University of Alaska Fairbanks Athletics

Photo Gallery
Watch the plane go through the water arch at FAI (video courtesy of Andrew Cassel)
University's account of the day on Storify
 
FAIRBANKS, Alaska – Era Alaska unveiled a freshly-painted Bombardier Dash-8 that features logos from both the Alaska Nanooks and Alaska Anchorage Seawolves on Friday afternoon at Fairbanks International Airport.
 
Members of both the Alaska and UAA families were on hand at the Era terminal to watch the aircraft land in Fairbanks. The passenger-boarding side of the plane features logos of the Nanooks with blue and gold trends while the opposing side has Seawolves' logos with a green and gold design.
 
The 34-passenger plane is a new addition to the Era Alaska fleet and will now carry passengers to and from Alaska's cities and rural villages. Era Alaska covered the cost of painting the plane in support of the aeronautics-based curricula and intercollegiate athletics programs at both universities.
 
"The aviation degree programs offered at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the University of Alaska Anchorage are a critical component to the success of our airline in the future," Era Alaska CEO Bob Hajdukovich said. "This aircraft underscores the value of the partnership and synergy between Era, UAF and UAA. We look forward to this beautiful aircraft highlighting the UAF Nanook and the UAA Seawolf everywhere Era flies."
 
All fans, administrators, student-athletes, coaches and other spectators were all able to walk out on the tarmac and get photos taken in front of the Alaska-UAA aircraft. Both mascots were also in attendance for a photo-op with the working media.
 
Both Chancellor Brian Rogers and Tom Case gave remarks at the celebration inside the Era terminal, along with Hajdukovich. Following the event in Fairbanks, members of UAA, Alaska and the UA Board of Regents flew to the Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage for a similar event for Seawolf fans upon the plane's arrival.
 
"I want to thank Era Alaska for their commitment to our programs and to the UAF community," Rogers said. "Now Alaskans from Barrow to Kodiak, Gambell to Fort Yukon, will be reminded of the great educational opportunities available to them through the University of Alaska, not to mention one of the state's best sports rivalries."

Be on the lookout for the new Alaska-UAA plane that will be flying over the Alaskan skies!