Summary
- Frontier Airlines welcomed a new Airbus A321neo to its fleet, bringing the total count to five out of seven planes delivered from a full-service aircraft management company.
- The new aircraft features a special livery showcasing Wilhelm, the Steller's eider, as part of Frontier's endangered animals initiative.
- The Steller's eider is the rarest and smallest species of migrating sea duck, facing threats primarily from oil and gas drilling, according to Frontier.
Ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines welcomed another Airbus A321neo to its all-Airbus fleet on Monday. The jet was delivered from Aviation Capital Group, a full-service aircraft management company.
The Denver-based airline unveiled the name and livery of its brand-new aircraft in July as part of its endangered animals initiative. More than 45 aircraft in its fleet feature endangered animals, bringing awareness to the US.
Welcome, Wilhelm!
According to Aviation Capital Group, the new A321neo is on a long-term lease to Frontier. It is powered by the Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, known to be ultra-efficient. The company said five out of seven aircraft have now been delivered to Frontier from its order book with Airbus.
As part of the airline’s tradition, the plane sports a new special livery featuring Willhelm, the Steller’s eider. Last month, Frontier revealed a graphic showcasing the look of the animal on an aircraft tail.
The Steller’s eider is a migrating sea duck that breeds along the coastlines of eastern Russia and Alaska, according to the carrier. Among the species, the duck is the rarest, smallest, and fastest flying, and the males are known for their rich orange-buff color on the lower part of their body. Bold black-and-white patterns can be seen on their heads and wings.
Get all the latest aviation news right here on Simple Flying
A vulnerable species
Frontier explained how the rare sea duck got its name.
“Wilhelm the Steller’s eider is named after the German naturalist and explorer Georg Wilhelm Steller, who collected the first specimens near Kamchatka, Russia, in 1740-1741. The US Fish and Wildlife Service listed the Alaska population under the Endangered Species Act in 1997. The Steller’s eider faces many threats, primarily oil and gas drilling.”
The Endangered Species Act aims to protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend. The US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service administer the Act. It is reportedly the world’s strongest protection for the most vulnerable animals and plants.
Frontier welcomed Bori the Coquí Llanero in April on a new Airbus A321neo. The animal is a tiny tree frog native to Puerto Rico and is also listed as endangered under the US Endangered Species Act.
Before delivery
Under the pre-delivery registration number of Frontier’s newest A321neo, F-WZMB, Flightradar24.com data reports that it performed a test flight, departing and arriving at Mobile International Airport (BFM) last week. In a journey lasting nearly one hour and 40 minutes, the A321neo took off from BFM on July 26th at 09:12 and climbed to an altitude of 39,000 feet. The plane flew over southern Mississippi, just south of Hattiesburg, and then headed southwest toward the Louisiana border.
The aircraft continued its turn, heading east over Lake Pontchartrain, just north of New Orleans. Once over the gulf, the plane stayed close to the coastline, turned northeast, and flew over southern Mississippi for the second time. Then, as it was just north of Hattiesburg, the aircraft started its descent and headed back toward BFM. On the final approach, the A321neo performed a go-around procedure and landed safely at 10:46.
According to ch-aviation, the aircraft’s post-delivery registration number is N621FR, and it was ordered by Frontier in December 2017. The jet is reportedly configured to accommodate 240 seats.
Sources: Flightradar24.com, ch-aviation.com