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#1
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Why are airplanes white?
Here in Oregon, where there is often white overcast and snow in the mountains in the winter, there's a lot of white. It seems to me that painting your aircraft white is akin to camoflage. Wouldn't it be better if airplanes were missile red, cub yellow, construction orange or some other extremely-visible color? Once over Estacada while I was soloing toward my private ticket I saw a camoflaged ultralight puttering along near the airfield over a forest. One has to wonder: what completely ignorant A-HOLE makes his aircraft deliberately difficult to see, and then flies into airspace regularly used by student pilots? That's suicidal, but I digress: White is a poor color for aircraft because it's hard to see except against blue sky. Is there a particular reason it's so popular? -c |
#2
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In article ,
"gatt" wrote: White is a poor color for aircraft because it's hard to see except against blue sky. Is there a particular reason it's so popular? My guesses? Lower solar heating than a dark color, and it works with every accent color you might choose. I like the bright colors, too, though. - Nathan |
#3
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Ever see a production line? When the finished airframes come to the paint
booth, it is convenient, easy, and efficient to use just one color as a base color and then apply the trim paint separately. If the factory decided that all of their airplanes should be blue, there would be a huge outcry (or, more likely, a decrease in sales) because owners like contrasting trim and blue limits their options. Having done my share of search and rescue missions in the Cascades and the Coast Range, I like the contrast between white airplanes and green trees. If anyone wants to paint an airplane orange, red, or yellow they have every right to do so. I have almost run into a black Mooney, however, because I couldn't see it against a forest background. Bob Gardner "gatt" wrote in message ... Here in Oregon, where there is often white overcast and snow in the mountains in the winter, there's a lot of white. It seems to me that painting your aircraft white is akin to camoflage. Wouldn't it be better if airplanes were missile red, cub yellow, construction orange or some other extremely-visible color? Once over Estacada while I was soloing toward my private ticket I saw a camoflaged ultralight puttering along near the airfield over a forest. One has to wonder: what completely ignorant A-HOLE makes his aircraft deliberately difficult to see, and then flies into airspace regularly used by student pilots? That's suicidal, but I digress: White is a poor color for aircraft because it's hard to see except against blue sky. Is there a particular reason it's so popular? -c |
#4
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I guess things have changed, but most light GA manufacturers now allow you
to pick both your base and trim colors from a fairly decent spectrum to give you a more-or-less "custom" paint scheme... "Bob Gardner" wrote in message ... Ever see a production line? When the finished airframes come to the paint booth, it is convenient, easy, and efficient to use just one color as a base color and then apply the trim paint separately. If the factory decided that all of their airplanes should be blue, there would be a huge outcry (or, more likely, a decrease in sales) because owners like contrasting trim and blue limits their options. Having done my share of search and rescue missions in the Cascades and the Coast Range, I like the contrast between white airplanes and green trees. If anyone wants to paint an airplane orange, red, or yellow they have every right to do so. I have almost run into a black Mooney, however, because I couldn't see it against a forest background. Bob Gardner "gatt" wrote in message ... Here in Oregon, where there is often white overcast and snow in the mountains in the winter, there's a lot of white. It seems to me that painting your aircraft white is akin to camoflage. Wouldn't it be better if airplanes were missile red, cub yellow, construction orange or some other extremely-visible color? Once over Estacada while I was soloing toward my private ticket I saw a camoflaged ultralight puttering along near the airfield over a forest. One has to wonder: what completely ignorant A-HOLE makes his aircraft deliberately difficult to see, and then flies into airspace regularly used by student pilots? That's suicidal, but I digress: White is a poor color for aircraft because it's hard to see except against blue sky. Is there a particular reason it's so popular? -c |
#5
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Yes, but back in the 60's & 70's standard GA Aircraft were $7k to $15k today
