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What Might One Find on an Airplane’s Livery?

© John L. Hoh, Jr.

As we discuss the various liveries of airlines, the reader might wonder about the various components that go into the liveries and logos painted on the airplanes. What elements are most common? What is deemed attractive enough to be emblazoned on an aluminum tube?

Not surprisingly birds seem to rule the roost on most aircraft. It was the flight of birds that dared men to dream about flying and it was bird "architecture" that inspired airplane design. American Airlines has an eagle above its double "A." Eastern Airlines had a stylized block "bird," I guess you could say for lack of a better term. (An earlier Eastern logo was definitely a bird.) No doubt many will recall the mallard that adorned the tails of North Central's aircraft and remained aloft when North Central, through a merger, became Republic Airlines. Lufthansa also has an artful bird design. Below is a small selection of bird logos used on aircraft.

Some logos simply used wavy types of symbols, purportedly to portray the "sea of the air." Sometimes this extended to winged creatures, such as Pegasus or Mercury with the winged feet.

Another theme is the theme of the world. A globe or stylized map is used on the aircraft. Pan American Airlines (Pan Am) and Continental are two examples of the use of the globe. Certainly these logos reflect the role of the airplane to unite the world and make more places accessible to more people.

On the other end of the spectrum, some logos use regional images. Alaska Airlines has the Eskimo and Hawaiian Airlines has the hula girl with a flower in her hair. And what airline based in Australia does not have a kangaroo? Many bear the coats-of-arms of the nation where the airline is based, usually of an airline owned by the nation. America West uses the colors and sun-drenched imagery of the west in its sun rising over the "A-W" logo.

Shapes tend to be big as well, especially triangles and triangle-based shapes such as deltas. Well, there you have it-Delta Airlines. I imagine the triangle being a sharp and aerodynamic shape contributes to this shape's popularity.

A number of airlines, ironically, use a plane (or helicopter, if said company is helicopter based). As if the flyer might mistake what he or she is embarking upon.

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