Some news from a few days ago…
The final British Airways ethnic design tailfin left the fleet on Monday, with the retirement of a 12-year old Airbus A320-200 operated by BA franchise partner BMed (formerly British Mediterranean).
The aircraft (G-MEDA, or “Delta Alpha”), which was delivered in October 1994, was painted in 1997 with Whale Rider tail art as part of BA’s ill-fated strategy of non-flag related livery, when BMed signed its franchise agreement with the UK carrier. Whale Rider was one of 30 designs in the Utopia of World Art series representing art from BA destinations. Delta Alpha was returned to lessor Orix Aviation Systems on Monday, with Capt Wilbur Wilson piloting . Wilson also piloted its first flight, to Beirut in October 1994. The aircraft has clocked up 37,000h flying time and completed 11,000 cycles in its life with BMed. Its destination airline is unknown.
The Utopia tail fins proved controversial, notably when then-UK prime minister Margaret [now Lady] Thatcher sdraped a hankerchief over a model 747 with the livery saying: “We fly the British flag, not these awful things.” The mixed reception to the liveries led the airline to abandon the Utopia scheme in May 2001, when it announced the fleet would be repainted in the Chatham livery that features the Union [Jack] flag.
BA mainline phased out the scheme in the intervening years and repainted its remaining B737-400s with ethnic tails in March. The four remaining de Havilland Dash-8-300s flying BA regional services have had new BA Connect liveries applied, while aircraft belonging to Danish BA franchise partner Sun-Air of Scandinavia has been flying with white tails during April awaiting new a new design.
By: Ren Frew - 29th April 2006 at 02:01
Although I hated the ethnic schemes, and the whole idea was a marketing disaster, I did think that ‘Bennyhone Tartan’ was the best of a bad lot. I realise that the timescale is way and that the livery was around way before flyglobespan came on the scene, but it’s a pity that flyglobespan didn’t have the oportunity to adopt that as their livery. A lot better than the current ‘g’ scheme. Just a personal thought.
I don’t think parochial marketing works within a UK perspective ? Take Air Scotland and Air Wales as examples…
The only two airlines to wear a Scottish saltire on the tail have both been something of a disappointment. As much as I’d love to see more of a Scottish identity on GSM planes, I think they’ve hit the right mark with their “global” branding.
As for the BA utopia tails… a brilliant piece of work and down to those who who disagree. 😉
By: CWBalmer - 28th April 2006 at 23:34
G-BRYV/Colum was @ EDI this afternoon! And what a cracking tail too! 🙂
By: CWBalmer - 28th April 2006 at 11:43
My personal fave was the Animals and Trees – I flew on a BA777 to the US years ago with that tail – super!!
By: Comet - 28th April 2006 at 11:08
I will be sorry to see the end of the tails on the smaller planes, they were stupid on the bigger ones but the smaller ones looked OK. They could have kept some as special schemes rather than painting them all in the usual boring livery.
The nicest in my opinion were the Poland tail, the Aborigine tail on G-EMBG and the tartan tail G-EMBK (my favourite of the lot, I saw that little plane each time we flew on holiday in 2005).
By: OneLeft - 28th April 2006 at 10:58
I did think that ‘Bennyhone Tartan’ was the best of a bad lot.
Among staff and passengers I think most people would agree with you there.
Did you know that the Benyhone tail was actually designed for BCal before they merged with BA. The plan was for the tails to be done in the different colours of tartan used in the uniforms, with a large lion rampant at the front of the fuselage, roughly at the 1 doors, and the navy underside and gold stripe being moved lower down the fuselage.
I wonder what the reaction would have been given everyones love of the BCal colour scheme.
1L.
By: jethro15 - 28th April 2006 at 10:00
Bennyhone tartan was my favorite. I can’t believe they lasted this long.
Although I hated the ethnic schemes, and the whole idea was a marketing disaster, I did think that ‘Bennyhone Tartan’ was the best of a bad lot. I realise that the timescale is way and that the livery was around way before flyglobespan came on the scene, but it’s a pity that flyglobespan didn’t have the oportunity to adopt that as their livery. A lot better than the current ‘g’ scheme. Just a personal thought.
By: greekdude1 - 28th April 2006 at 05:52
Bennyhone tartan was my favorite. I can’t believe they lasted this long.
By: BFS - 27th April 2006 at 17:01
G-BRYV/Colum was in BHD two days ago.
By: CWBalmer - 27th April 2006 at 15:01
My apologies for fogetting to include the source – I normally do. Interesting that it was changed though at FlightGlobal….I wonder why?
By: Skymonster - 27th April 2006 at 11:45
The FlightGlobal article which was presumably the original source of the info (although not credited) has been changed, as I said, and refers specifically to two – YU with Benyhone and YV with Colum.
Andy
By: jethro15 - 27th April 2006 at 11:42
Ah, the original article has now been amended to state that there are still two DHC-8s in the world tails colours.Andy
Nah!
GBRYU – Bennyhone Tartan
GBRYV – Colum
GBRYY – Rendezvous
By: MANAIRPORTMAD - 27th April 2006 at 11:38
I see the two DHC-8 world tails at Manchester alot, when they go, there will be no BA variety atall. 🙁
By: OneLeft - 27th April 2006 at 11:38
I’m happy to be corrected, but the last I knew 3 of the 8 Dash’s, G-BRYU/V/Y were still in utopia colours, Benyhone, Colum and Rendezvous respectively. Perhaps our MAN regulars are the best to say if they’ve seen them recently.
Not sure what the 4 aircraft referred to in the article would be. Where is the article from?
1L.
By: Skymonster - 27th April 2006 at 11:35
Ah, the original article has now been amended to state that there are still two DHC-8s in the world tails colours.
Andy
By: Skymonster - 27th April 2006 at 11:23
Hmm that article isnt quite right, there are still quite a few world tails flying around. MEDA’s departure marked the end of World Tails at Heathrow, maybe thats what they meant?
Are there still some flying around? I thought the item made it clear that the BACON DHC-8s had been repainted, there’s certainly no EMB145s with the world tails, Sun Air’s world tails are gone, etc…
The ONLY aircraft I can think of with world tails are indeed the BA Flying Club aircraft at Booker, and they’re not really part of the BA fleets.
Just checked the BA Aviation Club website and as far as I can tell, if the suggestion that the DHC-8s and Sun Airs have been repainted is correct, then all the world tails are indeed gone except at the Flying Club.
Andy
By: A330-300 - 27th April 2006 at 11:05
Why did they go anyway? Looked pretty good on the A320!
By: OneLeft - 27th April 2006 at 10:25
Hmm that article isnt quite right, there are still quite a few world tails flying around. MEDA’s departure marked the end of World Tails at Heathrow, maybe thats what they meant?
That’s what I was thinking Mark.
1L.
By: Ren Frew - 27th April 2006 at 08:19
Hmm that article isnt quite right, there are still quite a few world tails flying around. MEDA’s departure marked the end of World Tails at Heathrow, maybe thats what they meant?
Lest we forget the BA flying club fleet as featured in Skymonsters recent pictures… lol 😀
By: Mark L - 27th April 2006 at 00:05
Hmm that article isnt quite right, there are still quite a few world tails flying around. MEDA’s departure marked the end of World Tails at Heathrow, maybe thats what they meant?
By: Manston Airport - 26th April 2006 at 23:20
Thats a shame 🙁 ,But there current livery was done by the Historic chatham dockyard
James
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April 26, 2006 at 10:37 pm