V-Flyer

I ve jut had a thought (Doesnt happen to often) about GVFAB.I ve been wondering if she will be the first 744 to get the new livery, because she is still wearing part b'day girl livery, This sounds to me to be the reason why vs have kept her in her 21st livery for londer than VS' 21st bday?
Anyone else think this?

Chris

Could be, as I believe that the huge Varga Girl is applied with decals.

I noticed that G-VWOW has a good case of peeling paint going on down by the tail section too, around the APU exhaust. ISTR she still has the original paint job from Boeing's paint shop when she was delivered.

Mike

It Makes Sense, The Livery was only temp for a year. Yet when the year was over they didnt change to back to the original VS livery. You Could be right in that V-GFAB is going to be one of the first aircraft to have the livery or Virgin didnt see the point in changing back to the "old" Virgin Livery because of an upcoming change in livery!! we'll just have to wait. But I hope your right!!!
Graham!!

I think the first aircraft to get the livery will be an A346, but as G-VFAB has had a history of being the first aircraft to get a new livery, perhaps it will be the first aircraft that is already in the fleet to get it.

An aircraft has to be repainted around every six years, FAB was the first one to get the new silver livery , so now should really be the last.

Thats why companies like UA/NW can afford to incorparate a new livery during difficult times as the aircraft are due for a repaing anyway.

Originally posted by declansmith
An aircraft has to be repainted around every six years, FAB was the first one to get the new silver livery , so now should really be the last.

Dont you mean first instead of last since it was the first one to get the sliver livery

I belive VFAB was completely repainted for the bday girl livery, so it was only repainted last year.

...and just in case you're wondering what 747s look like in their Birthday Suit...

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0258373/L/

Mike

Yeah, that makes sense - maybe the cost savings can be put towards flowers and red cushions;)

VS.

Originally posted by VS-EWR
perhaps it will be the first aircraft that is already in the fleet to get it.

This part of your post is what i was trinmg to say[y]

When FAB got the new silver livery some members of the Branson family were not happy with the results so after FAB all the other aircraft were painted in the lighter pearly colour!

FAB finally got the grey colour replaced by the pearly one when it got the birthday girl livery last year.

Not quite. G-VFAB was painted first in a grey color. SRB and others were really dissatisfied with the result and it was repainted shortly after in the silver color. Then for the Birthday Girl livery it was repainted in the pearlescent color which seems to be the updated color for all VS aircraft.

It took six year before FAB got rid of the grey colour new livery.

VFAB has no trace of the Birthday livery now except the Varga Girl on the back, the balloon at the front and the Birthday girl name has now been removed and is now back to its original name 'Lady Penelope'
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1071063/L/

Nick

Man I really do like the tail of that plane.

I doubt no trace is the right phrase, the only things that have been changed so far are the Birthday Girl text and the balloon. The bulk of the livery is still on the aircraft.

First attempt at sending this message seemed to fail so here goes again!

It is interesting to see how differing weather conditions affect the colours on G-VFAB as shown on the two links below.

http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1004366/M/
http://www.airliners.net/open.file/1071063/M/

Cheers
packman

packman

Totally agree with you. I think that the second link shows off the scolours best on 'Lady Penelope'.

PS. Welcome to V-Flyer!

Please say im not the only person who regards Lady P as the flagship of the VS fleet- sad I know! After all she is the oldest 744 (and possibly with the older 343s leaving shes the oldest plane) in the fleet, was the first to get the silvery livery and was she not the first to get ucs???

And of course she was selected for the special birthday girl scheme.

VFAB was one of the last to get the suite. Wasn't VWOW the first?

Tried to have a look round the internet to find out which a/c was first (I thought G-VFAB) and didn't actually find anything but saw on VS' wikipedia entry it mentions the scrooge packs and lists v-flyer:D

VS.

well according to http://www.airfleets.net. FAB was delivered on 28/04/1994 making her the oldest 744 in the fleet. 2nd oldest is G-VBIG.

Oldest in the fleet is G-VHOL which was built in 1992 but not delivered to VS until 1997 as along with G-VSEA (built later in 92) they were both test frames for airbus.

But longest serving a/c goes to g-vael who joined in 1993.

Originally posted by hairy114
VFAB was one of the last to get the suite. Wasn't VWOW the first?

G-VTOP was the first aircraft to be fitted with UCS[:X]

Originally posted by Tinkerbelle

Originally posted by hairy114
VFAB was one of the last to get the suite. Wasn't VWOW the first?

G-VTOP was the first aircraft to be fitted with UCS[:X]

G-VWOW was the first VS A/C with V:Port though

Regards

Originally posted by willd
Please say im not the only person who regards Lady P as the flagship of the VS fleet- sad I know! After all she is the oldest 744 (and possibly with the older 343s leaving shes the oldest plane) in the fleet, was the first to get the silvery livery and was she not the first to get ucs???

And of course she was selected for the special birthday girl scheme.

Nope I agree with you, 'Penelope' seems to be flying the flag for VS here, there and everywhere.