PORTLAND, Ore.
- Alaska Airlines introduced its Major League Soccer Portland "Timbers Jet" this morning to a crowd of fans in "Soccer City, USA." The Boeing 737-700 paint theme is a combination of two designs created by Paul Wright of Portland, Ore., and John Bode of San Mateo, Calif. The aircraft features the Portland Timbers' name and logo in the team's trademark colors with a rising sun across the forward part of the fuselage.

"The 'Timbers Jet' is a great example of why Alaska Airlines is a fabulous partner for our organization," Portland Timbers President Merritt Paulson said. "This is easily the best-looking plane you will find anywhere."

The two first-place designs were chosen from among 500 entries in a "Paint-the-Plane" contest. The "Timbers Jet" celebrates Alaska Airlines' pride in being the official airline and jersey sponsor of the Portland Timbers.

"Paul and John's winning designs came together seamlessly to create one of the most unique paint themes in our fleet," said Joe Sprague, Alaska Airlines' vice president of marketing. "The plane's iconic green and yellow colors will be hard to miss from the ground or in the air."

To celebrate the introduction of the "Timbers Jet," Alaska Airlines will extend early boarding privileges to Portland International Airport passengers wearing an official Timbers jersey throughout the 2011 MLS season.

Timbers Jet trivia:

The 737-700 has a wing span of 112 feet, 7 inches, and measures 110 feet in length. The plane accommodates 124 passengers and five crew members. With a 6,875-gallon fuel tank, the plane cruises at 530 mph, or mach 0.785, and can fly at a maximum altitude of 41,000 feet. A crew of 18 people worked around the clock for 16 days to paint the plane. The painting process required 130 gallons of paint, about 4,500 sheets of sandpaper and 51,000 feet of masking tape.

Autor: eTurboNews