For the first time Boeing has applied a livery with stickers

Created on 02.09.2019 12:17

Boeing, American aircraft manufacturer, for the first time, has applied a livery to an aircraft, created entirely from stickers (placards). For the experiment, a Boeing 787-9 was chosen - this aircraft’s fuselage is made entirely of composite materials. The company said, that in the case of this technology certification, airlines will be able to apply on their aircrafts "photos, complex multi-color graphics, logos and various special coatings with the same strength as paint," according to news portal ATO.ru.

A repainted aircraft with tail number N1015B was made for Hong Kong Airlines, which refused the order. Its special coloring was created in support for the Boeing Employees Fund.

However, the advantage of stickers over paints in terms of strength and durability in doubt among aviation industry representatives. In exploitation, refinishing surfaces and stickers on aircraft are vulnerable to damage from passenger ramps and onboard power loaders. At the bottom of fuselage, there are troubles with the coating due to various damages during takeoffs and landings. In order to repair damaged labels, the airline must have a stock of them for basic and linear maintenance. According to experts, on average, paint lasts up to 5 years, finish livery and base lacquer lasts up to 7–8 years, and stickers become unusable in one or two years, so it’s not a time to talk about applying the latter in large volumes.

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