they are $200k+ I would expect to get to chouse my color for near a quarter million dollars. "Bill Denton" wrote in message ... I guess things have changed, but most light GA manufacturers now allow you to pick both your base and trim colors from a fairly decent spectrum to give you a more-or-less "custom" paint scheme... "Bob Gardner" wrote in message ... Ever see a production line? When the finished airframes come to the paint booth, it is convenient, easy, and efficient to use just one color as a base color and then apply the trim paint separately. If the factory decided that all of their airplanes should be blue, there would be a huge outcry (or, more likely, a decrease in sales) because owners like contrasting trim and blue limits their options. Having done my share of search and rescue missions in the Cascades and the Coast Range, I like the contrast between white airplanes and green trees. If anyone wants to paint an airplane orange, red, or yellow they have every right to do so. I have almost run into a black Mooney, however, because I couldn't see it against a forest background. Bob Gardner "gatt" wrote in message ... Here in Oregon, where there is often white overcast and snow in the mountains in the winter, there's a lot of white. It seems to me that painting your aircraft white is akin to camoflage. Wouldn't it be better if airplanes were missile red, cub yellow, construction orange or some other extremely-visible color? Once over Estacada while I was soloing toward my private ticket I saw a camoflaged ultralight puttering along near the airfield over a forest. One has to wonder: what completely ignorant A-HOLE makes his aircraft deliberately difficult to see, and then flies into airspace regularly used by student pilots? That's suicidal, but I digress: White is a poor color for aircraft because it's hard to see except against blue sky. Is there a particular reason it's so popular? -c |
#6
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"NW_PILOT" wrote in message news4udnex4haNuKGjdRVn- Yes, but back in the 60's & 70's standard GA Aircraft were $7k to $15k today *thrash* TIME MACHINE! TIME MACHIIIIINE! (Art Lacey got his B-17 from the government for $5000 after WWII, wrecked it landing, and they gave him another one.) -c |
#7
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Gotta admit that it has been awhile, but I have visited the New Piper,
KingAir, and Katana factories and every plane came out of the paint shop basic white. But I have to agree with the comment that at present prices the purchaser has more leverage. Bob Gardner "Bill Denton" wrote in message ... I guess things have changed, but most light GA manufacturers now allow you to pick both your base and trim colors from a fairly decent spectrum to give you a more-or-less "custom" paint scheme... "Bob Gardner" wrote in message ... Ever see a production line? When the finished airframes come to the paint booth, it is convenient, easy, and efficient to use just one color as a base color and then apply the trim paint separately. If the factory decided that all of their airplanes should be blue, there would be a huge outcry (or, more likely, a decrease in sales) because owners like contrasting trim and blue limits their options. Having done my share of search and rescue missions in the Cascades and the Coast Range, I like the contrast between white airplanes and green trees. If anyone wants to paint an airplane orange, red, or yellow they have every right to do so. I have almost run into a black Mooney, however, because I couldn't see it against a forest background. Bob Gardner "gatt" wrote in message ... Here in Oregon, where there is often white overcast and snow in the mountains in the winter, there's a lot of white. It seems to me that painting your aircraft white is akin to camoflage. Wouldn't it be better if airplanes were missile red, cub yellow, construction orange or some other extremely-visible color? Once over Estacada while I was soloing toward my private ticket I saw a camoflaged ultralight puttering along near the airfield over a forest. One has to wonder: what completely ignorant A-HOLE makes his aircraft deliberately difficult to see, and then flies into airspace regularly used by student pilots? That's suicidal, but I digress: White is a poor color for aircraft because it's hard to see except against blue sky. Is there a particular reason it's so popular? -c |
#8
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Bill Denton wrote: I guess things have changed, but most light GA manufacturers now allow you to pick both your base and trim colors from a fairly decent spectrum to give you a more-or-less "custom" paint scheme... Probably true of most, but Maule does. George Patterson In Idaho, tossing a rattlesnake into a crowded room is felony assault. In Tennessee, it's evangelism. |
#9
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"Bob Gardner" wrote in message Having done my share of search and rescue missions in the Cascades and the Coast Range, I like the contrast between white airplanes and green trees. Interesting. So it's fairly visible against a forest, although I imagine snow might be an issue. -c |
#10
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White is the best colour for composites because of the thermal effects of
dark colours. white keeps the composite just that bit cooler. "gatt" wrote in message ... Here in Oregon, where there is often white overcast and snow in the mountains in the winter, there's a lot of white. It seems to me that painting your aircraft white is akin to camoflage. Wouldn't it be better if airplanes were missile red, cub yellow, construction orange or some other extremely-visible color? Once over Estacada while I was soloing toward my private ticket I saw a camoflaged ultralight puttering along near the airfield over a forest. One has to wonder: what completely ignorant A-HOLE makes his aircraft deliberately difficult to see, and then flies into airspace regularly used by student pilots? That's suicidal, but I digress: White is a poor color for aircraft because it's hard to see except against blue sky. Is there a particular reason it's so popular? -c |
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