On Wednesday, November 1, 2017, HAC Hokkaido Air System’s Saab 340 registered JA01HC operated its last flight in the airline’s green livery. Now, the aircraft will undergo maintenance and get repainted into Hokkaido Air System’s latest livery based on the livery of its majority owner – JAL.
JA01HC: The Only One in the Green Livery
With the above, the green livery became part of history.
In fact, the green livery was only ever worn by JA01HC – and never by the other two Saab 340s in HAC’s fleet. The reason lies hidden in the airline’s frequent changes in ownership over its course of existence.
The airline based at Sapporo Okadama airport was founded in 1997 as an affiliate of Japan Air System. And, once JAS merged with Japan Airlines in 2002, its aircraft were repainted into JAL’s “Arc of the Sun” livery.
この頃はまだアークだったのね。これも函館山をバックに。
2014.12.28 HKD/RJCH JA02HC#函館空港#飛行機撮影 pic.twitter.com/eU895H2Cv1— たゆぱぱ (@super_787) 2017年2月28日
In 2011, however, Hokkaido Air System left the JAL group. And that is when one of its three Saabs was painted into the airline’s “original” green livery.
Only about three years later – in October 2014, though, HAC became a member of JAL group once again. As such, there was no need to repaint the remaining “Arc of the Sun” Saabs into the green livery.
Instead, they were repainted into JAL’s new livery. And, with JA02HC and JA03HC already having gone been repainted, now it is JA01HC’s time.
The aircraft operated its last flight in the green livery on November 1, 2017, from Misawa to Sapporo Okadama as JL2816.
これから自分が乗る函館行きJA02HC。 pic.twitter.com/LxkOA2rNGE
— Compass Rose (@hms_compassrose) 2017年5月15日
A Less Colorful Okadama Airport
While for quite some time, it was possible to see three of the Hokkaido Air System Saabs wearing three different liveries – all parked on Okadama apron at the same time – now they will all be wearing the same colors.
2016年4月27日(水)14時頃。
真ん中のHACオリジナルカラー(JA01HC)と、右の鶴丸カラー(JA02HC)と、左のアークカラー(JA03HC)が初めて並んだ(・∀・) #JAL #JAS #HAC pic.twitter.com/LMJz6opBzQ— Good Speed Always (@maz_lantis) 2016年4月27日
