Duncan Aviation has revealed a custom GLEX featuring a blue and black paint scheme with a topographic map design on its tail. The project was completed at the company’s full-service facility in Lincoln, Nebraska.
The design was the result of a collaborative effort between Duncan Aviation designer Jaime Blanken and the owner’s residential interior designers at Alicia Cheung Design and Eva Bradley Studio.
“They sent me pictures of various interior designs they had created for the owner, which helped me understand the colours and styles he prefers,” said Blanken. “The aircraft interior was already blue, and he wanted to extend that palette to the exterior.”
Alicia Cheung, principal at Alicia Cheung Design, said they’d designed several of the owner’s homes over the years, and were excited to extend their collaboration and create a space reflecting his unique style and vision in the sky.
“Working with Jaime was a fantastic experience,” said Cheung. “She was attentive to all our feedback, highly collaborative, and always friendly. Her expertise and approachability made the process seamless! I would love to work with her again on a future project.”
Eva Bradley, principal of Eva Bradley Studio, said the Duncan Aviation team was an absolute pleasure to work with. “Their expertise and professionalism were evident every step of the way,” she said. “Alicia and I always felt well-supported, and no question, request, or change was ever too much for them to handle. Their ‘can-do’ attitude was incredibly reassuring and made for a productive and enjoyable working relationship.”
The aircraft has a gradient fade from Stone Grey on the nose to Ocean Blue Pearl down the fuselage, complemented by the topographic map on the tail, done in Regal Blue Pearl. The map represents a location of personal significance to the owner.
“We wanted to try something new,” explained Blanken. “After selecting the map, we positioned it to fit the tail perfectly. We completed the left side first and then positioned a portion of the map on the right side of the tail to extend the map in the opposite direction, ensuring accuracy and balance. I always enjoy being as creative as possible, along with personalising the design for the client.”
“I love the finished product,” said Bradley. “The colour palette is stunning, striking a perfect balance between timeless elegance with a contemporary twist. It feels like a true home away from home. I’m particularly impressed with the impeccable execution of the paint and the thoughtful attention to every detail throughout the process.”
The completion of the custom paint scheme was a team effort. Duncan Aviation shared that the Layout team played a crucial role in applying the map design and ensuring seamless transitions across the aircraft’s complex curves, both inside and out.
“Transforming a two-dimensional design into a flawless finish on a curved aircraft surface is no easy task,” said Cody Hasse, Paint team lead. “But their attention to detail made it look effortless.”
Team Hasse applied the custom paint scheme and sprayed the fade after collaborating closely with the director of maintenance to finalise the line locations, starting and stopping points. Precision was needed to ensure the design aligned with the aircraft’s contours. Duncan Aviation shared that long hours were spent making sure every line was crisp, and every detail flawless before the final clear coat was applied to the entire aircraft.
Once the paint work was complete, the aircraft moved to the Detail team, which applied the finishing touches. The team faced challenges including extensive sealer work after the paint was completed. They applied and painted the sealer to appear as one continuous, fluid design.
“This project went smoothly thanks to the collaborative efforts of the Paint, Layout, and Detail teams,” said Hasse. “The outstanding support from Airframe was also instrumental in our success. By efficiently removing panels as needed and allowing additional time with the aircraft, they enabled us to deliver a product that exceeded expectations.”
