[MarkW]

I have used the search function and find many comments but nothing very solid.
I am about to paint my panel and need to decide on color and shine.
Many comments about reflections and not to use a glossy panel or even objects in the cockpit. I know someone that will only wear dark clothing. I have never noticed a problem while flying although a C172 and a Citabria probably don't have the same issue as a RV. They also have a flat black panel.
I think the best looking of my choices is the dark blue I am using outside the plane. However I am using a clearcoat and maybe should be using a matte finish clearcoat. If I thought the problem was bad enough I would paint flat black but that seems a little drastic. Plus with a flat black panel all my expensive panel parts won't stand out. Most reflection I see are a light colored panel not the gloss.
What have others used and would you do it again. Thoughts?

 

[springer]

I have always been partial to dark gray and painted my RV-4 panel and interior such and would do it again. Seems to hold up better than light gray that I see in many RV's. Looks more "aircraft like?" Not a fan of colored panels.

 

[Mel]

Dark color, matte finish.

 

[southtarnation]

Vinyl wrap it. Change your mind in two years and wrap it again. Endless choices. Im going to use a carbon fiber vinyl that is cross thatch textured and flat black.

 

[Steve Barnes]

2400 hours with gloss blue panels

Both my 4 and my 6 have had gloss medium blue (sky blue) No complaints. Liked the first one so much that I painted the second one same color.

Steve "The builders Coach"

 

[Rupester]

Gloss promotes glare and reflections; flat shows fingerprints and skin oil marks. Matte or satin work best ...whatever color you like.

 

[RVbySDI]

I used a rattle can flat black from Lowe's. Don't remember the brand but it worked out great. The edge padding and the glare shield material is black microfiber from Classic Aero. No worries about banging the noggin' into the edge of the glare shield with this stuff. Looks and feels great.

 

[Snowflake]

The colour of your panel probably only matters if you're planning on taking pictures from inside the cockpit. Apart from that, you'll probably never notice the reflections when you're flying. I don't, my panel is light beige. But the reflection really shows up in cockpit photos. When I re-do the panel, I'm going matte black, but only because my wife and I like taking pictures.

 

[DanH]

I am about to paint my panel and need to decide on color and shine....However I am using a clearcoat and maybe should be using a matte finish clearcoat.... Most reflection I see are a light colored panel not the gloss.

I've been flying an off-white under PPG matte clear in an RV-8 with no issues at all. Love it.

 

[scard]

Mine is light gray rattle can from home depot. I'm still very happy with it and have never, in 1200+hrs, thought that I should have done something different. You could probably reliably guess what color the one in the -8 is going to be if you saw pictures of the current interior.

 

[Tim 8-A]

I did mine in Carbon Fiber vinyl and like it, will work with any interior color

 

[Jrskygod]

Where did you purchase the carbon fiber vinyl? Does it have a texture or is it smooth?

 

[chrish]

If it helps, Boeing and Airbus use flat beige and grey respectively. Both work well (I prefer the grey).

I suspect the carbon fibre look, especially the 'fake', will end up being the 'plaid' of the 2000's

 

[crabandy]

Not flying yet....but so far I like mine. A local friend let me use his paint booth and paint (water base/clear auto stuff) to mix up a light grey to match the rest of the painted interior. A little glossy, hopefully I'll find out soon if I need to repaint.

 

[Weasel]

We did ours with Gloss finish on the Tan and semi-gloss on the Black.

Works for us.

 

[bullojm1]

I used JetFlex "Sandy Beige" paint. I really like how the avionics stand out against it. It's not glossy, and I haven't had one issue with glare in the past 3 year of flying. I would do it all over again in a heartbeat the same exact way.

 

[Tim 8-A]

Where did you purchase the carbon fiber vinyl? Does it have a texture or is it smooth?

It is smooth and very easy to work. It cuts very nice with no tearing.
its a 3m product, only negative is it scratches easy.
Here is the link.
http://www.carbonfiberfilm.com/?gcli...FUgV7AodECYA3Q

 

[Finley Atherton]

Mark,

You mentioned dark blue. I used a darkish blue with the max amount of flattener mixed in. Probably not to everyones taste but it works for me.

Fin
9A

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[cfiidon]

Hammered Finish Dark Gray

I painted the inside of my -8 with Nason gray epoxy primer. I did the panel the same, but was not happy with the finish and the way it looked.

I then used Rustoleum rattle can hammered finish in dark gray and was quite pleased with the finish. It blends well with the instrument black casings and the light gray Nason finish.

Don

 

[rzbill]

I've been flying an off-white <snip> with no issues at all. Love it.

+1 Me too.

 

[MarkW]

Seems like the glare problem has been over done. I'll go Dark Blue base/clear with a matte additive to bring the gloss down. That way all my expensive panel items will stand out better than with a balck panel.
Thanks for all the input.