How To Paint A Tail? — Civil Aviation Forum

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How To Paint A Tail?

Myk From Canada, joined Jul 1999, 455 posts, RR: 0
Posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 4 hours ago) and read 1753 times:

Just wanted to know how to bring some beatifull paintshemes like the Frontier animals or others on a tail ?
I always asked myself how they paint a Tail so that every plane of an airline looks exactly the same way than the other.

Perhaps a stupid question, but I really have no answer.

11 replies: All unread, jump to last

Starlionblue From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15870 posts, RR: 66
Reply 1, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 1717 times:

I watched a documentary on the Discovery Channel (where else Big grin

) which mentioned that many elaborate liveries (the example used was the China Airlines orchid) are painted free-hand. I guess stencils are also used to a degree.

If you think about it, the designs are so large that a small deviation won't be noticed anyway.

"There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." - from Citadel by John Ringo

Jbmitt From United States of America, joined Jan 2002, 509 posts, RR: 2
Reply 2, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 3 hours ago) and read 1683 times:

I believe that many airlines use something similar to a large sticker. They are applied and save time and labor.

I'm almost certain that both Delta, and Frontier do this for their tails.

jbmitt

AirframeAS From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 14150 posts, RR: 26
Reply 3, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 1591 times:

Dont forget that the rudder needs to be balanced while painting the tail. Of course the rudder is off of the tail while this is happening. This has to be weighed prior to putting the rudder back on the tail. All the paints have to weigh equally throughout the rudder.

A Safe Flight Begins With Quality Maintenance On The Ground.

CanadianNorth From Canada, joined Aug 2002, 3371 posts, RR: 10
Reply 4, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 1569 times:

you get some paint, a paintbrush and a buddy to hold the ladder while yer up there.

CanadianNorth

What could possibly go wrong?

Dazultra From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2003, 689 posts, RR: 46
Reply 5, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 1555 times:

I believe that many airlines use something similar to a large sticker. They are applied and save time and labor.

Indeed, shame when they fall off tho Big grin

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Photo © John Higgins - AirTeamImages

Daz.

EMBQA From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 9286 posts, RR: 13
Reply 6, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 2 hours ago) and read 1511 times:

I'm almost certain that both Delta, and Frontier do this for their tails

Delta's tails are PAINTED. Its actually a pretty easy paint job up close, but when you step back it looks more like a waving flag.

Frontiers tails are actually photographs. The image is transferred on to a 'sticker' and it is placed on the tail in sections, then edge sealed. It is the exact same process that several delivery and service vehicles are using now as rolling advertising.

[Edited 2004-03-01 21:25:11]

"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"

DeltaGuy From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 7, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 3 days 1 hour ago) and read 1467 times:

Delta's tails are painted. Really, it's just a few different shades of colors, nothing too complicated. Far away, it looks elaborate...AND sharp Big thumbs up

Frontier is like Delta's Soaring Spirit...the 777 with all the Olympic livery on it. Those were just giant stickers..they work well though.

DeltaGuy

Airmale From Botswana, joined Sep 2004, 368 posts, RR: 2
Reply 8, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 1292 times:

China Airlines "Plum Blossom" not "Orchid".

.....up there with the best!

Starlionblue From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15870 posts, RR: 66
Reply 9, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 12 hours ago) and read 1278 times:

I stand corrected. Plum Blossom it is. Looks good in any case.

"There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." - from Citadel by John Ringo

SkydrolBoy From Canada, joined Sep 2003, 341 posts, RR: 2
Reply 10, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 1191 times:

Actually the rudder doesnt always have to be removed and balanced for paint. There is a math calculation that can be done for adding weight to the rudder with out having to remove it. Where I work it only depends on how many previous layers of paint are on the rudder, If its only one or two layers we just paint over it with the rudder installed on the A/C.

Rojo From Spain, joined Sep 2000, 2395 posts, RR: 10
Reply 11, posted (9 years 2 months 3 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 1134 times:

Most of the times Mexicana gets its planes delivered with a white tail and the painting process is done in house, since it requires a little more work than other airlines tail paining:

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