The process began in 2001 with the delivery of two brand new 737-700s in our new Canyon Blue livery to mark our 30th Anniversary. Starting that year, all new deliveries to Southwest arrived wearing the new colors, and we began to repaint the existing fleet in the new colors with the exception of three aircraft we planned to keep in the original livery to commemorate our original three cities. As I mentioned in my January 5 post, those aircraft are:
- N711HK is dedicated to our Founder and Chairman Emeritus Herb Kelleher.
- N714CB is dedicated to the model of SOUTHWEST SPIRIT, our President Emeritus, Colleen Barrett.
- N792SW was the last aircraft delivered new in the original livery.
Until today, there was a fourth aircraft in the original livery, and that was N347SW. Michael Bludworth at the 1940 Air Terminal Museum at Houston Hobby snapped this spectacular landing shot of N347SW at Hobby the week of January 18. Thanks to Michael for his permission to use it, and if you have a chance, take a visit to their museum located in Hobby’s 1940 Terminal.
(Technically, N347SW is the only aircraft in the original livery; the three classics named above have a new paint that features gold flakes.) My original post was a bit optimistic about when the aircraft would be repainted, but it left Dallas early this morning on its way to Seattle in its last day of revenue service wearing the original Southwest colors. By tomorrow this time, it will be stripped to bare metal, and in about six weeks, it will emerge into the damp air of Puget Sound wearing shiny new Canyon Blue.
While it was too dark this morning to photograph the last departure from Dallas, we have an additional photo taken while N347SW patiently awaited its makeover. This is from Rob Hahn in Customer Relations and Rob captured the aircraft departing Dallas a couple of weeks ago.
My colleague, Brad Hawkins, will be with N347SW as it begins its transition, and we should have some video in the future. Stay tuned.
Comments
6 weeks?? Wow that's a long time to be out of service! Is that how long a typical heavy maintenance check takes? How long of that time out of service is dedicated to the actual painting of the aircraft?
Drew
This is pretty cool! Thanks for sharing this journey with us. I can't wait to see more.
i WILL BE FLYING sOUTHWEST ON THE 13TH GREAT DEALS HERE THAT YOU CA'NT BEAT ANYWHERE IN THE WEST. i LOVE YOU GUYS & YOUR SERVICE IMPECABLE!!!
You guys are the best.Will never fly anyone else.keep up your hard work and you,ll continue to be the best airlines in the world
Drew,
Six weeks is pretty normal for overhaul. They essentially gut the entire airplane down to the airframe and rebuild it.
Brian
My husband and I love your airline and always fly with you if you go to our destination. Your service is great and your people the best, especially when we have a singing landing here in Music City!
Great airline, we wouldn't think of flying with anyone else. Not only are the planes very nicely maintained but the crews are alway ready to speak to you before and after flight - not stuffy and standoffish like some. Keep up the good work.
Thank you Southwest for always getting me to and from my two hometown airports...Phoenix and Ontario!! You have always been the one airline I can always count on!!! I will miss the classic color planes as they were always my favorite to fly on when my sister lived in the Phoenix area in the late 1980's and it will always be a special memory for me!! I am actually flying out of Phoenix to Ontario today to visit family in CA that I did not get to see at Christmas time!! Thank you again for always making my flights so memorable!!
I've always liked the original desert sand colour better and have been wondering why I don't see those planes anymore. Now I know; but I still LUV Southwest :)
I have to ask, is the new blue color more expensive? Let me clarify, does the new color make the planes hotter than the old colors, costing more APU power to supply air conditioning, costing more money in fuel? I was just curious.
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