“After that job, I could officially say that I have actually watched paint dry by moonlight…”
In early 1988, British Airways and British Caledonian Airways merged. As part of the agreement, the new A320s ordered by BCAL were to be painted in British Airways colours. We arranged with Airbus to induct the first aircraft in BCAL colours and repaint it in the BA Livery. I confirmed the date of this activity to my boss, which was then passed on to the appropriate department in BA. A week later, I got a call from the BA paint supervisor who informed me that he and his colleague would be coming down to witness the painting. They told me that they would be arriving at 1030 at night, halfway through the painting of the aircraft. They insisted that I take them straight to the paint hangar.
So, on a beautiful, clear winter’s night in the south of France, I drove out to Toulouse airport to pick up the paint supervisor and his colleague and take them over to the Airbus facility, which is on the other side of the airport. We collected their security passes and then headed straight to the paint hangar, an enormous, bright, white full moon beaming down on us. We met the hangar chief, and I introduced the two gentlemen from BA. At the time of the visit the aircraft was already partially painted and was in the drying process, so the two BA representatives did a few circuits around the plane, literally watching it dry, this took ten minutes.
Once they were done, we hopped back into my car, and I then took them to their hotel. On the way I asked why they insisted on seeing the aircraft whilst it was being painted. An answer mumbled from the gloom behind me ‘to justify our trip.’ I smiled and silently shook my head. The paint inspectors tried to return the following day, but they were denied access to the paint hangar as it was being sprayed.
The newly re-branded aircraft was flown to Gatwick in March with Lord King himself on board to open Gatwick’s North Terminal. The idea was that a brand-new British Airways aircraft was on display at a brand-new airport terminal. It made it there safely, and all the desired fuss and publicity expectations were met. After the PR display, the plane was flown back to Toulouse to complete the delivery program. The aircraft was finally delivered to British Airways on 20th April 1988.
After that job, I could officially say that I have watched paint dry by moonlight and I can confirm it is as enthralling as you can imagine. One for the bucket list! The aircraft mentioned in this story also happens to be the same one that I was on board during the formation flying incident, so I can testify how well performs regardless of what livery is plastered over it!
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