SkyTeam-Liveried KLM 777 Is First Jet with Chrome-Free Paint

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has taken delivery of a new Boeing 777-300ER painted in a special SkyTeam livery in celebration of the alliance’s 10th anniversary.

The aircraft, KLM’s fourth Boeing 777-300ER, is registered PH-BVD and is painted in the silver-with-dark blue-accents of the SkyTeam Alliance.

This latest addition signals a double first: Not only is it the first aircraft to leave the Boeing plant using environmentally friendlier paint, but the delivery also marks the start of an in-service evaluation using chrome-free decorative paint and primer.

KLM has taken delivery of this new Boeing 777-300ER which features the colors of the SkyTeam Alliance. The aircraft also is the first to be painted using chrome-free paint as part of a new experiment by Boeing and several airline customers intended to reduce the environmental impact of the aircraft-painting and paint-stripping process

As part of Boeing’s lifecycle approach to reducing environmental impact and in response to KLM’s and other customers’ requests, the manufacturer has introduced a chrome-free primer and chrome-free exterior decorative paint to the KLM 777-300ER.

Boeing says that, in addition to simplified health and safety monitoring requirements, a chrome-free primer reduces the environmental impact of the paint and stripping process. Removing chrome from the paint and primer eliminates the need for special handling of paint waste and clean-up and designated offsite disposal areas.

The manufacturer will apply the non-chrome paint and primer on up to 14 aircraft across all its jetliner models for in-service evaluation, with the intention of making it a standard option in the future.

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