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Qantas unveils indigenous livery Boeing 787-9

written by Gerard Frawley | February 14, 2018

Qantas Boeing 787-9 VH-ZND Emily Kame Kngwarreye in the paintshop. (Qantas)
Qantas Boeing 787-9 VH-ZND Emily Kame Kngwarreye in the paintshop. (Qantas)

Qantas has revealed images of its fourth 787-9 in the paintshop at Boeing’s Everett facility just outside Seattle featuring a special Indigenous livery.

Qantas says the new livery is based on a work by the late Northern Territory artist and senior Anmatyerre woman, Emily Kame Kngwarreye. Her 1991 painting, Yam Dreaming has been adapted for the aircraft by leading Indigenous-owned design studio Balarinji.

After emerging from the paintshop the aircraft, VH-ZND, which is to be named Emily Kame Kngwarreye, will undergo flight testing before being ferried to Alice Springs for a special welcome event on March 2.

“As the national carrier we’re thrilled to showcase another piece of Indigenous culture on one of our aircraft, and to reiterate our ongoing commitment to reconciliation with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people,” Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said.

“It’s a beautiful, bold artwork and so we hope it catches people’s eye and sparks a conversation about our country’s dynamic Indigenous culture.”

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There was a hint of that “beautiful, bold” artwork when images of the aircraft on the Boeing flightline, featuring its painted tail, appeared on Twitter in late January.

Prior to VH-ZND’s reveal, Qantas has had five aircraft – two Boeing 747-400s, one Boeing 747-300 and two 737s – painted with four different designs of Indigenous art, all designed in partnership with the Balarinji studio.

“It’s been a privilege to work with the brilliant imagery of the late Emily Kame Kngwarreye to create the airline’s fifth iconic Indigenous flying art aircraft. Emily was an extraordinary artist who is revered around the world,” managing director of Balarinji, Ros Moriarty, said.

“Born in 1910, she began painting only in later life, completing more than 3,000 exceptional works up until her death at 86 years of age. Her work embodies her cultural and spiritual connections to her country.”

VH-ZND now joins Boeing 737-800 VH-XZJ, Mendoowoorrji, which is currently in Qantas service. The Mendoowoorrji design was inspired by Paddy Bedford’s painting Medicine Pocket and “captures the essence of Mendoowoorrji, Bedford’s mother’s country in the East Kimberley region of Western Australia”.

An ARFF salute for VH-XZJ in Sydney. (Seth Jaworski)

Previously, the Wunala Dreaming scheme featured on two Boeing 747-400s (VH-OJB from 1994-2003 and 747-400ER VH-OEJ from 2003-2011). The artwork was inspired by the Yanyuwa people from the Gulf of Carpentaria and was a celebration of the “reproduction of all living things in the continuing harmony of nature’s seasons”.

Qantas Boeing 747-400 VH-OEJ Wunala Dreaming. (Seth Jaworski)
Qantas Boeing 747-400 VH-OEJ Wunala Dreaming. (Seth Jaworski)

Meanwhile, Nalanji Dreaming was on 747-300 VH-EBU from 1995 until the aircraft was retired in 2005, and Yananyi Dreaming was introduced on 737-800 VH-VXB in 2002.

Qantas Boeing 747-300 VH-EBU Nalanji Dreaming. (Aero Icarus/Wikimedia Commons)
Qantas Boeing 747-300 VH-EBU Nalanji Dreaming. (Aero Icarus/Wikimedia Commons)
Qantas Boeing 737-800 VH-VXB Yananyi Dreaming. (Seth Jaworski)
Qantas Boeing 737-800 VH-VXB Yananyi Dreaming. (Seth Jaworski)

VH-ZND’s delivery next month will shortly be followed by the start of nonstop flights between Perth and London on March 24, linking the continents of Australia and Europe with regularly scheduled passenger flights for the first time.

Qantas has already taken delivery of three 787-9s which are currently operating Melbourne-Los Angeles international flights as well as limited Sydney-Melbourne domestic services to allow crews to build experience on the type.

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Comments (24)

  • Ray E

    says:

    Fifth 787 painted as ‘Retro Roo III’ V-jet livery perhaps?

