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An air carrier first officer reports that the new paint job on another air carrier makes the aircraft very difficult to see in restricted visibility or with dark backgnds.
| Attributes | |
| ACN | 246650 |
| Time | |
| Date | 199307 |
| Day | Mon |
| Local Time Of Day | 0601 To 1200 |
| Place | |
| Locale Reference | airport : jax |
| State Reference | FL |
| Altitude | agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 0 |
| Environment | |
| Flight Conditions | VMC |
| Light | Daylight |
| Aircraft 1 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Large Transport, Low Wing, 3 Turbojet Eng |
| Flight Phase | ground other : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Aircraft 2 | |
| Operator | common carrier : air carrier |
| Make Model Name | Light Transport, Low Wing, 2 Turboprop Eng |
| Flight Phase | ground other : taxi |
| Flight Plan | IFR |
| Person 1 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : first officer |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Experience | flight time last 90 days : 200 flight time total : 6300 flight time type : 1500 |
| ASRS Report | 246650 |
| Person 2 | |
| Affiliation | company : air carrier |
| Function | flight crew : captain oversight : pic |
| Qualification | pilot : atp |
| Events | |
| Anomaly | other anomaly other |
| Independent Detector | other flight crewa |
| Resolutory Action | none taken : anomaly accepted |
| Consequence | Other |
| Supplementary | |
| Primary Problem | Aircraft |
| Air Traffic Incident | other |
Narrative:
I realize that the air carrier Z marketing corps tested their new paint job for passenger appeal, but it is one of the best camouflage schemes I have seen. In particular, on the commuter planes. Taxiing in jax, I could not see an small transport until it came directly in front of us, away from the grass and trees. I have been unable to find widebody transport at jfk during hazy (and not so hazy) conditions. I swear I saw an small transport taxi into the ramp at lga, but I couldn't find it when we taxied past. I hope they change something (perhaps a lighter gray) before someone is hurt. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the reporter is not a disgruntled employee that has to situation inside one of these not pretty aircraft. She is an first officer for another major air carrier and has been startled more than once by an aircraft with the new paint job that just 'appears' out of the gloom or backgnd. She says that her opinion is shared by many crew members with whom she flies.
Original NASA ASRS Text
Title: AN ACR FO RPTS THAT THE NEW PAINT JOB ON ANOTHER ACR MAKES THE ACFT VERY DIFFICULT TO SEE IN RESTRICTED VISIBILITY OR WITH DARK BACKGNDS.
Narrative: I REALIZE THAT THE ACR Z MARKETING CORPS TESTED THEIR NEW PAINT JOB FOR PAX APPEAL, BUT IT IS ONE OF THE BEST CAMOUFLAGE SCHEMES I HAVE SEEN. IN PARTICULAR, ON THE COMMUTER PLANES. TAXIING IN JAX, I COULD NOT SEE AN SMT UNTIL IT CAME DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF US, AWAY FROM THE GRASS AND TREES. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND WDB AT JFK DURING HAZY (AND NOT SO HAZY) CONDITIONS. I SWEAR I SAW AN SMT TAXI INTO THE RAMP AT LGA, BUT I COULDN'T FIND IT WHEN WE TAXIED PAST. I HOPE THEY CHANGE SOMETHING (PERHAPS A LIGHTER GRAY) BEFORE SOMEONE IS HURT. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR IS NOT A DISGRUNTLED EMPLOYEE THAT HAS TO SIT INSIDE ONE OF THESE NOT PRETTY ACFT. SHE IS AN FO FOR ANOTHER MAJOR ACR AND HAS BEEN STARTLED MORE THAN ONCE BY AN ACFT WITH THE NEW PAINT JOB THAT JUST 'APPEARS' OUT OF THE GLOOM OR BACKGND. SHE SAYS THAT HER OPINION IS SHARED BY MANY CREW MEMBERS WITH WHOM SHE FLIES.
Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.