Any issues with black or dark paint schemes?

Over the last week or so I've been messing around with paint schemes just for fun. One potential scheme includes some pretty dark colors, including black, on the upper half. I know black would not be appropriate for a glasair or lancair, but how about for our RV's? Will, say, painting the upper half black lead to any potential heat issues? How about black fiberglass wingtips? Also, since I'm hoping to paint myself eventually, are dark colors any easier or more difficult to paint? Are dark colors any more expensive than light? Just looking for ideas before I get too wedded to any one scheme. Thanks.

Yo Steve,

One data point to consider. The bottom of Flash is dark, dark blue. If I roll through one little puddle on the runway the whole bottom of the plane looks dirty.

Point being dark colors show every dust speck!

best,
d

Paint it as you like.

Red is the most expensive. dark colors will get hotter, absorb more heat. I looked this up once. Dark cars are I recall have surface temps about 30F hotter and interior about 15F hotter? Of course with a bubble canopy out in the mid day summer sun, a cover might be a good idea regardless of the paint color you choose. I have heard of some melted plastic in RV's.

Any way temp does not matter for a metal plane like a composite, which has lower strength with higher temp. May be the fiberglass wing tips might take more of a beating, more likely to warp? They are non structural so it does not matter. However do what makes you happy. Things that apply to cars apply to planes. Light colors don't show the dirt as much. Also I noticed my friends red plane shows the nicks and scratches more than white.

When I was younger I had a Camaro the was glossy black. It looked fantastic. Everytime I washed it. And kept looking fantastic for about 12 or 14 minutes after I'd wash it. Then it would look dirty again. I'll never own a black car again.

Having said that, I currently drive a dark blue Jeep and it's almost as bad but since it's a Jeep it's supposed to look dirty.

My wife's Suburu ONTOH is silver. It gets washed once a year like clockwork and always looks fine.

dark colors

Over the last week or so I've been messing around with paint schemes just for fun. One potential scheme includes some pretty dark colors, including black, on the upper half. I know black would not be appropriate for a glasair or lancair, but how about for our RV's? Will, say, painting the upper half black lead to any potential heat issues? How about black fiberglass wingtips? Also, since I'm hoping to paint myself eventually, are dark colors any easier or more difficult to paint? Are dark colors any more expensive than light? Just looking for ideas before I get too wedded to any one scheme. Thanks.

Click to expand...

Here is my RV-6 with black on the bottom half of fuse, and black wing-tips, leading edges and wheel pants:



Here are my observations in regard to your questions:

1) In respect to black on upper surfaces; I transported the wings on a hot August day to the airport on a large trailer with the wings bottom side up. After the wings had been in the sun for a while, I heard a series of loud POPS and the leading edge of the wings developed some serious oilcanning. Needless to say, I was concerned that I had painted a plane that was not going to tolerate being in the hot sun. But it turns out the upper surfaces of the leading edges have enough curvature that oil canning has never been a problem. I don't think you would have problems with dark top surfaces since they are nearly all curved.

2) I've never had any problems with my black fiberglass wingtips or any of the other black fiberglass components.

3) Dark colors require more care in painting since surface imperfections are very apparent.

4) Some dark colors (anything with red in it) are more expensive. I used pure black and it is not much more $$$$'s than white.

I have received many compliments on the use of black on my RV-6. Dark airplanes are not as common as light, but properly designed a dark scheme can be impressive. Having said all the above, I would be more inclined to use dark colors on the lower surfaces rather than the top.

Thanks to all, especially for the first-hand accounts. Sam: I think it was your site that got me to thinking about painting myself. Didn't you paint yours? So I'll either have to blame you or say thanks. (Probably a little of both!) In any case I really do like the look of yours, but will try not to copy it!

Paint passion or practical

The paint job is so important that you only question should be what will give me the most unique and uncommonly beautiful airplane I can have. A couple of thousand dollars either way isn't going to mean anything two years after you paint it but everytime you open the the hangar door, behold your creation and have that private little reunion that no one else can be a part of, you will be sorry for a copy cat common paint job. Practical is for utilities and should have no place in the paint decission process for metal airplanes.

Mine? It is dark blue. Have I had any problems with it? Well, some times I dream about it.

Bob Axsom

Sam Buchanan said:

Here is my RV-6 with black on the bottom half of fuse, and black wing-tips, leading edges and wheel pants:

Here are my observations in regard to your questions:

1) In respect to black on upper surfaces; I transported the wings on a hot August day to the airport on a large trailer with the wings bottom side up. After the wings had been in the sun for a while, I heard a series of loud POPS and the leading edge of the wings developed some serious oilcanning. Needless to say, I was concerned that I had painted a plane that was not going to tolerate being in the hot sun. But it turns out the upper surfaces of the leading edges have enough curvature that oil canning has never been a problem. ...

Click to expand...

I also have a lot of black on my airplane. The bottom half of the fuselage and the wing leading edges and bottoms are black. Like Sam, I have had some sort of alarming oilcanning, but it doesn't seem to cause any problem, except maybe some anxiety.

Today, around 10:30 AM, I was wiping the airplane off in preparation for a flight and the black areas were so hot, I could not hold my hand against them. The aluminum seems fine with that though.

I have learned to not completely top off the tanks. If I do, someone comes running into the FBO, warning me that my airplane is spurting fuel.

Yes, it is hard to keep clean; I just gave up.

I would paint it the same way again. White RV's with a bit of trim color are hard for me to keep sorted out.

Several other things to consider:
1) How thick are the lines of your drawing? A black outline will make a big
change on how the colors "pop".
2) Will your airplane be outside much when it's frosty or snowing? Dark airfoil
tops will absorb heat and will help get rid of frost.
3) White airplanes stand out against dark backrounds.

I like light pigments on the fuselage and darker wings and tails. A light stripe on a dark wing will make you easier to see.
Howie

Safety Colors?

Not to stray too far off topic - but is anyone aware of any studies done in regards to aircraft visibility and paint color? I know from my own experience there are airplanes that are much easier to pick up against either the ground or the sky, based on their color.

Another point, but more of the same

Hi Steve,

I experience the same thing everyone else does. The leading edge of the wing oilcans, but only on the aluminum and I haven?t seen anything wrong with the wingtips. I also leave the fuel down about an inch when refueling to prevent a mess. It?s true, red and yellow are the two most expensive colors and dark colors are next to impossible to keep clean. One thing I haven?t noticed that others warned me about was higher engine temperatures because of the mostly black cowl? CHT, EGT, and oil temperature have all been exactly the same as before paint. I did get to see the Object from the ground for the first time a few weeks ago and those colors make it very easy to see.

If doing it again I wouldn?t do anything different. Paint it exactly like you want it or you won?t be completely happy.