Ssides From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 4059 posts, RR: 23 Reply 1, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 1305 times:
Leading Edge Aircraft Services, probably the leader in aircraft painting, has a big operation at AMA:
Timf From United States of America, joined Mar 2003, 954 posts, RR: 1 Reply 2, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 1284 times:
I have added 1 752 and 1 DC9 to the count since I first posted this, so that makes 28 752s and 34 DC9s that are accounted for. The 757-200 fleet is the first of the fleets to reach 50% repainted, not counting the A330s that are all in new colors.
EMBQA From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 9292 posts, RR: 12 Reply 3, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 1271 times:
Ssides-
Actually both UAL livery changes where done at Leading Edge in AMA. The Gray back in 1993 and the Blue this year. They also did the Northwest "WorldPlane' and the actual 'Air Force One' aircraft used for the Harrison Ford movie of the same name.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"
Isitsafenow From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 4984 posts, RR: 26 Reply 4, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 16 hours ago) and read 1245 times:
Why AMA? Maybe that company was low bidder....I know NW has many of their 757's in new colors. DC 9? I would guess 30 of them. I was thru DTW Wedn. on NW and noticed about 15 to 20 planes in new colors including three or four Canadairs. I saw DC9-30, 40 and 50's repainted plus a 747 and two A330's which of course are all in new colors. On the A330's, they have 8 now, I believe. I saw N808NW.
I would guess total planes in new colors...40 to 50 excluding the Canadairs.
How many total planes in NW fleet...I am trying to remember the number that was published in their MAY inflight mag.
747-200 17
747-400 16
A330 8
A320 76?(seventy something)
A319 71?(seventy something)
DC9 10-30-40-50 164
757 200-300 72
DC 10 22
AVro 85 36 (none painted yet)
Canadair 91?
Saab 64 (Mesaba)not to be repainted
thats not exact but pretty close to their fleet as of May 5th.
safe
If two people agree on EVERYTHING, then one isn't necessary.
Hammer From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 677 posts, RR: 2 Reply 5, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 1166 times:
Isitsafenow---actually NWA has 7 330's right now, number 7 is coming in a few weeks, number 8 was delivered ahead of it because #7 had a few lightning strikes over in France so it was delayed until May 28th...
M404 From United States of America, joined Nov 2003, 2214 posts, RR: 5 Reply 6, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 1160 times:
Outsourcing - it's cheaper to have someone else do it. Also Texas may have more "friendly" evironmental rules.
Less sarcasm and more thought equal better understanding
Pilottim747 From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 1607 posts, RR: 5 Reply 7, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 9 hours ago) and read 1133 times:
Northwest also sends aircraft to DHN and GLH to get painted. Although the big stuff is done at AMA.
pilottim747
Aviation Photographers & Enthusiasts--Coordinate your life.
Ssides From United States of America, joined Feb 2001, 4059 posts, RR: 23 Reply 8, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 6 days 2 hours ago) and read 1070 times:
Why AMA?
Amarillo and Texas generally are a great place to do business. Unions aren't near as powerful down here, meaning labor costs are generally low (although I wouldn't be surpirsed if many of Leading Edge's employees are unionized). Plus, it's centrally located, making it easier to distribute the fleet (can you imagine having to send all your planes to SEA or MIA just to be painted?).
As for AMA itself, it's also a smaller airport, meaning you don't have to worry about high traffic or high rental rates interfering with your operation. At most major airports, hangar space is highly valuable, and I bet it would be tremendously more expensive to operate a painting shop at a place like DFW or ORD than an airport like AMA.
UN_B732 From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 4286 posts, RR: 5 Reply 9, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 987 times:
I have some older data from their 10K Annual Report if your interested.
-UN
EMBQA From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 9292 posts, RR: 12 Reply 10, posted (9 years 1 month 1 week 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 916 times:
Ssides-
Actually back in 1998 when I was in AMA with my airline getting planes painted, UAL was ferrying 747-400's in right off the Asian market. They would arrive in SFO, unload, then travel on to AMA empty.
"It's not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog"
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From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 160 posts, 
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