Saturday, 21 August 2010

Are the planes going green?


As previously mentioned, I was able to visit Farnborough International Airshow, one of the largest aviation trade events. Another show highlight [together with the Dreamliner] was the Airbus A380, which took part in the flying and static displays. A truly incredible plane, you can’t begin to imagine the size of this double decker or how eerie it was to see this enormous structure slowly turn and fly towards you.

Whilst walking around the Airbus A380, I noticed this logo on the side. After a bit of searching online, I found out that it represents the 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, declared by the United Nations – ‘..the year that celebrates the diversity of life on Earth, including every plant, animal and micro-organism.’ I thought it was quite a quirky graphic to have amongst the numerous corporate logos, the bold blue Airbus branding and the simple circular shapes that decorate the tail of the plane.

I admired the simple silhouettes and to see a graphic that didn’t over-use effects for once was refreshing. The silhouettes have been drawn with lovely detail: the curl of the waves, the smooth ‘S’ of the flamingo’s neck, the touching moment between parent and child and the two thin branches on the bushy tree. Every element is carefully chosen as a reminder of what and whom we are helping by protecting the environment. It’s also always great to see a logo that can play with your eyes - when you follow the curve of the wave your eye registers the first ‘0.’ Then your gaze moves on to the child and parent and you notice the ‘1.’

The logo reminded me of the 787 Dreamliner aeroplane, a fellow big name in the aviation industry renowned for being environmentally friendly. I wonder if this is a new trend in the industry? Have the aviation companies taken into consideration that high-profile figures, such as Prince Charles, have been criticised for their alleged over use of air transportation and have had to fly less in order to appease their critics? Or is it the constantly growing interest in recycling that has caused companies to go green? I don’t know the reason, but it’s interesting to see how this industry, and consequently its design, is changing.


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