Short Final

Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A South African Airways Boeing 747 (ZS SAJ) was given a distinctive and "loud" paint job to promote South Africa's bid for the 2010 Olympic Games.
  • While taxiing at JFK, the aircraft's unique livery caught the attention of a ground controller.
  • The ground controller humorously asked the pilot if the "Springbok" had parked in a "bad neighborhood" last night, referencing the plane's appearance.
See a mistake? Contact us.

Greetings from South Africa.

My story concerns ZS SAJ, a classic jumbo that received a loud and traditional paint job as part of South Africa’s bid for the 2010 Olympic games.

Whilst taxiing at JFK, the ground controller asked, “Say, Springbok, did you park in a bad neighborhood last night?”

Tod Burns
via e-mail

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