiak showed up on approach.  Not only was it equipped with floats but it was also painted in a tiger stripe livery that was pretty striking.  Not a type that might normally get too much attention but, fitted out like this, it certainly did.

Completing the ANA Star Wars Set

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ANA painted three jets in special schemes in association with Star Wars.  They have an R2-D2 scheme on a 787-9 and a BB-8 scheme on a 777-300ER and I have shot both of them in the US.  They have appeared on the blog here and here.  The third jet was a C-3PO scheme that was on a jet that was used in the Asia regional flights so I did not anticipate seeing it.  However, it showed up at Haneda while I was there.  Consequently, I got to shoot it at last.  Sadly, it departed off the other runway so I only got a distant backlit shot.

There was another 767 that also showed up with some Star Wars markings on it.  It wasn’t a complex scheme like the first three but it was a Star Wars scheme.  I guess I must have got all of them by now unless anyone knows of another one that is out there?

Qantas Celebrates Aborigine Art Again

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Qantas has decorated previous aircraft with liveries that encompass aborigine art.  Their Wunala Dreaming aircraft was well known around the world and, in an age when airline liveries tend to be rather bland, these colorful jets are a welcome change.  They have taken a similar route with one of their new Boeing 787-9s and I saw it at Paine Field during test flying.  It came in from the south and executed a go around from relatively low level.

Then they caught me out by heading north to turn and make an approach from the opposite direction.  This required some rather swift repositioning by me.  In fact, I got to the parking lot as they were on final approach and, rather than park, I just pulled to the side, ran up the bank, grabbed the shot and then got back in the car to park properly.  It was tight but it worked out okay.

BB-8 to Add to the ANA Star Wars Collection

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Back when we lived in California, I saw the Star Wars 787 from All Nippon come in to San Jose.  That is the topic of this blog post.  There are a couple of other Star Wars planes that ANA painted up.  One is a 767 and it tends to fly around Asia so I doubt I will get a chance to see it any time soon.  The other was a 777-330ER painted up like BB-8.  I few of my friends have seen it come in to Chicago but I had not seen it up close.  They didn’t operate in to where I was.  (I had shot it overflying me at high altitude once though.)

Then I caught a break.  I didn’t realize this at the time but it was operating to Los Angeles the day I was shooting over the airport.  I knew an ANA 777 was on its way in but I had not paid too much attention to which aircraft it was.  As I was hanging over the airport, I picked the jet out of the murky skies as it came down the approach and, as it got closer, I realized which jet it was.  I have to admit, I was rather surprised and a bit excited when I saw it.

Q400 Go Cougs

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Medford is not a busy airport for commercial traffic but it does have some regular services.  Horizon seemed to be the most common operator (should I call them Alaska now?).  Their Q400s were coming and going quite often.  Horizon has been painting their aircraft in a large variety of schemes, many of which are associated with colleges around the region.  (My friend David who works for them recently shared with me just how many there are so I might start trying to get them all.)

One of the planes is painted to represent Washington State University at Pullman WA.  I have seen this one before a few times but this time it was taking off while I was driving around the airport to see what was there.  It quickly climbed away past me but I got a better look at it than I had previously done.

Why Travel North if the Aurora Comes to You?

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Icelandair painted one of their 757s in a scheme that portrays the Aurora Borealis or Northern Lights.  It is named Hekla Aurora.  It was painted a long time ago but, since they didn’t operate anywhere I lived, I hadn’t got to see it.  Then I had my first sighting when landing at SeaTac when it was parked across the ramp as we taxied in.  I certainly didn’t get a shot of it.  Moving to Seattle meant I would have a chance to see it in action but that was dependent on it operating here on a day when I could actually be there.  Turns out my luck was in – and it was sunny!  (In fact it had been a crummy day but I had a feeling it would clear up and, while it was raining as I drove down, the sun came out on cue.  Hurrah!)