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Farnborough visitors should get the first sight this week of a new livery that Europe's regional carriers hope will become increasingly familiar over coming months.
As part of a continuing public awareness campaign, the board of the European Regional Airlines Association (ERA) has agreed a new common colour scheme that can be worn by its 60-plus member companies.
The hope is that every ERA carrier will have one of its fleet in the new design, which features the logos of all the organisation's members along with the slogan ‘50 Million Passengers A Year Mean Business'. It is designed to complement an airline's existing colour scheme.
The first aircraft to carry it, a British Aerospace ATP provided by British Aerospace Asset Management - Turboprops, is currently being prepared and ERA hopes to have it at the show.
Among ERA airlines which have committed to carry the new design are Air Exel Commuter of the Netherlands, Brit Air and Regional Airlines of France and Tyrolean Airways of Austria.
Research has shown that many passengers sill tend to regard a turboprop - no matter how modern or advanced - as a less attractive travelling proposition than a jet.
The ERA campaign is part of an effort to dispel that impression and to bring home to customers the scale of business done annually by its member airlines.
"We are delighted to be launching this flying ambassador for our expanding regional sector," says ERA director Mike Ambrose.
"The new livery, which we aim to have showing all over Europe at major hub and regional airports, will enable us to visibly demonstrate to the travelling public how important, safe and environmentally friendly regional aviation is."
Source: Flight Daily News
