BA Blue Engined 787!!!

The Koru represents a native fern, which unfurls at some point in its life cycle into the sun. Hence, the koru represents ‘opening up to new frontiers’, I suppose one would say to put it in an aviation context. I’m less sure about the origins of the Teal Blue colour, but it might have something to do with the fact that ANZ’s predecessor was called TEAL (Tasman Empire Airways Ltd). It is very New Zealand, but as people have said, one would have to be a New Zealander to know that.

How prominent is the ‘To Fly, To Serve’ logo on BA’s aircraft right now? That was an inspired advertising campaign in my view.

I think the Air New Zealand livery is generic and too easily blends in with the airport scene. As I’m not a New Zealander I perhaps wouldn’t understand the teal and koru references, and the subtle narrow Sans Serif font on the fuselage doesn’t scream New Zealand either. BA on the other hand, now that’s unmistakably British 😉

In fact I’d go as far as to say that BA are one of only a very small handful of airlines that capture the essence of their nation in a livery… So when you see it at an airport, even if you’ve never seen the livery before, you can go “oh that’s British”. BA along with Qantas, Air Canada, the new AA livery and Aer Lingus are just a few that achieve it.

Fair comments all, but I still think BA’s present livery has about as much going for it as a Tesco logo. My point was simply that with new aircraft, it’s a shame that an updated or new version of the livery wasn’t applied.

Air New Zealand’s general livery has been updated over the last couple of years. I think the Koru and the blue are slightly different. I’m aware that the black aircraft are promotional.

We’re not talking marketing, but cold hard numbers gleaned from the test flight program and in service data.

Are you privvy to those numbers?

Because I am certainly not. [And I am in the industry.]

The only numbers I have seen are on press releases = marketing.

We’re not talking marketing, but cold hard numbers gleaned from the test flight program and in service data.

Also, just because the engines are painted blue, it does not mean it’s keeping to the laminar flow. I did state that BA might be forgoing the percentage in fuel savings for the sake of keeping the fleet branded correctly.

Can’t see it myself.

Given the numbers they are talking*, it will have paid BA to get the paint developed.

*However, all marketing numbers involving laminar flow should be taken with several tubs of salt.

I am echoing what Sandy says.

The BA colour scheme is far from ‘tired’ and nor is their logo or the BA operation.

Every time I get on board a BA aircraft in full current livery, I feel proud and safe to be flying my national carrier.

Fly the flag BA and do us proud.

People joke about advertisers getting paid vast amounts of money to work in this area, but there is nothing more off-putting than a tired logo.

BA’s current scheme is far from tired, neither is their logo. It’s still clean, fresh and professional. This is the image BA want to convey.
It’s doing it’s job. The vast majority of Aviation nutters I talk to love it.
My American buddies love the scheme also. “So British” is what they usually say.

Also, just because the engines are painted blue, it does not mean it’s keeping to the laminar flow. I did state that BA might be forgoing the percentage in fuel savings for the sake of keeping the fleet branded correctly.

As for new Zealand, they’ve had the same livery for almost as long.
Do not mistake their promotional black livery as a new standard. It’s promotional.

why doesn’t BA take the opportunity to design a fresh livery to go with its new B787 and A380 aircraft?

Because the aircraft look ok as they are.

Nothing more irritating than folks looking change for the sake of change.

[Also; having the paint in 2 colours =/= having the paint in many colours]

If we can now paint engine cowlings in pretty colours and still have the excellent laminar flow, why doesn’t BA take the opportunity to design a fresh livery to go with its new B787 and A380 aircraft?

We’ve had this one for a while now and I’m sure a new scheme could be designed which appropriately conveys the UK’s national heritage. People joke about advertisers getting paid vast amounts of money to work in this area, but there is nothing more off-putting than a tired logo.

Air New Zealand does this so well. It’s aircraft look fantastic.

The thing with the engine cowlings on the 787 is simply but complicated.

It’s all about the airflow over the cowling. The Laminar flow.
Boeing developed a grey and white paint with a specific thickness that optimised the laminar flow over the cowlings, reducing drag and actually counting for 1 or 2 % in the advertised fuel savings. Let’s call this the “Laminar paint” for ease of explanation. Customers have been convinced to use this laminar paint to benefit from the fuel savings it brings. I think Boeing may even has stipulated that thy HAD to use the paint.

Either BA decided to forgo that small % in savings, or they convinced Boeing to work with the paint manufacturers to develop a blue version of the laminar paint.

I read a while back that the nacelles were specially coated and fully finished so not suitable for repainting….similar to wings

Surely that doesn’t mean that by arrangement the original fully finished could be done in other colours.

To come out of Boeing like this doesn’t surprise me, if they had been delivered white or grey and then painted that would have seemed to contradict.

Who knows…there might even been some small disadvantage that BA accepts, but really, given the problems with this type recently and the complexity of modern airlines, is this really important??

Where did this story of the paint on the nacelles come from? I cannot see that it would make much difference personally.

It can do. Boundary layers are unbelievably sensitive to surface imperfections. Be that a step from the lip skin to the side panels or a change in surface roughness.

Of course – insisting on laminar flow for low drag means that the surface has to be kept clear of dirt, insects etc. Which traditionally is why laminar flow over significant proportions of aircraft surfaces has remained largely an academic exercise.

Me neither. To be honest, had the pic not been accompanied by any information about the engines, I don’t think I would have noticed the colour of them at all.

Where did this story of the paint on the nacelles come from? I cannot see that it would make much difference personally.

Rgds Cking

Great to see an airline putting its looks before efficiency.

You assume they couldn’t develop a paint of equivalent thickness to “Boeing gray” with similar surface roughness properties…

Brilliant. Glad to see the blue being used.

And to think, all the rivet counters tutted like I didn’t know what I was doing when I drew and released this