jetcareers - View Single Post - Northwest Red Tail--why always red?

B757plt2B · November 11th, 2005, 08:47

Why have the tails on Northwest Airlines' planes always been red? I have heard it is because they used to crash a lot while flying over the poles (looong time ago), and so they painted a red tail to make it easier to find the wreckage. I thought I also might have read that the owner/CEO way back in the day wanted to make it easier to spot his planes in a terminal environment, hence the red tail. Any thoughts??

P.S. I know one of you is just waiting to crack a joke about the tails being red because they're "in the red," so I'll spare you.

November 11th, 2005, 08:47	#1
B757plt2B Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Indiana Posts: 80	Northwest Red Tail--why always red? Why have the tails on Northwest Airlines' planes always been red? I have heard it is because they used to crash a lot while flying over the poles (looong time ago), and so they painted a red tail to make it easier to find the wreckage. I thought I also might have read that the owner/CEO way back in the day wanted to make it easier to spot his planes in a terminal environment, hence the red tail. Any thoughts?? P.S. I know one of you is just waiting to crack a joke about the tails being red because they're "in the red," so I'll spare you.