A tribute to metal part 2, American Airlines

[Steve Dra]

Living in Dallas, just off the North East corner of KDFW, you can imagine I see my share of beautiful, shiny metal AA birds on a daily basis.

Sadly, this iconic livery is soon to go the way of the Dodo...and we'll be left with what the brain-trust at AA decided was a suitable replacement...

 

Anyway, without a doubt...the planes that literally clog the sky around here are this little beauty that has been the workhorse of the AA fleet for decades:

This beauty, BTW, is the stunning work of our own local favorite FS9 champion, Ed Cox, aka edetroit.  This is the FS9 version, ported to FSX:SE, and I must say even though this paint is back in the 1024 days, she still looks stunning, hats off to Ed!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Its unfortunate that not only is the bare metal livery leaving AA, so is the MD soon as its being replaced by the 737 and Airbus'. 

 

I love spotting these planes on arrival when the sun is just right, and the glint off that metal is a beacon, summoning me to grab the binoc's and watch her descend onto the approach to 17L at DFW.

 

Please chime in with your stories of this iconic bird!

 

[pinlifter]

This beauty

Hey Steve quit stealing real world shots off the web and passing them off as Steam

 

Looking great!

[mwilk]

C'mon Steve, you don't like the new paint job? They did a survey last year with the employees to see if it should stay or go. Miraculously it was voted to stay. A lot of us feel that the vote was rigged and they never had any intention of changing it. Beautiful paints, btw.

[avgaskoolaid]

Nice screenshots. Personally, I like the old livery, but honestly I was getting sick of looking at it. It was used for 50 YEARS, which is quite the run, but a change was needed. The new livery took a bit to get used to, but now I've fallen head over heels for it. It looks especially nice on the regional jets, IMO. The only tweak that I would make would be to get rid of the 'eagle' logo on the side of the fuselage.

[Alan_A]

Well, I'm going to mark myself as borderline elderly, but I can remember the shock of seeing the "classic" AA livery for the first time - on a 707 on final to JFK over Atlantic Beach, Long Island in the summer of 1970.  I was 10 years old and just becoming a major airplane buff (the original "Airport" came out that year) and the idea that AA would change its livery to that red-white-blue stripe thing was just shocking.

 

I think we all get imprinted in childhood.  I did, and all of my American Airlines nostalgia is for the previous paint - the Astrojet/Meatball livery with the orange lightning bolt sidestripe and the big AA "roundel" on the tail.

 

I also miss the Northeast Yellowbirds, but that's a story for another time... B)

[edetroit]

Are you sure that's my paint Steve?…these shots are from 100 years ago.

 

 

 

..oooo…just found an IFLY shot.

 

[Steve Dra]

Hey Steve quit stealing real world shots off the web and passing them off as Steam

 

Hehe, yeah it looks pretty real, and just like what I see on my balcony with my binoculars when they fly by my home. (although not this close, but I get a really good view nonetheless)

 

 

C'mon Steve, you don't like the new paint job? They did a survey last year with the employees to see if it should stay or go. Miraculously it was voted to stay. A lot of us feel that the vote was rigged and they never had any intention of changing it. Beautiful paints, btw.

 

Hey Mike, I've tried to like the new livery...but the tail flag really bothers me...just don't like it.  Would love to see the A(eagle)A put back on the tail, and I think I could learn to like the fuse paint.  Although, being in the Navy for 11 years, the color reminds me of what I was surrounded by for months when on deployment out in the middle of the ocean and no other color to look at! 

I agree about the paint...Ed did a fantastic job on them!

 

 

Nice screenshots. Personally, I like the old livery, but honestly I was getting sick of looking at it. It was used for 50 YEARS, which is quite the run, but a change was needed. The new livery took a bit to get used to, but now I've fallen head over heels for it. It looks especially nice on the regional jets, IMO. The only tweak that I would make would be to get rid of the 'eagle' logo on the side of the fuselage.

 

 

Thank Hamoody.  Funny that the only thing I kind'a like about the new livery is the eagle logo.

 

 

 

Well, I'm going to mark myself as borderline elderly, but I can remember the shock of seeing the "classic" AA livery for the first time - on a 707 on final to JFK over Atlantic Beach, Long Island in the summer of 1970.  I was 10 years old and just becoming a major airplane buff (the original "Airport" came out that year) and the idea that AA would change its livery to that red-white-blue stripe thing was just shocking.

