PPG Aerospace Special-Effect Coatings Bring Virgin Atlantic Airways Livery to Life

Proprietary PPG pigment gives highly-reflective, vibrant color to airline’s vision


SHILDON, England, – Special-effect coatings by PPG Industries’ (NYSE:PPG) aerospace coatings group enabled Virgin Atlantic Airways to have the unique reflectivity and bright, vibrant color the airline’s design and engineering teams wanted for its new livery.

The airline has taken delivery of the first new aircraft – an Airbus A330 – painted with DESOTHANE(R) topcoats by PPG Aerospace colored with ANDARO(R) special-effect pigment. The proprietary PPG pigment was used in coatings that create the red tail and engines and the aubergine Virgin Atlantic lettering across the aircraft. The fuselage is painted with Desothane topcoats in high-sparkle silver mica.

Traditional mica aircraft coatings have about 30 percent reflectivity, while coatings with Andaro pigment reflect about 90 percent of visible light, according to Alex Reid, PPG Aerospace account manager at the North Europe application support center in Shildon, England.

“Virgin Atlantic likes innovative technology,” Reid said. “Because using Andaro pigment in aerospace coatings was new, we worked closely with Virgin’s engineering team to get the products approved to apply to their aircraft. We worked alongside their design team to get the unique colors made with Andaro pigment incorporated into their new company identity.”

Virgin Atlantic’s design team came to PPG with a vision for the coloring. Reid and the PPG Aerospace coatings team sought input from color experts in PPG’s automotive OEM (original-equipment manufacturer) coatings business, and they adapted the Andaro pigment technology for aerospace coating applications.

Virgin Atlantic’s support throughout the process was unwavering, Reid said. “They signed on to the product and were willing to see it through to the end.”

Peter Wind, PPG sealants and coatings technical manager for the United Kingdom, oversaw testing to confirm the suitability of coatings with Andaro pigment for aircraft exterior application. He represented PPG at the A330 delivery ceremony in Toulouse, France, and on the aircraft’s maiden flight to London’s Heathrow Airport.

“It was a bright, sunny day, and the red Andaro pigment was shown to its full effect,” Wind said. “We walked around the exterior of the aircraft with Virgin Atlantic CEO Steve Ridgway, and he was very impressed with the vibrancy of the PPG coatings.”

Desothane topcoats with Andaro pigment will be used on all new aircraft delivered to Virgin Atlantic and are being used for repainting its existing fleet with the new livery.

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.

PPG: BRINGING INNOVATION TO THE SURFACE.(TM)
PPG Industries’ vision is to continue to be the world’s leading coatings and specialty products 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 more than 60 countries around the world. Sales in 2011 were $14.9 billion. PPG shares are traded on the New York Stock Exchange (symbol:PPG). For more information, visit www.ppg.com.



----
Bringing innovation to the surface is a trademark and Andaro is a registered trademark of PPG Industries Ohio, Inc.
Desothane is a registered trademark of PRC-DeSoto International, Inc.