Unpacking the A350F’s new livery

When the A350F rolled out of the paintshop last week, sporting shiny new livery, an almost four year journey came to an end. Beginning in October 2022, over 4,000 people submitted design proposals for the aircraft’s livery, with the winners announced at the 2023 Paris Air Show. Two designs were chosen as winners, which were then combined into one by the Airbus corporate design department. 

Creating a digital mockup of the combined design was one thing, but bringing it to life was much more complicated. Successfully pulling off this paint job required close collaboration between the branding, paintshop, engineering and manufacturing, and marketing teams. Balancing delicate weight requirements with practicality and modifications to infrastructure in the paintshop, the successful completion of this livery is a credit to dozens of people at Airbus.

What did it take over the last four years to get here?

Turning a 1,000-square-metre canvas over to the public

Like all aircraft paint jobs, everything started with the design. But unlike all other Airbus paint jobs, the design came from the public. The competition was open to everyone and presented contestants with a unique design opportunity that would be hard to find elsewhere: a 1,000 m² canvas. Since freighter aircraft have almost no windows, contestants had the entire fuselage to work with, giving them a maximum level of creative freedom.

Two cardboard box-themed designs inspired by the freighter's cargo ended up being selected as the winners. 

The concepts were similar but focused on slightly different elements, so they complemented each other perfectly,” says Airbus Corporate Design Manager Cassian Koshorst, who spearheaded the integration of both designs. “We were able to place graphics from both designs – including adhesive tape, stickers, and stamps – exactly where we wanted on the aircraft, even adding extra details to the cargo doors to make them stand out.”

The distinctive A350 carbon-fibre weave design was also added to the vertical tail plane, to align with the other A350 prototype aircraft. It takes on additional importance with the A350F, as it is the only freighter on the market with a predominantly carbon-fibre airframe. 

Ensuring the feasibility of this unique paint design required close collaboration with the paintshop team, who approached the task with absolute dedication and enthusiasm to ensure every detail was executed to perfection,” affirmed Koshorst.

Redesigning the paintshop for the A350F

Bringing a brand-new aircraft’s livery to life for the first time requires precision and a focus on safety, as the painting infrastructure must be adjusted to the exact specifications of the aircraft. Because the length of the A350F’s fuselage sits right between that of the A350-1000 and the A350-900, engineers had to create a custom set-up tailored to the freighter’s unique dimensions. This included designing a dedicated complementary module for forward under-fuselage access. Teams also developed a clever way to mask and unmask the main deck cargo door – the largest in the world – without needing to open it, preventing accidental damage. 

Safety was also given a high-tech boost as well. A digital zero-collision system deploys precise 3D laser mapping to guide the giant automatic painting platform around the fuselage, using sensors that automatically slow its movement as they approach the aircraft and stop it completely five centimetres from its exterior. This dramatically reduces stress for the painters, who no longer have to operate this platform manually, and lets them focus on paint quality, application and precision.  

For a new programme like the A350F, avoiding disruptions is vital,” says Sebastien Casellas, an industrial systems engineer in the Airbus paintshop. “Damage to the aircraft means costly repairs, schedule delays and bottlenecks in the paint halls. Since we’ve implemented this anti-collision system, there have been zero recorded impacts.”

Developing a custom aircraft primer for the A350 Family

With the design finalised and the industrial system modified to welcome the freighter into the paintshop, all that remains is to paint the aircraft – but that is no small feat either. While most people may think of the livery as cosmetic, it also serves to protect the aircraft, shielding composites from UV rays and metals from corrosion, insulating the fuselage from contact with everything from jet fuel to deicing fluid.

Proper paint application thus relies on a variety of different factors: the paint itself, the surface preparation, temperature and humidity conditions in the shop, the thickness of the layers and more. It also depends on the material being painted. The A350F surface is composed of more than 90% composite material, the remainder being metallic. Composites expand and contract differently with temperature changes when compared with metals and paint. 

To optimise performance for composites, we developed a new, more flexible external primer that is specifically designed to absorb thermal stress,” says Monica Asuad Ferrer, Head of External Paints and Coatings at Airbus. Primer is perhaps one of the most important layers of the process: “It ensures adhesion, allows for paint stripping and repainting when the aircraft is in-service, and of course ensures a durable paint system that our customers expect,” Asuad Ferrer explains. 

Balancing complex artistry with aircraft weight restrictions

Once the aircraft is primed, there are still more variables to consider. The visible livery consists of several layers applied over the initial structural primer and external primer: an intermediate coat, then a base coat (when colour is added), before the final clear coat layer. A delicate balance must be struck here between design and weight, as dry film paint adds considerable mass to the aircraft, which amounts to approximately 400 to 500 kilograms on an A350. 

First, the artistic vision must be translated into an industrial process that manages all technical and regulatory requirements,” says Maxime Chincholle, Head of External Livery Design for the A330 and A350 Families. “Both paint and adhesive films are technologies that have been mastered by our painting division, and they both deliver the same high levels of performance and durability.”

The A350F’s complex livery was thus achieved using a mix of decorative-film adhesives and paint. The adhesives are printed with the required design and colors and placed over the painted background. This saves several layers of paint and complex masking, and reduces the number of individual paint colours required. It also cuts down on the time needed to paint the entire aircraft, as the curing and drying time of each paint layer can significantly extend the painting schedule. 

A full circle moment for the winners

And what did the winners of the design contest have to say when they saw the final result roll out of the paint shop? 

Looking back at the first sketch I did and seeing the final, brilliant reality, it seems impossible to believe,” says John Feehan. “But Airbus has made it possible, and even more so, delivered it all in a fantastic cargo package.” 

Quinnten Iversen echoed a similar sentiment, saying 

I feel incredibly proud to see the design come to life. It’s a full-circle moment for the passion for aviation that I have long shared with my younger brother [co-winner Ellisten]. Knowing that my excitement and interest in aviation have played a part in what is a revolutionary aircraft for the industry is a truly special moment.” 

Both men sent their support and congratulations to the various Airbus teams who helped make this livery a reality. 

What was in my mind that day has been elevated and combined to make for a very bold, striking livery that will no doubt cause a stir wherever it goes. Can't wait to see it up close!” says Feehan. 

I’m grateful for the many people who have worked hard to make this a reality,” says Iversen. “Getting started in my aviation career, I hope to continue contributing to the passion that has helped to guide me through life.

And that’s a wrap!