Automotive and Specialty Coatings
Flying Dream livery brings the wonder of flight to schoolchildren
A bespoke airplane livery has been created to inspire the creativity of the aviation industry’s future talent in China. AkzoNobel donated both product and expertise to the “Soaring with your Dream” program, as part of a long-standing partnership with Boeing.
In 2009, the Boeing Global Citizenship team launched ‘Soaring with Your Dream’, a technology and engineering-oriented school program that sought to encourage a new generation of aviation pioneers to explore the wonders of flight.
For more than a decade, the program has excited the passion of thousands of schoolchildren across China – inspiring the imagination and creativity of the aviation industry’s future talent. Recently there arose an opportunity for AkzoNobel to contribute to the program, as part of our long-term partnership with Boeing.
A different kind of canvas
To promote the initiative, we used a Boeing 737-700 as the canvas for a bespoke livery. The airplane, which resides at the Boeing 737 Completion Center in Zhoushan, is used for training students in the art of painting liveries and one-off designs.
Bringing the Flying Dream to life
AkzoNobel donated both product and expertise to the Flying Dream project. Our Aerodur 3001/3002 base coat/clear coat system brought the design to life, while local teams supported in the mixing and application of the four colors chosen by the designers – each based on existing AkzoNobel formulas.
A project that keeps on giving
The process was filmed in its entirety from initial design through to final completion. The footage will now be used by the program as an educational tool.
"We’re very proud to support Boeing China with this initiative to help young people understand the detailed process of aircraft spraying to completion,” says Jeffery Li, AkzoNobel Sales Manager in China. “We hope it’ll continue to inspire enthusiasm for the aviation industry in the future."
A meaningful design
The dominant color is blue, to represent dreams and the boundless sky with its limitless horizons for young minds to explore.
Towards the rear of the airplane, the design includes small silhouettes of Boeing creations like the C-type seaplane designed by Wang Zhu, Boeing’s first ever aeronautical engineer.
The image of the latest Boeing 787 Dreamliner represents the mission to carry the hopes and dreams of a future generation.
On the wings and main fuselage, a new logo – the Flying Dream – unites the education program.
Reaching students all across China
The impact of the Flying Dream program has already been widely felt. It’s been promoted to more than 1,600 schools in more than 20 provinces, municipalities and autonomous regions across the country, even in more difficult to reach rural communities. To date, the program has inspired some 130,000 students to dream about the art of what’s possible.
Take off with our coating solutions
Aircraft manufacturers, airlines, aircraft owners and MROs around the world are looking for world-class functionality, performance, efficiency and value. That’s exactly what our market-leading products and technologies offer.
