The first QantasLink A220 will soon make its way from Montreal to Australia. When it does it’ll wear a stunning special livery as part of Qantas’ Flying Art Series. The A220-300, registered VH-X4A, is called Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa, and features the artwork of senior Pitjantjatjara artist Maringka Baker.
The livery took two weeks to complete, with 100 painters using 130 stencils to paint more than 20,000 unique dots. Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa is the first of 29 A220s on order for the Qantas group as it renews its domestic fleet. The A220s are replacing the smaller 717s, giving the airline a capacity increase and fuel burn decrease.
Flying Art Series
Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa is the sixth aircraft to join Qantas’ Flying Art Series. The first aircraft to wear a special livery was 747-400 VH-OJB in 1994 when it donned the Wunala Dreaming livery. Nalanji Dreaming joined the fleet in 1995 as part of Qantas’ 75th anniversary celebrations. A 747-300, VH-EBU flew in its special livery until 2005. Yananyi Dreaming and Mendoowoorrji are both 737-800s and still active in the Qantas fleet. Yananyi Dreaming has since been repainted in standard Qantas livery, but Mendoowoorrji still wears its Aboriginal art. The most recent Flying Art Series livery prior to Minyma Kutjara Tjukurpa is Emily Kame Kngwarreye, a 787-9 often referred to by the title of the painting that inspired the livery—Yam Dreaming.
You can read more about the Flying Art Series, including the backstory for each livery, on the Qantas site. And you prepare to track the A220’s journey home before the end of the year. Set your alerts for VH-X4A now.
