Aviation Memorabilia Newsletter

Airbus has cancelled Qatar Airways’ $6 billion contract for 50 A350 aircraft because of the airline’s $600 million lawsuit against the manufacturer over peeling paint.

Airbus announced the unusual move on Friday, January 21 after Qatar went public with images of blistering and peeling paint on the 21 planes it has so far received under the contract. It claims the paint flaws are a safety hazard that expose the copper lines used to conduct lightning strikes through the composite structure.

It says it had to ground the aircraft while the paint issue is resolved and the loss of revenue from using the planes is a big part of its claim.

Source: AVweb.com 

The Evolution Of The British Airways Livery

In 1997, British Airways decided to launch 'Project Utopia', a plan to change the carrier’s image from a traditional British airline to a more modern and global carrier. The centerpiece of this program was the “World Tails” livery, which would see artists from around the globe create distinct tail arts for the entire fleet. Design firm Newell & Sorrell led the changes and implemented the repainting of hundreds of aircraft.

While the initial rollout only saw 15 designs, this number quickly doubled over the years as new art was chosen. The tails were inspired by the destinations BA flew to, important historical events, and local UK art. Designs ranged from the 'Animals and Trees' piece from Botswana to one celebrating the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Editors' Note: Be sure to visit the Simple Flying website for more designs and story behind the changes.

Source: SimpleFlying.com