Virgin Australia's first 773ER breathes life....photo incl.
 

Fasten you're seatbelts, she's on her way. :):):)

http://microvoltradio.com/kpae1064.htm

Scott.

It's ALIVE!!!!! :D :D :D :D :D

Sorry folks for the hyper-active excitement, I'm just absolutely thrilled to finally see VA's first 77W finally on its own feet and getting ready to head Down Under!!!


Thanks a BILLION Scotty!! :D ... you've definitely made my day!! :D

If there are more photos you've taken, could you please post them up on your Flickr account, or just send them to my email please mate: m5maniac@hot(you know the rest). :)

So how long until this pretty lady's all painted up and ready for flight testing?


Please please please Scotty keep us (well if not anyone else, me at least) continually update on the progress of VA's first 77W! Please :D

Finally an Aussie carrier with a 77W that will regularly come to Sydney.

'There's A New Way To LA':D

Hell yeah there is... and I'm gonna be experiencing it :D... can't wait!!

Eagerly awaiting to see this bird fully painted in the VA livery. From the CGI's so far the livery looks fantastic.

Forget QF's A380, VA's 77W will be the new star-attraction at SYD. :D

QF will be jumping over the moon with joy about that one!

What's funny about that photo is, it's probably the first time in many years that the 772 variant has outnumbered the 773 variant on the Boeing aircraft parking lot there. Usually it's littered with 77Ws.

Also, just out of curiosity, as those aircraft sit out there on the parking lot, what exactly goes on with them?

Well the excitement over QF's first A380 will die down quite quickly since most of the A380-hype was exhausted for SQ's first scheduled flight. A week after QF's first scheduled A380 service all the buzz about the airline it's new big toy will fade ..... and enter V Australia with the trademark Virgin fanfare. :D

Maybe Branson will fly into SYD in his "mothership" to celebrate.

The registrations will be

VH-VGA
VH-VGC
VH-VGD
VH-VGE
VH-VGF
VH-VGG

Shameel,
All sorts of ground testing is necessary before the aircraft even has it's first smokey engine start. All computers are fired up, programmed, tested and retested. All flaps and slats are opened and closed as is pretty much every moving part that can be operated. After that comes engine start, engine testing, rejected take off tests all before first flight occurs. This may take a week or two depending on the schedules. They may throw it into paint if a spot is available or this maybe done at some other stage during the flight test period. Some widebodies are actually now sent 'green' down to PDX for paint to speed up that aspect of the delivery. A typical 737 paint takes 4-5days with an intricate special scheme (like a secret bird going in tonight at BFI) will take 7days.
Hope that helps a little,
Scott.

Hey Scott

Can you share a little more???

Cheers

Unfortuantely not Andrew but I'll show you the photos after a long 7 day wait ;)
It should be a good one but not ultra spectacular.
Scott.

P.S) Check your email :p

No B?

Fantastic Scotty!

-VGB is taken up by a Vans RV-7A

Scott

Have you heard any news of the 1st of 4 new B777-236ER for British Airways.

Thanks for the explanation Scott. Always great to hear about what's going on at BFI and PAE.

Now the wait begins until VA's first bird comes out of the paintshop. :)

Hi Scott

Pardon my ignorance, but I've been wondering what the dominant green colour is on all new Boeings before they're painted.

Do you know if it's some kind of protective coating or composite material ?

Mr Coppo Sir,

Scott won't mind me answering this (after all we have shared a bit of beaver together), the answer is simple - it's PRIMER

Ben

Virgin Blue's first aircraft (737-400's) used the VH-VG* regos. Then VH-VBA, VBB, VBC, etc was delivered, the 737-400's were withdrawn once the newer planes entered service.

The 777 uses alot of composites but the fuselage is mostly Aluminium. The plastics are used in the wings, tail/vertical stabilizer, nose, rear of fuselage, and in other sections such as small doors, etc.

Ben, LOL it was a nice beaver :)


Mr. C,
No ignorance there at all. It's a pretty regular question from spotters.
In a nutshell....

Commercial airplane skin panels arrive at Boeing covered with a temporary protective coating to protect the metal from damage or corrosion during the manufacturing and assembly processes, this is where the term 'green airplane' comes from; it references the green protective coating and implies that the product is unfinished, awaiting paint.

Paint shop employees first use a hand-sander on a completed airplane's previously primed surfaces, then tackle the green skins. They then mask off areas that need protecting, such as landing gear and engines, and apply detergent to the airplane to remove the coating. Next they wash the aircraft with a fire hose spraying water heated to 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 C) to remove the green color. This leaves the natural, silver-colored aluminum skins.

