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Assuming all of the dates and reg/serial numbers are correct, this UA 757 was in PMUA colors as recently as last May, was repainted into the new UA colors, and eight months later sits in storage with the titles painted over. Why even bother, or could there be a reason this aircraft was retired/stored earlier than planned? (The photos linked have dates of May 2011, June 2011, and February 2012, respectively)

View Large View Medium Photo © Andrew Hunt - AirTeamImages

View Large View Medium Photo © Andrew Compolo

View Large View Medium

Photo © Rainer Bexten

Now that I looked at my own post again and the pictures, perhaps it was because of the Oprah titles on the old livery. Even still, couldn't they have just covered up the titles for a few months? It may have looked bad, but worn-out old paint jobs hasn't stopped UA from flying some of the planes wearing them before.

I have no idea why, but it looks very nice on that new livery... Very sad it's parked now.

Very possibly it's a leased bird that got the new livery, but when lease renewal came around, UA was unable to negotiate an acceptable rate for the aircraft and it was returned to the lessor and stored until it can be leased out again.

It's also possible that it was in for heavy MX, possibly a C or D check. You have to re-paint afterwards, so why not in the new livery? After that, the most likely reason for it being stored/WFU is as brenintw suggested

Here's a 'newb' question....

Why do they paint over most of the logos/names in storage?
And then there's the big UA battleship with all the nomenclature.

Quoting EaglePower83 (Reply 5): Why do they paint over most of the logos/names in storage? And then there's the big UA battleship with all the nomenclature.

I know it's been discussed on here before, but I'm not motivated enough to look it up.   ... but I would hazard a guess that the difference could be whether the aircraft is actually owned by the airline (or formerly owned by the airline) or owned by the leasing company. The leasing company may cover the airline logos since the airline doesn't actually own the aircraft.

Gotcha'
Thanks! Makes sense.

British Airways painted a B757 in the Landor Livery, replacing the current Chatham Dockyards livery, for what was a very short period, prior to the fleet wide retirement of the B757 from BA.

Quoting JBo (Reply 6): I know it's been discussed on here before, but I'm not motivated enough to look it up.   ... but I would hazard a guess that the difference could be whether the aircraft is actually owned by the airline (or formerly owned by the airline) or owned by the leasing company. The leasing company may cover the airline logos since the airline doesn't actually own the aircraft.

This particular aircraft is owned by US Bank per the FAA registration on file.   
This aircraft was delivered to United on October 4,1991. It is beginning to get a little long in the tooth.

[Edited 2012-04-12 11:49:55]

Of course there are new liveries that never enter revenue service, and are repainted prior to delivery:

View Large View Medium Photo © Royal S King

View Large View Medium Photo © Royal S King

Quoting NWAROOSTER (Reply 9): It is beginning to get a little long in the tooth.

True, but you would think UA would know that before eight months before they park it. If they knew that ahead of time, why go through the expense of repainting it?

Quoting brenintw (Reply 3): Very possibly it's a leased bird that got the new livery, but when lease renewal came around, UA was unable to negotiate an acceptable rate for the aircraft and it was returned to the lessor and stored until it can be leased out again.

That makes sense.

The only other explanation I had was what I already mentioned. It was painted for Oprah's last season, and I'm guessing there might have been some sort of licensing contracts that expired at the end of her last season forcing them to get rid of the Oprah titles.

Quoting CaptainKramer (Reply 8): British Airways painted a B757 in the Landor Livery, replacing the current Chatham Dockyards livery, for what was a very short period, prior to the fleet wide retirement of the B757 from BA.

That was different, the aircraft was painted in the Negus colours that were the first scheme worn by the 757s, was only painted for the last few days of service.

When BA does a landor retrojet I will be very happy though.