[First, bit of (exciting) SIM news hot off the press...🙂...PMDG has finally released all the 777 variants for the Xbox kids such as yours truly...🙂... (actually, I caught sight of it only yesterday in my Xbox/MSFS2024 Marketplace, in the "Trending" products section, up front on the first screen). PC folks are probably saying "Meh"...🙂...Yes, I am aware that the PMDG B777 is nothing special (nor new) for most of us who have been around the block a bit...🙂...Nonetheless, I consider this a remarkable achievement on the part of PMDG to be able to validate and introduce such a complex (and large) airliner for the Xbox platform, which goes to show that it can be done...🙂...Plus, knowing how fluid their 737 was on the Xbox/MSFS2020 (alas, not yet approved for my Xbox/MSFS2024), I have faith that this one will perform fine. However, I am still recovering from (and waiting out) the financial aftermath of my iniBuilds A350 purchase...🙂...though I've absolutely no regrets with the A350. It's a SIM I am flying and enjoying a lot...]  

Regarding this post: I've lately seen the Airbus A321 flying here in this Forum in Air New Zealand colors (both the a/c and the livery being among my favorites). I've to admit my ignorance, though, that when I'd boarded an A321 for the first time with AA many years ago, I didn't even know I was on it...🙂...thought I was on a ubiquitous A320, until I'd opened the seatback pamphlet to get to know the a/c (btw, I recall this was also the case the first time I'd boarded the (newly and unexpectedly introduced) LH 747-8 when I thought I was actually on a (regular) LH 744...🙂...). The A321 has multiple variants, notably including the latest -XLR that is expected to replace the venerable Boeing 757. The 757 was the first popular single-aisle narrow-body "long-range" twinjet (for which Boeing chose NOT to create a next-gen version). So, the modern A321XLR is filling in now for the same niche market with (even) longer range and higher fuel-efficiency (though less overall thrust rating compared to the 757). 

From an aviation enthusiast's perspective, the 757 (especially the -300 variant, nick-named the "Flying Pencil") remains a commercial airplane of curious anomaly. UAL still operates the 757, and I had flown on their -300 in the recent past. It's important to note that while all the A321 variants (ceo, neo, LR, XLR) have the identical length (146 ft, similar to the B752), differing only in the performance characteristics, the 757-300 is a different beast (at least look-wise), with a remarkably stretched length of 178 ft for its size, much longer than the A321 (and visually unmistakable in the Airport). I might have made a mistake of assuming I was on an A320 (while I was actually on an A321), but (even) I would have never got aboard a 757-300 thinking I'm on a (stretched) 737 twinjet...🙂...

American Airlines, with whom I'd my very first A321 (ceo) flight, has taken delivery, just earlier this week, of its first Airbus A321XLR (neo) but unfortunately the aircraft will remain in Europe for the time being due to a shortage of seats, a problem linked to broader supply chain issues. The airline is set to receive 50 such XLR units, that would surely ply the same long-range oceanic routes that its massive (historic) fleet of 177 B757s had once flown (it will be nice to replicate in the A321XLR, some of the international (757) routes I'd flown occasionally with AA).

Air New Zealand (ANZ) is known for its iconic black and white livery, featuring a predominantly white fuselage with a black tail and silver fern (see a recent post by another member). However, the airline also has an "all-black" livery with a silver fern for some of its aircraft (imagine the "black" and "white" colors reversed from the other livery). This striking black color scheme is a part of ANZ's branding and has been used since 2007 (also painted on a B787-9 in 2013), as a promotion for the Rugby World Cup in France (must have worked since, indeed, the "All Blacks" won the World Cup in 2015...🙂...). The livery was introduced to also celebrate the nation's identity, as black is the country's national color.

Everyone knows that New Zealand is home to the mighty "All Blacks", easily one of the most decorated rugby teams on the planet. I knew that bit, but not really how dominant the team has been through the decades. Though, I see, South Africa has won the last 2 World Cups (2023/2019), the three previous World Cups (2015/2011/2007) have all been won by the All Blacks. Though Rugby is (apparently) played around here too, I've never seen a game myself. I am, at least, aware...🙂... that it is "similar" to the American Football. So, I looked up the rules a bit. One of the primary differences seems to be how the ball is advanced. In American Football, it's allowed to forward pass (one extreme example of which is the so-called "Hail Mary", a last-ditch (long and high) pass effort by the QB, which could (almost) span the entire field... have seen a few in my lifetime...🙂...), while, in Rugby, it's not that easy since Rugby prohibits forward passes. You've to earn it the hard way by running, kicking, and passing (but only laterally or backwards but never forward) ...Good to know...

I have been (lately) looking around a bit the Fenix A321 and the FSLabs A321 (both seem excellent products, with, of course, their individual pros and cons) but neither of which are likely to appear in (my) Xbox platform (because of external software dependencies in their respective implementations) ...Oh well...life goes on...🙂... (today in the warm and nice weather I got to work in the garden for a few hours...🙂...) ... 

If these two above A321s were available for me, I would not mind getting both versions (easier than trying to figure out the endless debates and arguments about which is better...🙂...and in which way...) just as, in my past SIMs, I'd chosen to own both PMDG and iFly 737 NG, and also both PMDG and iFly 747; each with their own fine nuances that were pleasing to me in specific ways. After all, both the 737 and 747 were among my most favorite a/c of the day in the SIM...so, why choose, when both were (recognized) top-level (high-fidelity) SIMs...

