Best color for the instrument panel

[N941WR]

Originally Posted by Tumper

Have there been any discussions about what is the best color for the instrument panel? Flat black?

Dean Eiland
RV-9
Emp

Dean posted this at the bottom of another thread and I thought it deserved a more prominent posting.

Let the debate begin...

Dean,

I'm not sure if the color matters as much as how glossy it is. You really want something to keep the reflections down

I've seen black, white, red, yellow, gray, tan, many different kinds of wood, blue, and many more.

In my case, I used a textured flat dark gray finish because that is what I wanted.

[Randy Walls]

Probably not pink, I mean coral.

[dealfair]

Hey gang,

I believe BEST is whatever you want and like.

My favorite panel was simply sprayed with Tempo Gray Primer. I thought it looked really good and was easy to touch up. Real easy to do also. If I scratched it, just got a cotton swap and lightly painted it and couldn't tell there was any problem. Also the gray is a neutral color that goes with just about anything.

Have seen many beautiful powder coated panels in black, blue and brown.

I'm having my current panel redone in ole Tempo gray primer. I've had several people say it sounds yucky; but when they saw my old panel their minds were changed.

Cheers all,

Deal Fair
RV-4
George West, TX

[Mel]

Personally I like flat to semi-flat black. When I look at the panel all I want to see is the instruments.
Other colors add reflections.

[L.Adamson]

Light gray.

[rv8guy]

Being an old helicopter jokey, I like the flat black, but as was said before, the best color is the one you like.

Really recommend staying with FLAT, however

[AlexPeterson]

I am very happy with the flat black I used. Just last week, I was looking to rendezvous with another RV, so I was really looking intently towards the 10 o'clock position. The reflections caused by the only really reflective thing on the panel (toggle switches and their mounting nuts) made it harder to see. I should find a way to make them "flat" also. When the sun is coming from behind somewhat, everything reflects back off the canopy, the question is to what degree.

[SteinAir]

Here I though Alex liked yellow panels...jeez was I way off!

Anyway, we do an awful lot of these, and while we've seen our share of "non traditional" colors like Hummer Yellow, Raspberry Champagne, Big Band Blue, Feces Brown, Mountain Dew Green, Lipstick Red and a few others the most popular are (in no particular order) Greys, Tans and Blacks. None of them very shiney, we always go for a satin finish. I personally don't like crinkled/textured panels too much (although some are very nice and we've even done some), but they are much more difficult to label, and much more difficult to keep clean. Never (or rarely) glossy. We have't yet had a chance to match DR's "Salmon/Nipple Pink/Coral/Pepto Bismol or whatever color that thing" is scooter!

Also, for your bright switches Alex, we have some really soothing and nifty colored toggle switch boots...and yes...we even have yellow!

Cheers,
Stein

[Geico266]

I'm a Henry Ford kinda guy. "You can have any color you want, as long as it is black."

[Captain Sacto]

I had an Archer a few years back, and the Royalite part of the inst panel was...pea green. Although I never would have requested it, after a while (and especially in IFR) I kind of liked it.

And, as to the color I'll likely select, it will be a deep dark, almost reddish brown. I saw it in a high-end turboprop single (a TBM IIRC) and it resonated for some reason.

The matter is highly individual as others say above. Some folks think they get a better scan with a dark panel (moi for example) and others like a light, or even white colored panel.

I think it's hard to make a mistake. You'll adapt to whatever you choose.


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