All-black jet thrills our world champs

Andy Ellis (left) and Kieran Read reckon the jet-black Boeing 777-300ER will turn heads around the world. Photo / Supplied

The world's largest commercially operated aircraft to be painted completely black in honour of the All Blacks has been revealed.

Air New Zealand commissioned the jet-black plane to highlight its long-time sponsorship of the recently crowned world champion All Blacks.

Players Kieran Read and Andy Ellis ceremonially led the one-of-a-kind Boeing 777-300ER aircraft out of Boeing's paint hangar facility in Seattle on Friday night.

Read said the plane looked "sensational" and would "really turn heads" at airports around the world.

Ellis said he felt similarly about the plane.

"I always feel a huge amount of pride when I pull on the All Blacks jersey with the silver fern to represent my country on the rugby field and to see that replicated similarly on something this big is just awesome."

It took 700 litres of primer and paint and 14 painters working in shifts 24 hours a day for just over a week to complete the transformation.

The vice-president of Boeing's Everett Delivery Centre, Jeff Klemann, said it was one of the most challenging paint jobs they had ever done.

Prepping and painting the aircraft entirely black took one and a half days, followed by a further five days for the intricate detail of the silver fern overlaid on it and the koru symbol. Remaining time was spent on the finishing touches.

The aircraft is expected to be delivered to Air New Zealand in late January.

By the middle of next year the airline will have six aircraft featuring the all black livery, including two Airbus A320s and three Beech 1900D turboprops.