Anyway, here we go, as I fly this iniBuilds A321LR (which is no Fenix nor FSLabs, but is at my disposal and a good one in its own rights), in this striking livery (inspired by the New Zealand Rugby Team "All Blacks"). I travel from NZCH/Christchurch, down south, following the majestic ridge lines of the snow-capped mountains of the beautiful Southern Alps, in the South Island of NZ, all the way to the city of Dunedin on the South Island’s southeast coast. I've looped around back northward for Runway 03, passing over some magnificent looking landscape of gentle hills and rolling green pastures, on my final approach path to land on ILS Runway 03 of NZDN/Dunedin airport.

Hope you enjoy this collection of images...of the Airbus A321 aircraft in the uniform of the proud "All Blacks" team, and also of this impressive and spectacular mountain range, called Southern Alps, that, indeed, to this virtual tourist, appeared as dramatic and stunning, as the European Alps...

Thanks for viewing and happy flying...!

Edited August 1, 2025Aug 1 by P_7878

Fine shots, for me one of the best Add's around, speaking for MSFS2020..

cheers 😉

Over the years, Air New Zealand has had some very distinctive liveries!

pmplayer, John, rmeier:

Thanks...!

 

11 hours ago, pmplayer said:

Fine shots, for me one of the best Add's around, speaking for MSFS2020..

cheers 😉

Yes, the Fenix a/c such as your A321 must be a keeper...Glad it has climbed to the top of your favorite list...🙂...Have fun with it.

This iniBuilds (default) A321 is not too bad...

 

3 hours ago, rmeier said:

Over the years, Air New Zealand has had some very distinctive liveries!

Yes, quite true, rmeier.  I especially miss those Teal & Blue ones with cheatlines ...recall well flying the ANZ DC-10s and B747s in those colors...

BTW, I just found that Air Canada has a bunch of A321-200(ceo)s in their current fleet, while waiting for delivery of the latest -XLRs.

So, I was curious, if you have considered getting the Fenix (or/and FSLabs) A321 in your MSFS2020, so you can repaint some vintage Air Canada (or ANZ) colors on them...🙂...? Of course, on the Xbox, I don't have access to Fenix and FSLabs yet...

Edited August 1, 2025Aug 1 by P_7878

1 hour ago, P_7878 said:

was curious, if you have considered getting the Fenix (or/and FSLabs) A321 in your MSFS2020, so you can repaint some vintage Air Canada (or ANZ) colors

Did plenty of ACA repaints for the FSLabs back in P3D...bought the Fenix for MSFS2020 and did a few "Canadian" repaints for the A320:

https://flightsim.to/file/71574/fenix-a320-b2-cfm-air-canada-symphony-of-voices-2002-4k

https://flightsim.to/file/70829/fenix-a320-air-canada-1990-livery

https://flightsim.to/file/71107/fenix-a320-b2-canadian-airlines-1999-4k

As well as a couple of classic international liveries (on request) for the A320; Cyprus Airways and Leisure International;

https://flightsim.to/file/76317/fenix-a320-b2-cyprus-airways-1991-4k

https://flightsim.to/file/76062/fenix-a320-leisure-international-airways-1996-cfm-4k

I was late to the party picking up the A321/319 expansion...most of the "good liveries" had already been done!  🙂 Haven't done a single repaint on the larger/smaller Airbus! There are very few "classic", real world liveries for the A321, as it's a fairly new aircraft type.

Funny...the last "classic" (with the cheat line) Air New Zealand that I painted was for the CS 767 in P3D v5. 

With the new sim (MSFS), there are so many more good/quality livery re-painters now...and many from the southern hemisphere/oceanic region...just look at the number of repaints available now on flightsim.to...options galore!!!  🙂 John Tavendale (TexturebyTavers) tends to quickly put up excellent (oceanic) liveries every time a new aircraft is released!  🙂 

The usual "market" for me is the fictional/unusual aircraft liveries.

Can't wait for the Bluebird B757/767 series...   🙂  ...so many (real life) liveries have been painted on those airframes in the last 40 years...and it's still in service!!!  🙂 

36 minutes ago, rmeier said:

...Did plenty of ACA repaints for the FSLabs back in P3D...bought the Fenix for MSFS2020 and did a few "Canadian" repaints for the A320:...

Yes, some of these repaints of yours is coming back to me now...especially the 767 one...🙂... Being on Xbox, I don't visit flightsim.to much...🙂... but I recall you'd posted here...

 

41 minutes ago, rmeier said:

...With the new sim (MSFS), there are so many more good/quality livery re-painters now...

Time to pass the baton...🙂...the new breed has taken over...so, you folks now probably do a fictional (or unusual) repaint once in a while just for nostalgia's sake...and to stay current...🙂...

 

45 minutes ago, rmeier said:

Can't wait for the Bluebird B757/767 series...   🙂  ...so many (real life) liveries have been painted on those airframes in the last 40 years...and it's still in service!!!  🙂

I'm also looking forward to this one in MSFS. I have heard it will also come to Xbox...maybe slightly delayed...we'll see...

Cheers...!