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.
Have an idea for a livery that we should highlight? Drop us a line.
There is a bright and distinctive Embraer 175 that jets across the skies of the West Coast. In stark contrast to the blue and green shades painted on most of its fleet, Horizon Air’s retrojet bears its bold original livery.
Horizon Air was founded in 1981 and started out connecting destinations throughout the Pacific Northwest. The retro livery is the one that was used at the time of the airline’s inception. It features a series of burgundy and orange cheatlines across the fuselage, and an orange and red sun – affectionately known as the “meatball” – on the tail.
The aircraft also features a more subtle nod to the company’s origins. Most of Horizon’s E175s have registrations that end in the letters “QX,” the airline’s International Air Transport Association (IATA) designator code. However, the “meatball” retrojet is registered as N652MK, with “MK” being a tribute to one of the company’s founders, Milt Kuolt.
The “meatball” retro livery was previously featured on a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 until Horizon retired the type in early 2023.
Horizon was acquired by Alaska Airlines in 1986 and is now a subsidiary of the Alaska Airlines Group. Its standard livery is the same as the Alaska Airlines one, except for the fact that its aircraft are branded as “Alaska HORIZON.” Alaska has a whole lineup of special liveries, paying tribute to anything from sports teams and theme park partnerships, to military servicemembers and its Pacific Northwest heritage.
Looking for a new airplane model? Head over to our friends at the Midwest Model Store for a wide selection of airlines and liveries.
