[FulltronAviation]

Ya design a custom paint job for your RV. You pick out custom colors. You're planning on having a one-of-a-kind look for your RV. Then... on the big day... when it's time to pick up your plane from the paint shop. AND... your RV, in it's shiny new paint job, is parked beside another aircraft with the same "custom" paint job!!!! Awwwww!! Sometimes ya just wanna scream!

I saw this today as I was walking to my hangar at Springfield Downtown Airport (3DW). It's also more ironic than even this. Linn, who owns this RV-6, is a commercial helicopter pilot... AND he flies this exact model of helicopter! He and Marlin, who owns Fulltron Aviation, designed Linn's unique one-of-a-kind paint scheme to be just what Linn wanted. Somebody up there must have a really good sense of humor.

 

[Tommy123]

Honestly, the last thing I notice about a airplane is the paint job but I'm tuned in to see construction quality due to my decades repairing airframe damage.

 

[lr172]

Let's look at this with the glass half full; Plagiarism is the ultimate compliment. There was a guy at the airport finishing his 10 when I brought mine there. Apparently he liked it, so took pics and gave them to his painter to copy. The good news is if I ever make a bad landing or do something stupid I just say it was the other guy. I knew someday there would be a benefit to small N numbers.

 

[nohoflyer]

That is quite the coincidence. Do a DNA search on that guy, maybe you’re related

 

[Draker]

It still looks marvelous! Are you worried about that black cowl getting hot? I've been going back and forth about dark colors in my design due to concern about temperature.

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Dark on fiberglass....

It still looks marvelous! Are you worried about that black cowl getting hot? I've been going back and forth about dark colors in my design due to concern about temperature.

I like the design as well. But I would also be concerned about BLACK on a fiberglass cowl. There is a reason most fiberglass/composite aircraft are white or a lighter color. Maybe a cowl is not such an issue.

There are pilots out there who have dark-painted airplanes. It would be interesting to hear what they have found.....

 

[bbsdad]

The reason why white is used on composite aircraft is that the epoxy gets hot and begins to loose it’s structural integrity. However this has been mostly remedied with modern high heat epoxy. Paint the inside of the cowling to stop radiant heat from the engine. Use a heat barrier if you think it’s necessary. But the cowlings are not structural members so paint them whatever colors you want.

Hope this helps
RD

 

[Eric Petersen]

copy what works

I think copying can be good. Here is my plane and some of its inspiration.

 

[Tommy123]

Just admit you're a rich guy that owns a helicopter too.

 

[MC737]

Ate at Enriques at Ponca City. Came out to leave and this corporate jet had pulled in.

 

[Roadjunkie1]

Jet vs RV paint.....

Ate at Enriques at Ponca City. Came out to leave and this corporate jet had pulled in.

Parked near you because he liked your paint job...... I like the RV better....

 

[Snowflake]

I like the design as well. But I would also be concerned about BLACK on a fiberglass cowl. There is a reason most fiberglass/composite aircraft are white or a lighter color. Maybe a cowl is not such an issue.

That reason was poor-quality epoxies and resins when fiberglass was a new construction method for aircraft. There are plenty of fiberglass gliders that spend the entire year parked outside in hot sun (yes, white) without issue. For a cowling that will mostly be parked in a hangar year-round, and with modern composite construction, colour isn't a factor anymore.

 

[Tommy123]

That's not a jet, it's a Cessna

 

[Radioflyer]

I like the OP's paint scheme. It is nice seeing color and schemes that are more creative than the traditional primarily white color on most planes. White seems to have been a tradition on aircraft, composite or not...maybe because air conditioning was rare and it kept the cabin cooler.

At any rate, composite planes can be painted any color, DEPENDING on what composite structure methodology is used and/or if the item is structural or not. It is not correct to put all composite structures under one category that should be white. Cirrus aircraft often come in colors other than white. A Glastar fuselage is "composite" and can be any color.

The most well known aircraft that popularized composite building techniques are the Rutan derivatives such as the Vari-Ezes, Long-Ezs, Cozys, etc. These aircraft all use foam-core construction methods. The reason these should be white is to prevent the softening of the foam core shear structure and then delamination from the fiberglass skin. The foam core melts at something like 125 degrees F which can easily be achieved by sun exposure if the skin is painted a darker color. White mitigates this from happening by IR reflection. Other composite aircraft might use balsa or honeycomb shear material that can tolerate higher temps and thereby dark colors. As an aside, it should be noted that the composite skin by itself, whether Aramid, E or S glass, carbon, etc can actually benefit mechanically and chemically from prolong, high (within limits) temperatures. I suspect such would be the case with an engine cowling whether white or other color.

 

[dolphin6500]

Aircraft Paint Shop in Springfield, MO

Interesting information about fiberglass parts and dark colors.

I am the owner of the RV-6A that Dan refers to in the initial post. I have been "lurking" for several years @ VAF, so about time I joined in.

As many of you know, having your aircraft painted can be stressful and expensive. This was my first experience. I am happy to report that all went well, and the result exceeded my expectations. Many thanks to Marlin and his team.

Linn
RV-6A
Tail & Wings -RV-9A (sold)