Believe It or Not, Duncan Aviation Proves Pigs Can Fly

Duncan Aviation transforms a wildly creative Ripley’s Believe It or Not! concept into a 17-color flying work of art. Click image for high-res download.

LINCOLN, NEB. — Duncan Aviation transforms a wildly creative Ripley’s Believe It or Not! concept into a 17-color flying work of art.

They said pigs would never fly. Turns out, they just needed the right wings.

The newly painted Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Citation 560XLS+ is difficult to describe without sounding, well, unbelievable. A bright pink cartoon pig stretches across the airplane, complete with wings, a gold nose ring and a squeaky chicken earring. It soars through the clouds amid oversized graphics, vivid pops of blue, red and yellow, and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! branding on the engines. Nearly every surface contributes to the story.

The airplane was never intended to blend in. It was designed to turn heads, make people smile and inspire anyone who sees it to reach for a phone.

As Ripley’s Believe It or Not! President Jim Pattison Jr. put it, “They don’t call us Believe It or Not! for nothing.”

An Unbelievable Idea Takes Flight

The opportunity to paint the Ripley's Believe It or Not! aircraft began with a completely unrelated conversation.

“The opportunity to paint the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! aircraft actually originated through the chief pilot of another aircraft we had recently delivered,” said Duncan Aviation Sr. Completion Sales Representative Angie Coleman. “As I was walking the crew out to their aircraft prior to departure, the chief pilot asked whether we would be interested in painting a unique scheme he had seen. He explained that it was for Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and that they were searching for a paint vendor capable of bringing their artwork and vision to life. Naturally, I encouraged him to have their team contact me.”

Interestingly, the design shown to Coleman during that first conversation was nowhere close to the scheme that eventually arrived at Duncan Aviation. Within a couple of months, the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! team had developed a new concept and sent it to Todd Duncan, who forwarded the request to Coleman and helped begin the official quoting process.

“When I saw the paint scheme they selected and submitted for a quote, I immediately knew this was a project our paint team needed to take on,” Coleman said. “With the talent, experience and attention to detail of our highly skilled paint crew, I was confident they would be fully capable of delivering the unique and detailed finish Ripley’s Believe It or Not! envisioned.”

From the earliest conversations, it was clear they were looking for more than an ordinary aircraft paint scheme. The company wanted something bold, colorful, and unmistakably its own.

During a video call with the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! team, Coleman got an immediate glimpse of the company’s creative personality.

“I could see that their conference room was full of colors, crazy art and fun displays featuring pieces from the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! collection,” she said.

That personality carried into every stage of the project.

“Working with their team has been one of the true highlights of my sales career,” Coleman said. “Their team brings an incredible combination of creativity, energy and positivity to everything they do. Every interaction was filled with enthusiasm, and more often than not, we were laughing throughout our conversations.”

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! encouraged Duncan Aviation’s team members to think outside the box and embrace the philosophy that the crazier, more creative and more distinctive the idea, the better.

“The reputation of the Duncan Aviation paint team speaks for itself, but Ripley’s Believe It or Not! represents something equally important: fun, color, creativity and individuality,” Coleman said.

She also recognized a shared appreciation for creativity between Pattison and Duncan Aviation Chairman Emeritus Robert Duncan.

“When I first met with Jim Pattison Jr., it was immediately apparent that he had a genuine appreciation for art,” Coleman said. “We do not simply paint aircraft; we transform them into works of art.”

Turning Flat Artwork into a Flying Pig

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! arrived with the overall scheme already designed, but translating that artwork from a flat concept into something that would work across the curves, contours, and components of an aircraft required extensive collaboration.

Lead Designer Hannah Mann helped bridge the gap between the original artwork and the finished airplane.

“They came to us with their scheme already designed,” Mann said. “From there, my job was to take their concept and work through the details needed to actually make it happen on the aircraft. That included refining the artwork and placement, working through colors and finishes, and coordinating with our paint team to make sure everything was achievable while still staying true to their original design.”

The finished scheme incorporated 17 colors. Even shades that appear similar from a distance serve different purposes within the design.

The number of colors was only one part of the challenge. Every element also had to flow properly over the fuselage, wings, engines and other three-dimensional surfaces.

“The biggest challenge was taking such a detailed design and translating it onto a three-dimensional aircraft,” Mann said. “Something can look great as flat artwork, but once you start wrapping it around the fuselage, wings, engines and other contours of the airplane, there are a lot of things you have to account for.”

The teams wanted the design to appear intentional and cohesive from every viewing angle, requiring close communication between the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! designer and Duncan Aviation’s design and production teams.

“They had a strong vision for what they wanted, but they were also very collaborative throughout the process,” Mann said. “With something this unique, there are always details that have to be worked through along the way, so having that open communication made the process a lot easier.”

Mann said many of the smaller details cannot be fully appreciated until someone is standing next to the aircraft.

“There’s a lot going on visually, but it all works together,” she said. “It’s bold, detailed and completely unique. There really isn’t a part of the airplane that doesn’t have something going on.”

A Race Against the Clock

Once the design was finalized, Duncan Aviation’s paint team began the carefully coordinated process of bringing the flying pig to life.

Paint Crew Leader Trevor Reinke was responsible for the day-to-day work on the floor, including planning, coordinating and helping guide the aircraft through each stage of the painting process. Paint Team Leader Brandon Boyer focused on keeping the overall project moving when questions arose involving colors, design details or the timeline.

For both, the greatest challenge was time.

“There’s only so much you can accomplish in a day when you have to allow time for the paint to dry between steps,” Reinke said. “With a project this detailed, timing and planning were especially important.”

