Jpz1991 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 70 posts, RR: 0 Posted (11 years 11 months 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 591 times:
On Eastern and American aircraft with the silver livery, many of the the tails are painted grey. This looks very bizarre and out of place. Does anyone know the reason behind this?
EyeSky From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 301 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (11 years 11 months 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 567 times:
It was explained to me that the shiny silver paint doesn't adhere well to non-metal (i.e. composite) surfaces so they have to go with the gunmetal or similar color.
Early Air From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 611 posts, RR: 1 Reply 3, posted (11 years 11 months 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 562 times:
personally I think the tail and the engines would look worse in the shiny metal. However, it is because the material that they are made out of do not have that shiny metal effect.
IMissPiedmont From United States of America, joined May 2001, 6201 posts, RR: 43 Reply 4, posted (11 years 11 months 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 542 times:
Shiny silver paint? No such thing. What you see on bare aircraft is bare metal (although it is AlClad). The reason is, on Airbus anyway, that in the early years the aluminum didn't match. On the L-1011, I suppose it's the same reason. When you see it on a newer airliner such as an AA DC-9-80 it is most likely one acquired from another carrier that had a painted tail. An aircraft can be polished to be nice shiny aluminum (reference AA A300s) though this is much more time consuming that actually painting an airplane. AA did it just so the A300 would look like the rest of the fleet.
BTW, the guys who operated the buffers to do this are not people you want to get in an argument with. Imagine holding a 35 pound polisher over your head 10 hours a day for a few years. THere are people who pay a gym for this abuse.
What is it with all the "is there a possibilty airline X will.." threads? The answer it'll is possible.
AAR90 From United States of America, joined Jan 2000, 3410 posts, RR: 50 Reply 5, posted (11 years 11 months 4 hours ago) and read 528 times:
>Shiny silver paint? No such thing.
Actually, there is. AA has tested silver paint at least 3 times since 1987. In each instance the paint failed to meet AA's expectations and was never incorporated into fleetwide use.
>What you see on bare aircraft is bare metal (although it is AlClad).
>The reason is, on Airbus anyway, that in the early years
>the aluminum didn't match.
Airbus originally refused to offer matched aluminum skin panels on its aircraft. They could have, they just didn't want to. Today, Airbus is paying for the matched aluminum skin panels being installed on AA's A300-600R aircraft as they go through heavy maintenance work.
>On the L-1011, I suppose it's the same reason.
Lockheed offered matched aluminum skin panels.
>When you see it on a newer airliner such as an AA DC-9-80 it is
>most likely one acquired from another carrier that had a painted tail.
All of AA's MD80s are new purchase aircraft except ex-QQ and TWALLC airplanes (which are not bare metal).
>An aircraft can be polished to be nice shiny aluminum (reference AA A300s)....
Original skin panels are being replaced during heavy maintenance with matched aluminum skin panels at Airbus' expense. This deal was (supposedly) unrelated to AA's decision to keep A300s (on lease) and retire its DC10 fleet (100% owned).
>...though this is much more time consuming that actually painting an airplane.
Actually an A300 can be completely polished in one night shift's work. Painting the aircraft would take 2-3 days.
>AA did it just so the A300 would look like the rest of the fleet.
Something AA wanted in its original lease agreement with Airbus. Now being done at no cost to AA.
*NO CARRIER* -- A Naval Aviator's worst nightmare!
Jpz1991 From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 70 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (11 years 11 months 1 hour ago) and read 517 times:
Thanks for the info. I always thought the bare metal scheme looked particularly nice. I especially liked EAL's two tone blues in contrast with the shiny aluminum. It's a wonder more carriers don't use it considering the reduction in weight?
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