June 11, 2015 – A cool new means of branding has been trialled on an A380: thin electro-luminescent markings on an engine nacelle. In an evaluation performed June 8 during nighttime hours, the A380 testbed aircraft’s number 1 outboard engine nacelle was outfitted with an Aircelle electro-luminescent display configured as an illuminated Airbus logo.
With the thickness of a decal, the ‘Illuminate the Sky by Aircelle’ technology (Aircelle is a manufacturer of engine nacelles) can be easily modified and reprogrammed, allowing for images or messages to be displayed and changed. It is capable of showing a full range of graphics, patterns and animations, with placement almost anywhere on an aircraft, from the fuselage and under-fuselage belly, to the engine nacelles and tail.
The system uses on-board electrical power and opens up new creative opportunities, including the highlighting of airline logos and liveries, as well as promoting the air transport sector’s growing number of joint marketing campaigns and event affiliations.