Although the project had been carefully planned, the team still had to adapt as unexpected challenges emerged.

“The timeframe was the biggest challenge,” Boyer said. “While the project was fairly well planned out, there were quite a number of unforeseen challenges that kept coming into play.”

At the same time, the team was not working on just this aircraft. Duncan Aviation completes complex, highly detailed projects like this while continuing to support its regular line of business, with every aircraft receiving the same high level of craftsmanship and attention.

Reinke said balancing the Ripley’s Believe It or Not! project with the team’s other work required careful coordination, but the team did an excellent job managing competing priorities and keeping each project on track.

The detailed scheme was built up one section and one color at a time. Because so much of the artwork remained covered throughout the process, even the team members completing the work could not fully appreciate the entire design until the final pieces of masking were removed.

“The best part is always the final unmasking,” Reinke said. “With a project like this, the way we build it up makes it difficult to see the whole picture as you go. When everything is finally unmasked, that’s when you really get to see what the team accomplished. That’s a pretty rewarding moment.”

Boyer said the team felt a personal connection to the finished aircraft after investing so much effort into every detail.

“We put a lot of extra effort into this one to ensure we were as happy with the final product as they were,” he said. “As much as this is their airplane, I know my team and I are taking a strong sense of ownership in it as well.”

The unusual subject matter also gave technicians a welcome opportunity to apply their skills in a different way.

“A flying pig was definitely a first for us here at Duncan Aviation,” Reinke said. “It’s a lot of fun getting the opportunity to bring designs like this to life. Normally, we’re painting a white airplane with a couple of stripes down the side, so working with all the wild colors and unique designs on this project really broke up the monotony. It was a lot of fun.”

Boyer agreed that it was a project no one involved would soon forget.

“It was fun,” he said. “It’s definitely not what we do every day, but it is one that you’ll show everyone you know.”

An Aircraft That Demands Attention

When the masking finally came off, the months of planning, coordination and craftsmanship came together in an aircraft unlike anything else in the sky.

“The airplane turned out exactly how I knew it would,” Coleman said. “Our team brought the idea to life. This one will turn heads.”

Project Manager Carie Bruss described the result as fun, unique, unconventional, and quirky.

“The aircraft is stunning and shows off the talent of our Duncan Aviation paint team,” Bruss said. “This aircraft will make people take out their phones when they see it because they’ll want to capture it.”

For Boyer, the final product was a reflection of the extra effort and long days put in by the entire team.

“I’m extremely happy with how it turned out,” he said. “There were a lot of long days between this project and the other aircraft we worked on alongside it. They are an incredible team of skilled craftsmen and craftswomen, and they continue to impress me every time.”

The project required close coordination among sales, project management, design, production, and marketing. Bruss credited Troy Reinke, Stacy Finch, Justin Machacek, Trevor Reinke, Brandon Boyer, Adam Barry, Hannah Mann, Angie Coleman and the entire Duncan Aviation paint team for helping bring the scheme together. Boyer also recognized Reinke for keeping this project moving and Cameron Furasek for making sure the other concurrent projects received the attention they deserved.

Ripley’s Believe It or Not! representatives also played an important role throughout the process.

“They were great to work with and made this a memorable project even beyond the already unforgettable scheme we put on the airplane,” Boyer said.

The fun continued through the aircraft reveal, which included a coordinated photo and video production and even a live pig for the photo shoot.

“How many other aviation companies will put together a video reveal for a paint job like this and bring in a live pig for the photo shoot?” Bruss said. “Only at Duncan Aviation!”

Bring It On

Despite the playful subject matter, executing a paint scheme this complex required serious technical expertise. Aircraft panels still have to be removed for inspections, sealant must be maintained, and every material must be selected with long-term performance in mind.

“We want an airplane with a scheme and products that are made to last,” Boyer said. “We have an incredible team of designers and technicians who all bring amazing skill sets to the table. With everyone working closely together, wanting to be the absolute best and continually looking to top ourselves, I’m sure there is nothing we can’t make happen.”

“When asked whether there is anything Duncan Aviation’s team cannot paint on an aircraft, Reinke gave an even more direct answer.”

“Given enough time, we can bring just about anything to life,” he said. “Bring it on.”

For Coleman, the completed aircraft represents far more than an exceptional paint scheme. It celebrates the freedom to stand out, show your colors, embrace individuality and, in true Ripley’s Believe It or Not! fashion, “Stay Weird.”

How would she describe it to someone who has not yet seen it?

“It’s a party animal pig that flies,” Coleman said. “Ripley’s Believe It or Not! and Duncan Aviation have proven that pigs can fly.”

Seeing is believing! Watch the paint video and explore more photos of this one-of-a-kind Ripley’s Believe It or Not! aircraft.

About Duncan Aviation

Duncan Aviation is an aircraft service provider supporting the aviation needs of business aircraft operators, government agencies, and other aircraft service providers. Services include major and minor airframe inspections, engine maintenance, major retrofits for cabin and cockpit avionics systems, full paint and interior services, engineering and certification services, fabrication and manufacturing services, and preowned aircraft sales and acquisitions. Duncan Aviation also has international aircraft components solutions experts available 24/7/365 at +1 402.475.4125 who can handle any aircraft system problem with immediate exchanges, rotables, loaners or avionics/instrument/accessory repairs and overhauls. Complete service facilities are located in Battle Creek, Michigan; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Provo, Utah. We also have dozens of other facilities strategically located throughout the United States to provide customers with scheduled regional support and the quickest response possible to avionics, engine and airframe Aircraft On Ground (AOG) situations.

For more information about any of Duncan Aviation’s services, call +1 402.475.2611 or visit https://DuncanAviation.aero/services