On March 6, 2024, Japan Transocean Air and Ryukyu Air Commuter put aircraft wearing new special liveries into service. The liveries are part of a project aimed at promoting Okinawa’s natural heritages and will be in service for approximately one year.
Japan Transocean Air’s “World Natural Heritage” livery is worn by a Boeing 737-800 registered JA12RK. The aircraft entered into service adorned with the new decals on the morning of January 7, 2024. While its first flight in the new livery was originally scheduled to be NU2 from Naha to Osaka Kansai, based on FlightRadar24 data, it appears that it debuted on flight NU601 from Naha to Ishigaki instead.
Ryukyu Air Commuter’s “World Natural Heritage” livery is worn by a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400CC registered JA82RC. It debuted a day earlier than the Japan Transocean Air livery, operating its first flight in the new livery, NU871 from Naha to Kumejima, on the morning of March 6, 2024.
The “World Natural Heritage” liveries were created based on drawings that won a competition run by Okinawa Prefecture.
Elementary and junior high school students from 12 municipalities in Okinawa’s northern region (Kunigami Village, Ogimi Village, Higashi Village, Nakijin Village, Motobu Town, Nago City, Ginoza Village, Kin Town, Onna Village, Ie Village, Iheya Village, and Izena Village) and three municipalities in Okinawa’s Yaeyama region (Ishigaki City, Taketomi Town, and Yonaguni Town) were invited to participate in the contest.
Two drawings were selected, one drawn by an elementary school fifth-grader from Motobu Town and one by an elementary school first-grader from Taketomi Town. The 737-800 features one drawing per side on its fuselage while the Q400CC wears a small decal combining both drawings next to its port side L1 door.
