PPG Aerospace special-effect coatings bring Virgin Atlantic Airways’ livery to life

Special-effect coatings by PPG Industries’ 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% of visible light, according to Alex Reid, PPG Aerospace account manager at the North Europe application support center in Shildon, England.