Orenair B738 VP-BEI

[Anmer]

Heading west to the south of Amsterdam, flight ID ORB9401 hex 424295, Skyliner:

Boeing 737    -86J    30881    1067    VP-BEI    Orenair    delivery 17aug12 MUC-EMA, AB cs, for paint    ex D-ABBE

[Saudistu]

Hi Mike,

With rather large VP-BEI placards on the sides. This was my one of my redelivery checks. My current one D-ABKI is going to a Canadian Operator "Aero Bee". This will be their first 737 and is going on wet lease for two years but on the Canadian Register.

Regds....Stu

[Anmer]

With rather large VP-BEI placards on the sides.

I hope you used industrial strength Velco?   

[Saudistu]

Actually, we tried to guess how long the placards would stay intact. I thought they would be gone before cruise. Some thought they would be gone during take-off and another thought they wouldn't last to the end of the runway. Says a lot about our Painters really ! In reality, because they have the micro holes they should be OK, but there are a lot of contour changes in the Fuselage in that area so you never know !

[Anmer]

What are the "placards" made of and how are they attached?

[Saudistu]

Do you remember Blue Peter and how everything needed "sticky backed plastic" ? That is exactly what the placards are made of. Large ones like the ones for registrations and logs have thousands of small perforated holes in them in order to release trapped air bubbles as otherwise the pressure differential would inflate the placard at altitude. Placards that are meant to stay on the Aircraft for a long time have edge sealer applied around the outside to prevent lifting. The ones on the Orenair 737 we didn't bother with that as it makes it a pain for the paint facility to remove the placard without a lot of additional cleaning. The edge sealer is like clear varnish and smells really niiiiiiiiice maaaaaaaaan.

[Anmer]

Thanks Stu.

You can't beat a good solvent. 

About 40 years ago cork tiles were fashionable and I spent a few hours attaching them to a bathroom wall with impact adhesive.  As you says - "niiiiiiiiice maaaaaaaaan."

[Saudistu]