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

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

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

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

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

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

On Wed, 14 Jul 2004 13:42:00 -0700, "gatt"
wrote:

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?

Ummmm.. The USAF?

http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...r%3D%26hl%3Den

On Wed, 14 Jul 2004 23:46:45 +0100, "CB"
wrote:

white keeps the composite just that bit cooler.

Significantly cooler actually.

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

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.