AIRCRAFT INFORMATION FAQS
What type of aircraft does your fleet consist of and how old are they?
Yes, there are animals on the tails of our airplanes, but that's not why the engines purr. We currently utilize a fleet of 51 aircraft including 38 136-passenger Airbus A319 jets, nine 114-passenger Airbus A318 jets and four 162-passenger Airbus A320 jets. The average age of our fleet is approximately two years. Per the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) maintenance plan, our aircraft are serviced every night on Remain Overnight (RON) service checks. The Airbus A319 series aircraft are powered by two General Electric (GE) CFM 56-5B5 wing-mounted engines. The Airbus A318 series aircraft are powered by two GE CFM 56-5B8/P wing-mounted engines. The Airbus A320 series aircraft are powered by two GE CFM 56-5B4/3 wing-mounted engines. For more information regarding aircraft, aircraft safety and security, click here. For more information regarding aircraft operated by our codeshare partner, Midwest Airlines, click here.
What's up with the animals on your tails?
When we launched our airline in 1994 we wanted to develop a concept that would distinguish us from other airlines, with something so unique and compelling it would cause people to line up at the windows to see our planes. The now universally-recognized wildlife theme was the result. A few years later, with the help of some advertising genius types, our wildlife came to life. Each of our "spokesanimals" has a unique and entertaining personality. Today there are more than 50 different animal photographs prominently displayed on our tails.
How do you attach the wildlife decals on your tails?
To display our proud spokesanimals on our tails, images are printed on adhesive-backed vinyl that is similar to contact paper. The image is tiled in 18- to 20- 34-inch-by-96-inch panels, with two inches of overlap. They are applied starting at the rear base of the tail, moving toward the leading edge of the tail. After all the tiles have been applied, the tail is covered with two coats of clear coat to seal the image and prevent corrosion. Any panel that gets damaged may be replaced individually. The panels are printed in Denver and applied in Hamburg, Germany.
How do your planes safely receive the DIRECTV® signals?
Directly, of course! DIRECTV® service in the air is basically the same as you get at home. A DIRECTV® dish or antenna is firmly attached on top of the airplane and receives a signal from a DIRECTV® satellite. The one special feature of our antenna is that it moves to keep the signal from the satellite connected while the aircraft is in motion.
