Though there have been a handful of American Airlines 787-8 pictures finally showing up, we thought we would bring you a new view of the plane in daylight, surrounded by various equipment preparing it for delivery.
Image credit: NYCAviation
The American Airlines 787 has held special importance in the AvGeek world for half a decade already, possibly second only to the type’s original launch airframe.
When American announced a 787 order in 2008, people immediately wondered what it would look like, as American only had their long-standing bare metal scheme, and bringing in a composite aircraft that could not receive a shiny buffing meant that a new paint job was on the horizon. This rocked the AvGeek community, as many people have known the mostly unchanged polished scheme throughout their entire lives since it launched in the 1970s. Would they use a shiny, reflective paint to keep the bare metal look? Will they just replace the polished metal with a form of gray? Will it be something new altogether?
These questions were answered a year ago, when American’s merger with US Airways prompted a further need for the airline to rebrand. The new scheme was met with both praise and disgust, and the debate still lives on today. So although we recently knew the scheme that would adorn the 787, our half decade of wanting to lay our eyes on it has finally been realized. Breathe deep, my friends.
Phil Derner founded NYCAviation in 2003. A lifetime aviation enthusiast that grew up across the water from La Guardia Airport, Phil has a background in online advertising and airline experience as a Loadmaster, Operations Controller and Flight Dispatcher. You can reach him by email or follow him on Twitter.
About the Author
