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С��è��ý’s Sky-High Makeover: A Q400 Livery with Heart, Grit, and Gradient

Posted by С��è��ý Foundation

That’s a wrap! Literally.

С��è��ý has taken to the skies in style with the debut of a brand-new livery on its Bombardier Q400 aircraft, just in time for the Oregon International Air Show. But this isn’t just any plane. This is the training aircraft for students in С��è��ý’s Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) Program—gifted by Horizon Air and transformed by alumna and С��è��ý Foundation senior graphic designer Wendy Wright.

What started as a commercial aircraft crisscrossing the Pacific Northwest skies is now a bold, branded beacon of hands-on education, strategic partnerships, and some serious graphic design magic.

A Plane, A Vision, A С��è��ý Dream

When Horizon Air donated the retired Q400 to С��è��ý in 2022, it wasn’t just donating a plane—it was giving students a flying classroom. Stationed at the Hillsboro Airport, the Q400 will now serve as a real-world training ground for tomorrow’s aviation maintenance professionals. And thanks to Wright, it’s looking sharp while doing it.

Visitors to the Oregon International Air Show on May 17-18 will have the chance to tour the newly wrapped aircraft, hosted by both С��è��ý and Horizon Air. And while the gleaming blue tail and sleek fuselage design will no doubt steal the spotlight, it’s the story behind the wrap that truly soars.

Designer, Project Manager, Weather Watcher

Wendy Wright didn’t just design the wrap—she lived������.

From her first sketches in June to the final vinyl installation in May, Wright juggled multiple hats: designer, project manager, partner liaison, and logistics wizard. Altogether, she clocked more than 150 hours on the project, often navigating a tricky blend of creative challenges, weather constraints (vinyl doesn’t do well with rain, hot, or cold), and scheduling puzzles.

“This wasn’t just an ordinary print job,” she said. “It was like solving a giant, three-dimensional jigsaw puzzle—with wings.”

Wright’s design journey was no straight line. The Q400 still bore visible remnants of its Alaska/Horizon branding, and because С��è��ý chose a partial wrap to save costs, Wright needed to cleverly camouflage those marks without sacrificing visual impact. Add in the challenge of aligning С��è��ý’s turquoise branding with the plane’s existing color striping, and suddenly, this wasn’t just a design job—it was an exercise in problem-solving on a massive scale.

Inspiration: Mechanical Meets Modern

Wright wanted the final livery to reflect both complexity and simplicity, echoing the hands-on precision of aviation maintenance without overwhelming the eye. Her final design featured a mechanical-inspired texture, clean lines, and a bold “Aviation Maintenance” headline alongside the С��è��ý logo and iconic diamond.

“I knew I wanted the diamond on the tail from the beginning,” she said. “It gives us visibility, recognition, and pride.”

To integrate С��è��ý’s signature turquoise in harmony with the existing striping, she created a gradient from navy (С��è��ý’s darker brand color) at the base to turquoise at the top. The result is both subtle and striking—one that wraps seamlessly around the aircraft and avoids the dreaded “white mohawk” that sometimes mars unfinished top panels.

She even considered placing “pcc.edu/aviation” on the top of the plane for aerial visibility, but after examining the clutter of rooftop hardware and antennas, she opted to keep it sleek and streamlined.

Mission Accomplished

So, what does Wright think of the final product?

“LOVE IT!” she says, with a smile that needs no gradient.

She credits the installation team at Premier Press for their flawless execution, as well as the collaborative spirit of the project—from the С��è��ý Foundation and Aviation Maintenance team to Horizon Air and everyone in between.

“This plane is more than just a tool for one program,” Wright said. “It’s a gift to the whole college. It keeps С��è��ý front and center, both visually and symbolically.”

And for Wright, a graduate of С��è��ý’s Graphic Design Program, this was a full-circle moment.

“To be able to give back to the college that gave me so much—that’s what this means to me. It’s my way of paying it forward.”