When it comes to carriers, US logistics and airfreight giant Fedex Express is one of the most recognizable airlines out there. While its livery is simple, it is undeniably effective, with the famous white fuselage and purple tail combination being an instant indicator of a FedEx jet. However, its livery hasn’t always looked like this, and, now the carrier has rolled back the years with a retro livery on a 777.
Specifically, the Boeing 777-200F that bears the registration N884FD has been repainted in FedEx’s former livery, with the top half of the fuselage sporting a striking shade of light purple. This is then separated from the white bottom half by an equally distinctive orange cheatline. This special livery was devised as part of a wider series of celebrations marking the legacy of FedEx founder Frederick Smith.
Smith died aged 80 in June 2025, and, on what would have been his 82nd birthday, FedEx Express revealed a retro livery on one of its Boeing 777s yesterday (Tuesday, August 11, 2026) as part of a wider commemoration of his life and work. According to tracking data made available by Flightradar24, the aircraft in question was sent from Memphis (MEM) to New Iberia (ARA) for the repaint on July 27.
Just 15 days later, the freshly painted jet returned to the carrier’s Tennessee hub as flight FX1944 in a clear tribute to Smith’s year of birth. Its arrival formed part of the inaugural FedEx FWS Day of Service, which the company says “honors his profound civic pride and philosophy of community leadership by committing to do good in the communities where team members live and work.” FedEx adds that:
“The aircraft is named Rosie after one of Smith’s granddaughters who was born shortly before his passing. This naming continues the longstanding tradition of naming aircraft after employees’ children.”
The retrojet’s return to Memphis International Airport was also a special occasion as it marked the first ceremonial landing at the hub since it was renamed after Smith. The airport authority put forward the motion to rename the facility after Smith shortly after his death, and, by December of last year, the Daily Memphian reported that the Federal Aviation Administration was working to make the change happen.
Memphis has been the main hub for FedEx Express’s large-scale airfreight operations for more than five decades, with Smith having chosen it in 1973 due to, as the firm puts it, “its strategic geographic location and reliable weather.” His legacy has also been brought to life in Memphis by “a new mural along Plough Boulevard, [featuring] a portrait of Smith composed of the iconic FedEx purple aircraft tails.”
Raj Subramaniam, who currently serves as the President and Chief Executive Officer of the FedEx Corporation, welcomed the renaming of Memphis International Airport. Commenting on the facility’s new name, he explained that “every plane, person, and package that passes through Frederick W Smith International Airport will carry the spirit of our visionary founder and the pride of a city that connects the world.”
The tradition dates back to the first plane in the fleet.
A Closer Look At FedEx’s Huge Boeing 777 Fleet
According to present fleet data made available by ch-aviation, N884FD is one of a grand total of 59 units of the Boeing 777-200F that FedEx Express currently has at its disposal. These aircraft are 10.6 years old on average, compared to a fleet-wide mean figure of 23.4 years old. Going forward, FedEx Express is currently expecting to take delivery of another eight examples of the widebody freighter.
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The youngest 777-200F in the carrier’s current crop of 59 examples of the type is just 1.3 years old. Its registration is N899FD, and, along with the 1.47-year-old N841FD, it is one of two Triple-Sevens in the FedEx Express fleet that are yet to reach two years in the skies. At the other end of the age spectrum, its oldest 777 is N880FD, at 18.09 years. Either way, FedEx’s 777s will remain active for years to come.
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