WARSAW, Poland--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Coatings by PPG Industries’ (NYSE:PPG) aerospace business helped LOT Polish Airlines (Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT) colorize the livery of an Embraer E175 jet painted to celebrate the airline’s 85th anniversary. Working from black-and-white photographs, LOT and PPG officials created the colors for a retro design honoring a historic livery and the airline’s original logo that featured a representation of a crane in flight.
Six colors of DESOTHANE(R) HS/CA 8800 buffable topcoat and a DESOTHANE high-solids topcoat in semi-matte silver were applied over P99 wash primer and chromate-free PAC33CF primer.
The LOT anniversary livery uses elements from the airline’s livery of 1945 to 1973. The top of the fuselage is white with “POLSKIE LINIE LOTNICZE >LOT<” in black, and the lower fuselage, wings and horizontal stabilizers are semi-matte silver with a clear topcoat for added gloss. A sky-blue horizontal band across the fuselage frames the windows, with cobalt blue lines above and below. The current LOT logo in purple appears on each side of the fuselage, and “Flying since 1929” is painted in black in English on one side and Polish on the other. The white tail has a red accent and the original logo in black, and a black stylized crane is painted on the forward fuselage. Sky-blue winglets have “85 ANNIVERSARY” and “SINCE 1929” in white.
According to Ralf Maubach, PPG Aerospace sales manager for Central and Eastern Europe, LOT chose the PPG coatings after seeing another aircraft painted with DESOTHANE HS/CA 8800 topcoat by LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services (LOTAMS) in Warsaw. Maubach said LOTAMS has much experience applying PPG coatings, and LOT Polish Airlines made the final selection for the paint scheme.
“LOT Polish Airlines was impressed by the high gloss of our DESOTHANE HS/CA 8800 topcoat,” Maubach said. “The anniversary special livery is really an eye-catcher painted with PPG coatings. They have to repaint some of their aircraft and want to present LOT Polish Airlines with aircraft that have high gloss and shine, so PPG will supply coatings for four more Embraer aircraft to be repainted.”
Maubach said it was difficult for LOT to select colors for the anniversary livery because only black-and-white historical photographs were available as resource. “We discussed with them the possible colors we could produce to meet their expectations,” he said. PPG Aerospace’s Central Europe application support center in Hamburg, Germany, mixed six colors while PPG’s Gonfreville, France, coatings facility supplied the semi-matte silver color and clear topcoat.
DESOTHANE HS/CA 8800 topcoat provides outstanding color and gloss retention, so the anniversary and repainted aircraft should maintain their appearance for years. It has a high-solids formulation that results in a lower percentage of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and reduced weight because coverage is achieved with less material than traditional coatings. P99 wash primer promotes excellent adhesion for chromate-free PAC33CF primer, which affords corrosion resistance. A clear DESOTHANE high-solids topcoat applied over the semi-matte silver provides maximum gloss.
Maubach praised the painting skill of LOTAMS. “This was an intricate design, and LOTAMS did an excellent job.”
PPG Aerospace is the aerospace products and services business of PPG Industries. PPG Aerospace – PRC-DeSoto is the leading global producer of aerospace sealants, coatings, and packaging and application systems. PPG Aerospace – Transparencies is the world’s largest supplier of aircraft windshields, windows and canopies. For more information, visit www.ppgaerospace.com.
About LOT Polish Airlines
LOT Polish Airlines is one of the
oldest airlines in the world. It has been connecting Poland with the
rest of the world since 1929. Now planes in LOT colours fly to nearly 50
destinations in Europe, the Middle East, North America and Asia. Many of
LOT’s pilots are among the European and World Champions in several types
of aviation sports. Since 2003, LOT has been a member of Star Alliance,
whose network currently offers more than 21,900 daily flights to 1,328
airports in 195 countries all over the world. For more information,
visit www.lot.com.
About LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services
LOTAMS Company is a
provider of services connected with technical services of civil and
military aircraft. The Company realizes services in the full scope of
base and line maintenance. It specializes also in services connected
with the full aesthetics of airplanes (including painting and covering
of the aircraft structure and wings, interior aesthetics, and the
replacement and service of aircraft seats) and workshop services of
aviation components. As a result, the Company provides comprehensive
services in accordance with the expectation of clients. Since the moment
of complete separation from the structures of PLL LOT S.A., the Company
LOTAMS consistently realizes its business model, the goal of which is to
reinforce its position on the international market as a reliable service
provider. Since April 5, 2012, LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services has
been one of 11 EMBRAER AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTERS worldwide. For more
information, visit www.lotams.com.
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PPG Industries’
vision is to continue to be the world’s leading coatings and specialty
materials company. Through leadership in innovation, sustainability and
color, PPG helps customers in industrial, transportation, consumer
products, and construction markets and aftermarkets to enhance more
surfaces in more ways than does any other company. Founded in 1883, PPG
has global headquarters in Pittsburgh and operates in nearly 70
countries around the world. Net sales in 2013 were $15.1 billion. PPG
shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol:PPG). For more
information, visit www.ppg.com
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Industries Ohio, Inc.
DESOTHANE is a registered trademark of
PRC-DeSoto International, Inc.