Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is proud to present our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline livery, which can be from the past, present, or even a special scheme. Some airline liveries are works of art. The complexity associated with painting around critical flight components and the added weight requires outside-the-box thinking from designers. The average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000 to repaint, creating a separate aircraft repainting industry as a result.
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In 2022, Panama’s Copa Airlines unveiled a nostalgic tribute to its history with the introduction of a retro livery on one of its Boeing 737 aircraft.
The airline, marking its 75th anniversary, has brought back a classic paint scheme that echoes the distinctive style of the 1980s and 1990s. At the time, the carrier was far smaller with only two Boeing 737-200 aircraft in its fleet.
The retro-liveried 737 is a visual treat for aviation enthusiasts and long-time passengers alike. The aircraft underwent an extensive 2,500-hour makeover at the Copa Airlines Maintenance Center, involving a dedicated team of over 30 professionals to meticulously recreate the iconic design.
“With this Boeing 737-800 NG painted in the colors our fleet wore in the early 1990s, we want to commemorate an important time in our history, when we started what would come to be called the Hub of the Americas,” said Pedro Heilbron, a director from the carrier. “It is a story of great commitment and achievement, but above all the great commitment of our people to overcome all the challenges we have encountered along the way and proudly carry the Panamanian flag in the skies of America for 75 years.”
The airline has not announced plans for additional retro-liveried aircraft but the current one has been deployed to various destinations across the Americas. The aircraft is registered as HP-1841CMP.
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