 

I think we all get imprinted in childhood.  I did, and all of my American Airlines nostalgia is for the previous paint - the Astrojet/Meatball livery with the orange lightning bolt sidestripe and the big AA "roundel" on the tail.

 

I also miss the Northeast Yellowbirds, but that's a story for another time...

 

Hey Alan, I remember the old American, and I liked it as well.  I thought the "new" paint at that time fit the "American" red/white/blue motif that was becoming popular as our nation's bicentennial (1976) was coming up soon.

As far as missing old airlines, as I mentioned in my 1st tribute to metal post, Eastern is the airline I miss in the skies, as well as Braniff, and Delta's "widget"...the best livery for that carrier.

 

 

Ed!  Yep, your paint for sure!  Your screens (and paint) rock...even from 100 years ago!   Hmmm...didn't know you did an iFly 737 in a photoreal for AA   Will have to flip back to FSX and give her a flight or 2 as she looks stunning as well.

I need to get the LDS 767 working so I can start flying our joint AA project...that too was a work of art. 

[mwilk]

 

 

but the tail flag really bothers me

 

Steve,

           That's the part I dislike also. The rest of it is fine. Like I've said, I grew up in an American Airlines family so I'm a little biased towards the eagle. What's on there now looks like a seagull. Hell, I'd have been happy if they had brought the lightning bolt back.

[pinlifter]

Hehe, yeah it looks pretty real, and just like what I see on my balcony with my binoculars when they fly by my home. (although not this close, but I get a really good view nonetheless)

As long as you don't stand out there in your skivvies with a laser you'll be alright

[Alan_A]

 

 

As far as missing old airlines, as I mentioned in my 1st tribute to metal post, Eastern is the airline I miss in the skies, as well as Braniff, and Delta's "widget"...the best livery for that carrier.

 

Had missed your earlier thread 'til just now.  Love that Eastern 752 - though in general, I always preferred the white-top Eastern hockey sticks.  First time I ever flew was on an Eastern DC-8, KJFK-KMIA in 1968, so maybe it's that imprinting thing again...  B)

[Steve Dra]

 

 

Steve,
           That's the part I dislike also. The rest of it is fine. Like I've said, I grew up in an American Airlines family so I'm a little biased towards the eagle. What's on there now looks like a seagull. Hell, I'd have been happy if they had brought the lightning bolt back

Wow....never really looked that close at the bird....it does look like a gull!  I think if the gray, metallic fuse color was more like Aeroflot's silver it would look better....and I'll mock up a tail you can bring to the next all hands meeting and say this is what the tail SHOULD look like. :Whistle:  :smile:   And I can work on the seagull too.

 

 

 

As long as you don't stand out there in your skivvies with a laser you'll be alright

OMG, you've actually seen me up on my balcony haven't you?  

But no laser...trust me at the right time of day, the pilots struggle enough with that blazing sun in their eyes! 

[Steve Dra]

 

 

 Love that Eastern 752 - though in general, I always preferred the white-top Eastern hockey sticks.  First time I ever flew was on an Eastern DC-8, KJFK-KMIA in 1968, so maybe it's that imprinting thing again... 

 

Hey Alan, I had a mixed preference with Eastern....liked the metal on the 752 and DC9, not on the L1011.  My last Eastern flight was on a white-top DC-9 to Detroit.  The white-top L1011 was one of my favoritist favorites.

[Steve Dra]

Here are a few more of a classic...the 757!

I'm seeing these with more rarity as I scan the skies with my binoc's always a treat when they glide by though!

 

At a busy LAX....

 

 

Great closeup of a gorgeous bird

Pushin' back...

 

Big Qantas making her way in...

 

Now...THAT is a tail!

 

Longreach...love that!

 

Done with the push, a sister ship taxiing by

 

The iconic LAX tower

 

 

Taking the active

 

Rocketing out of LAX

 

Another great close up

 

Just beautiful this bare metal!

 

I didn't like the winglets at 1st, but now I do.  She's climbing to cruise!!

 

Passing the QE II

 

 

Love AA metal!

 

[Phantom88]

Fantastic!! The only thing I won't miss about The MD 80 is The Noise....Those turbines are L O U D!! Great shots All.

[Steve Dra]

 

 

Fantastic!! The only thing I won't miss about The MD 80 is The Noise....Those turbines are L O U D!! Great shots All.

 

 

Thanks Patrick!  The Md's are louder than the hi-bipass turbofans of today, but back in the day, they were the quiet ones! :blink:

 

I'm loving the AA 757 at the moment, gonna post more pics of her soon.