Rock icon Grace Slick of Jefferson Airplane was on hand to dedicate Virgin America Inc.'s new corporate headquarters and an aircraft named after the legendary 1960's band.
Slick joined California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and Virgin America Chief Executive Officer Fred Reid for the celebration Wednesday at San Francisco's International Airport.
The "Jefferson Airplane" is the first of Virgin America's new fleet to be named. The company has invited the public to submit entries to name its other planes.
Virgin America is a U.S.-based start-up airline. Richard Branson's Britain-based Virgin Group Ltd. has a minority interest in Virgin America and is licensing the use of its brand, the U.S. company says on its Web site.
The airline, expected to bring 1,700 new jobs to the San Francisco Bay Area, announced last year that it would locate both its operations and headquarters here, after previously saying it would be based out of New York.
Virgin America must receive permission from the federal Department of Transportation before it can begin commercial service.
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