Working conditions: varying - result: always the same!
In November 2002, involved smartart in a tender regard to the painting of the logo on the vertical tail of passenger aircraft. The client was 'Thomas Cook' / Condor. The film sticker used until then held the extreme demands of aviation was not as desired. Therefore, it was considered to paint the logo with aircraft paints. The challenge was itself in the execution of the logo is because this logo is, apart from letters, only gradients. These are impossible to implement for the normal painters.
Each signed artist was commissioned to create two identical sample panels to gain an impression of the feasibility and reproducibility. These were then discussed during a meeting in Frankfurt Airport. In addition to the Condor management and marketing director said, were the three artists / companies have been invited, who had met the requirements of the pattern painting. After the general feasibility of the project has been classified as realistic, a final sample plate should now be created by all three artists in collaboration. This should happen a short time later in Oberpfaffenhofen. Here the team from Hermann Bauer, from PCC (project supervisor), Walter Maurer - Art & Design Works (Dachau), Martin Dippel - smartart (Dortmund) and Fa.Heller (Berlin)developed a detailed process flow, that is necessary to ensure reproducibility. For the acceptance Armin Moser, acting Maintenance Manager and Miles Perkins of FutureBrand (the English agency that designed the logo) drew responsible. The reaction was found to be 'very good', and thus became the first machine nothing in the way.
The painting of the first aircraft was then in November 2003 in Hamburg 'Lufthansa Technik' instead. Walter Maurer and Martin Dippel allowed this 'maiden voyage' contest in one of the most modern aircraft paint shops. A special requirement for the coating of an aircraft is the time. Since waiting times are extremely costly, it requires precise coordination with the Paint Shop. The default was 1.5 days for both sides. However, in order not to risk has been worked through (24 hours straight). It was then all done in time for the complete satisfaction of the Thomas Cook team. Other finishes followed, among others, in Beijing (China) and Norwich (England).