Once the jet is clean, painters sand or abrade the surface of the panels to ensure the primer coat adheres to the metal. They apply primer and then mask off areas of the jet and paint it in various stages, depending on the process for each customer's livery. They apply hand-detailing or decals last, prior to preparing the plane for delivery to the customer. The time needed to complete a paint job depends on the size of the airplane and the complexity of the livery. For example, while painting a typical livery on a 737 requires two to three days on a two-shift operation, the Qantas design (Yananyi)required six days on a two-shift operation.


It's basically peeled on and blasted off. Sometimes it starts to fall off in patches and exposes the bare aluminum but the main aim is to prevent scratches and nix in the body to reduce the prep time in the paint shop.
1 in about 6-8 frames are painted at RNT with the 737's, the rest are done in the shops at BFI. While it may stop scratches for the most part, a fuselage comes from Wichita on the back of a train and will quite often be riddled with bullet holes. :eek::eek::p
Hope this helps and here is a shot of a Wedgetail as a 'greenie'

http://flickr.com/photos/bfiguy/2116549715/sizes/l

And a closer look:

http://flickr.com/photos/bfiguy/2236130514/

Cheers,
Scott.

Thanks agan Scotty for the great post. Learning bucket-loads from you lately :D

As for those bullet holes, I've read about that quite frequently, but I've always wondered what Boeing does with those fuselage sections?
Do they simply do some patch-up work (my concern here would be that the bullet holes would affect the structural integrity of the fuselage even with the patching-up) ? .... or is there another way Boeing gets around a fuselage riddle with bullet holes?

I guess no amateur hill-billy can take a shot at the Dreamlifter..thank goodness :D

Shameel, I'm out of knowledge now :D
The bullet holes are repaired that's all I know. The fuselages are not discarded that's for sure. I don't think it happens that often but from time to time they find them. When I see a train roll past I look for them but I've never seen one. I can just picture this Po-dunk white trash Nebraskan hill-billy sitting out on his porch with a white singlet, bud light and a gun as the 737's rolls past half a mile away.......;):rolleyes:

Hi Scott

Thanks for the comprehensive reply. Greatly appreciated.

Cheers

Bob

Looks like we've met the same bloke :D ...we're you at a Jerry Springer Show or something.. just kidding! :p

I tried doing a google search on this issue, but no luck

Snip - Not appropriate for this forum Shameel -mod

A QF 737 in Oneworld colours perhaps????

Jal, LAN and now finnair all have them.... it must only be a matter of time :)


http://www.planepictures.net/netshow.php?id=761336

Good thinking Michael, but one quick question: why put such a livery on a 737?

I know LAN and Finnair have put the oneworld livery on narrowbody aircraft, but would it not be smarter and more beneficial to slap on the oneworld titles on an aircraft used on international routes like the 747, especially since QF's 744s are progressively receiving their New-Roo livery updates?

Nonetheless, I'll go with Michael and suspect it's probably a QF 737 in OneWorld titles,... but if this is the case, I sure hope they go for something a little more visually exciting than just what LAN and Finnair have done. Something more along the lines of JAL's creativity would be great! :)



10-4. My apologies :)

Bobby C,
No problemo.

Michael,
No but good guess - that may happen soon too!

Been to busy in the past few days to notice but it would appear the VA 773ER is already in the paintshop. :mad:
There goes my chance of shooting her nude first :mad::mad:
Ah well they'll be more chances to get her in full scheme I guess. The countdown is on and some of the PAE regulars should bring it to the internet within minutes for you.:)
Scott.

I'll try my best to keep calm.... but heck yesssssssss!!!!! Can't wait!!!!!! :D:D:D:D:D

The first VA 777 may arrive Sun 21 Sep just before another arrival, while everyone is watching. ;)

Anthony T

Meanwhile the DJ share price is back to $1.15, after being as low as 47 cents around 6 weeks ago :D

And very smart cookies who got in whilst it was that low:D

Hmmm, might even be a 737 for Virgin Blue receiving a promo livery for V Australia.

Yeah I will take a VA 773 over a QF A380 anyday! :)

Getting all anxious here... waiting and waiting for that first photo in full livery. :D :D :D :D

Slightly O/T but responsive to earlier posts ...
 

Mmm - we'll see, given this news just in:

Indeed, down 25% today, and its still a good 50minutes until close..

http://www.asx.com.au/asx/research/C...on&asxCode=VBA

this is something i quickly put together.

Boeing 737-800 Virgin Blue 'V Australia'.jpg


joe.