New Zealand All Blacks (Rugby) Get Their Very Own Boeing 777
Monday, December 19, 2011 at 08:24AM
This very black Air New Zealand 777 was rolled out of the Boeing paint shop last Friday with a little more ceremony than your usual paint completion. In fact, they put together a nifty music video of the event, which includes some sweet time lapse of the 777 being built. But what's all the fuss? Well, I admit that I didn't quite get it myself til I did a little research... seems that the fine folks of New Zealand are big into rugby, and their national team, named the All Blacks, just happens to be the rugby world champions for 2011.
So, in honor of their world championship, Air New Zealand is painting up a few of their aircraft in this special All Blacks livery. It looks like two of their A320's and three of their itty bitty Beech 1900D's will get the special coatings. BTW, the two sporty looking dudes leading the airplane out of the hangar are Kieran Read and Andy Ellis from the championship team.
This 777 is now the world's largest aircraft to be painted all black. Which brings up the interesting question as to whether a 787 could be painted all black since it's primary stucture is composite. I'm gonna assume it could as it would seem that the resins used, which are autoclave cured at high temperatures, would be able to withsatnd any temperature build up from the black paint. Regardless, it appears that the heat won't be any probem for the aluminum 777.
This very unique Boeing 777, which Air New Zealand expects to take delivery of in January, should be pretty easy to spot at terminals around the world showing off some sweet New Zealand rugby pride : )
The freshly painted, and brand new, Air New Zealand 777 is really really black!
Reader Comments (5)
I can't wait to see this 777 has to be the best looking 777 of all
It reminds me of the DC-9 once owned by Playboy magazine back in the early 70's which was also painted black.
Wow plane ..wonderful ...
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