  • Craigy

    says:

    I like the design and it is fitting that the aircraft is named after Emily. I thought it would be named Dreamtime but pleased with the recognition of the artist.

  • Dale

    says:

    Don’t get me wrong – I love and fully support Qantas, this aircraft and the concept…… but I am confused. How can all this extra paint not be a problem, and yet painting a small kangaroo on QF 787 engine nacelle’s would apparently have a detrimental effect on fuel efficiency?

  • KFB

    says:

    I really like this livery. It isn’t what I thought it would be but now that I can see it fully painted it looks amazing. It would be really cool if Qantas painted a Q400 in Aboriginal colours, but unfortunately, I don’t see that happening in the near future…

  • Ben

    says:

    honestly thought it was nice at first. I’m used to either seeing a full plane livery of just the tail- what I mean is it looks incomplete. But I really like what I’m seeing!

  • Riplander

    says:

    @Dale the engines are applicable with both the 787-8 and 787-9, which means they can swap engines with a jet star 787 or other partner airlines’ for operational efficiency. It would seem weird to have the QF symbol on the engine nacelle of a Jet star 787, Hence the main reason why they didn’t paint it.

  • KFB

    says:

    Dale, I completely agree. How can a small kangaroo reduce fuel efficiency but a special livery covering more than half the aircraft can’t? It seems so ludicrous. I mean, Qatar uses the same engines as Qantas and they put their logo on the engines. It seems like this isn’t about fuel efficiency at all, maybe it is just Qantas trying to cut costs…

  • Scott

    says:

    Very nice, great to see Traditional Australian art on display to the world.

  • Brian Tierney

    says:

    I like the idea however I would prefer a striking motive with the same art. All over too much and too heavy.

  • Luke

    says:

    Another great looking flying indigenous art aircraft.

  • Marc

    says:

    @Dale
    Engines.
    Swapped for operational efficiency.
    Paint.
    There’s no extra paint. It’s one scheme.

  • Max

    says:

    @Dale
    The engine reversers are being pooled for maintenance,nothing to do with weight.

  • Gerald

    says:

    Mr Joyce may I know how many if any indigenous people are in your pilot rank?

  • Peter Andjelkovic

    says:

    I too would like to see something more striking and going in a line direction.
    Its too busy.
    I love aboriginal art.

  • Stuart

    says:

    Looks stunning! Very elegant indeed.

  • Craigy

    says:

    @ KFB I seem to remember a comment in a previous story about the Qantas B789 and no roo on the engine nacelle. It seems that it is a Boeing recommendation because more than one layer of colour causes laminar flow disturbances around the nacelle increasing drag. Perhaps a contributor or AA could confirm this..

  • Markie Mark

    says:

    It’s got nothing to do with air flow or fuel efficiency, it’s 100% about pooling within the Qantas group 787’s.

  • Bodie

    says:

    My understanding is that engines are leased these days not owned. I heard there is a global push by major airlines to do this…

  • Dale

    says:

    Oh cool, thanks for the feedback! Makes perfect sense not to paint if the engines are pooled with Jetstar.

  • Yusef Danet

    says:

    I love the livery.
    Engines aren’t nacelles. When you change an engine, the nacelle stays with the airframe, opening like a couple of clams to let the engine out. You’ll only see engines on trolleys, not enclosed by nacelles.

  • KFB

    says:

    Oh ok… now I get it…

  • Ben

    says:

    (The other Ben)
    I don’t mind this scheme. I do prefer the artworks all over the fuselage though. Nalanji Dreaming was outstanding. Yananyi Dreaming is similarly impressive.
    I wasn’t a huge fan of Wunala dreaming though, it just seemed to be overkill on the different shades of red, when there’s already a red tail.
    I’ve always wondered why they don’t try these schemes on a A380. A Nalanji Dreaming scheme on the A380 would look awesome.

  • Bill

    says:

    ZND is currently completing it’s B1 flight, expect to see pictures from Everett of this soon.

  • Connor

    says:

    ALL the indigenous-inspired paintwork on QF aircraft, down the years’, has looked brightly-coloured, & totally different to any other design!
    Cheers to the big ‘White ‘Roo’ for such visual enjoyment!

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