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  • Painted pax door outlines

    Hi folks,

    I have a question on painted pax door outlines. It used to be that the painted outline would follow the actual door outline and would be either on the inside (mostly) or outside edge (sometimes). Here's a typical example of an inside edge outline:

    HB-JHK. Airbus A330-343. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!


    But I have noticed that nowadays there is an inconsistency in how the outline is now applied, especially on the bottom part of the door, where it's painted a small distance from the actual door edge. Examples:

    Libyan Airlines is one of the favorite airlines of spotters who come from other countries.. 5A-LAR. Airbus A330-202. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!

    VT-JWQ. Airbus A330-202. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!

    V5-ANO. Airbus A330-243. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!

    Tail detail. [1920PX]. TC-JNO. Airbus A330-343. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!


    Note that all these are A-330s and that's because I was doing research on them but this is evident on all airliners regardless of manufacturer, and it's not dependent on specific aircraft (evident on both narrow- and wide-bodies), airlines, geographical location, etc. There are even variations within the same airline, KLM for example, seems as aircraft are in for repaint or whatnot, they get the new shorter outlines.

    Another weird way of marking the outline that I've noticed is on the 787s, some operators will paint the outline to where the top and sides are on the outside edge but will cross over on the inside edges on the bottom, such as BA and China Southern:

    B-2733. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!

    BA Dreamliner heading out to runway 27R, as 'Speedbird 191' to Austin.. G-ZBJC. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!


    And yet other 787 operators will do the "not all the way to the bottom" treatment like Hainan

    [1600px]. B-2750. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!


    and it seems on the 787 there is a small strip on the top that does not get painted and the painted outline goes stop just below it resulting in a seemingly taller outline on top: See above and these:

    PH-TFL. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!

    Taxing back to gate after arrival from Denmark. [1600px]. C-GHQY. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!

    B-2769. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!

    My ride to Doha(DOH). A7-BCU. Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. JetPhotos.com is the biggest database of aviation photographs with over 5 million screened photos online!


    Does anyone have any idea on this inconsistency of not painting the door outlines all the way to the bottom or how the 787 ones are done?

    Thanks and Cheers,
    Christos
    BHM

  • #2
    On the 787 Vietnam Airlines has this around the nose cone as well, looks stupid.

    As for door frame thing its an EU ruing vs rest of the world, dont know anything about the strip on top of 787.

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by LUNN View Post
      On the 787 Vietnam Airlines has this around the nose cone as well, looks stupid.

      As for door frame thing its an EU ruing vs rest of the world, dont know anything about the strip on top of 787.
      I think the band around the nosecone is a seal that just happens to match the color of the 2" contrasting color band around the exits on the Vietnam Airlines airplane. I think the color is similar to the gray color around the exit, but it's not there for the same reason (nobody cares about getting into the nose and saving the radar antenna when the crap hits the fan). If you look at photos of 787's from other airlines, I think you'll see the the same color band around the nosecone, no matter what the paint job on the airplane.
      The "keep my tail out of trouble" disclaimer: Though I work in the airline industry, anything I post on here is my own speculation or opinion. Nothing I post is to be construed as "official" information from any air carrier or any other entity.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by cpsarras View Post
        Hi folks,

        I have a question on painted pax door outlines. It used to be that the painted outline would follow the actual door outline and would be either on the inside (mostly) or outside edge (sometimes)...

        ...Does anyone have any idea on this inconsistency of not painting the door outlines all the way to the bottom or how the 787 ones are done?

        Thanks and Cheers,
        Christos
        BHM
        Interesting observation. I don't know why the contrasting color band doesn't go all the way to the bottom. It may be that the doors on the right side are slightly smaller and thus the band goes to the bottom over there but not on the left side, but they use the same template for both sides. The real requirement for the 2" contrasting color band is so that emergency personnel can quickly identify the location of the exit and open it if necessary. The fact that the band doesn't reach the bottom of the door is really of no consequence as long as the general outline of the door is visible. Here's an excerpt from the FAA regulations (part 25.811)regarding the band:

        (f) Each emergency exit that is required to be openable from the outside, and its means of opening, must be marked on the outside of the airplane. In addition, the following apply:

        (1) The outside marking for each passenger emergency exit in the side of the fuselage must include a 2-inch colored band outlining the exit.

        (2) Each outside marking including the band, must have color contrast to be readily distinguishable from the surrounding fuselage surface. The contrast must be such that if the reflectance of the darker color is 15 percent or less, the reflectance of the lighter color must be at least 45 percent. “Reflectance” is the ratio of the luminous flux reflected by a body to the luminous flux it receives. When the reflectance of the darker color is greater than 15 percent, at least a 30-percent difference between its reflectance and the reflectance of the lighter color must be provided.

        (3) In the case of exists other than those in the side of the fuselage, such as ventral or tailcone exists, the external means of opening, including instructions if applicable, must be conspicuously marked in red, or bright chrome yellow if the background color is such that red is inconspicuous. When the opening means is located on only one side of the fuselage, a conspicuous marking to that effect must be provided on the other side.

        (g) Each sign required by paragraph (d) of this section may use the word “exit” in its legend in place of the term “emergency exit”.


        With regard to the 787 band--and the Airbus, for that matter--it may be related to the method of opening the door somehow. I don't know the dynamics of either door except that I think they swing out and to the side as opposed to opening with the inside facing out as the traditional Boeing doors do (737, etc). So the fact that the strip does not go completely to the top or bottom may be so that the whole strip is visible even when the door is unlatched.

        I commend you on your observation. I look at airplanes all the time and have never noticed that....
        The "keep my tail out of trouble" disclaimer: Though I work in the airline industry, anything I post on here is my own speculation or opinion. Nothing I post is to be construed as "official" information from any air carrier or any other entity.

        Comment


        • #5
          Like I said theres an EU version and a rest of the world version of the exit paint lines, compare pics of euro carriers with the others.

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