Alaska Airlines is out to show off its partnership with the state’s
multi-million dollar seafood industry in a big way, with a 91,000-pound jet freshly
painted with the likeness of a giant wild king salmon.
Airline officials rolled back the doors of a huge hangar in Anchorage
on Oct. 4 to reveal the Boeing 737-800, which will fly passenger routes throughout
Alaska Airlines’ network, connecting destinations from Hawaii to Boston and from
Anchorage to Mexico.
The Salmon-Thirty-Salmon II aircraft is an original design of
Mark Boyle, a Seattle-based wildlife artist who is a recognized leader in the livery
design of commercial aircraft. Boyle also designed the carrier’s first Salmon-Thirty-Salmon.
The design is nearly identical to the earlier version, unveiled
in 2005, but it is nine feet longer and also features fish scales on the winglets
and a salmon pink-colored Alaska script across the fuselage.
The design was produced in partnership with the Alaska Seafood
Marketing Institute, which promotes wild, natural and sustainable Alaska Seafood.
ASMI shared in the cost of the paint job, which took employees of Associated Painters
in Oklahoma City, Okla. 27 days, painting around the clock.
ASMI officials said earlier that the promotional value of this
flying billboard was worth their investment.
Marilyn Romano, Alaska Airlines’ regional vice president for
Alaska, said the plane spotlights the best, most sustainable seafood harvest in
the world, and is a reminder of the important role the seafood industry has on the
Alaska economy.
Each year the airline carries thousands of men and women who
work in the seafood industry throughout Alaska.
Last year Alaska Airlines flew nearly 24 million pounds of seafood
from Alaska to markets in the United States, Canada and Mexico. Streamlined flight
schedules and a rigorous training program required of all airline employees who
handle perishables ensures that the seafood traveling from Alaska to market arrives
fresh, often within 24 hours.
Salmon-Thirty-Salmon II a next generation jet with greater fuel
efficiency and greater range, noted Anthony Johnson, one of the crew who delivered
the jet from Oklahoma City to Anchorage
The 129-foot jet has a wingspan of 117 feet and cruising speed
of 530 mph.
Four gallons of Mylar paint was used to create an iridescent
sparkle over the nearly 3,500 fish scales, which also makes the painting three dimensional.
More than 90 percent of the fuselage was airbrushed with 21 unique colors to create
the lifelike king salmon, airline officials said.