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#1
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Most Visible Color for Aircraft
Howdy,
I've been looking all over, and I can't seem to find any discussions on the relative visibility of various colors for aircraft. I would guess that the best color might be different when viewed against the sky or the ground. Any pointers will be welcome, tom pettit |
#2
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#3
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"Don Tuite" wrote in message
... The Coast Guard probably did some study before it painted its helicopters. Which is why they have the same color scheme as their boats? Uh, sure. I think the original poster's guess is correct, that it depends on whether you're looking at the airport against the ground or sky. I would expect dark colors to stand out better against the sky, and light colors to stand out better against the ground. That said, for overall visibility, the fluorescent yellow/green used on many traffic signs and emergency vehicles is probably the most visible color. Also, keep in mind that the color is probably only going to make the most difference when close to the aircraft. At a distance, contrast will still be an issue, but against the sky, pretty much any airplane will just look like a shadow, regardless of color. Of course, up close is when you care most about seeing the other aircraft, so it's not as if the question is simply academic. Pete |
#4
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Light on top, dark on bottom?
-- Gene Seibel Hangar 131 - http://pad39a.com/gene/plane.html Because I fly, I envy no one. "Peter Duniho" wrote in message ... "Don Tuite" wrote in message ... The Coast Guard probably did some study before it painted its helicopters. Which is why they have the same color scheme as their boats? Uh, sure. I think the original poster's guess is correct, that it depends on whether you're looking at the airport against the ground or sky. I would expect dark colors to stand out better against the sky, and light colors to stand out better against the ground. That said, for overall visibility, the fluorescent yellow/green used on many traffic signs and emergency vehicles is probably the most visible color. Also, keep in mind that the color is probably only going to make the most difference when close to the aircraft. At a distance, contrast will still be an issue, but against the sky, pretty much any airplane will just look like a shadow, regardless of color. Of course, up close is when you care most about seeing the other aircraft, so it's not as if the question is simply academic. Pete |
#5
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I would guess that the best color might be different when viewed against the sky or the ground. If you have ever been in the pattern with a Piper J-3, you must know that the best color is Cub Yellow. I live in New Hampshire, where most of the ground is covered by white pine. For several years there was an L-4 wannabe (a J-3 painted up as a Grasshopper) used for training at the local airport. It was a bear to spot in the pattern, especially if you were higher. Name of Nine Seven Mike. Happily someone banged up a wing, so while it was in the shop, it was painted with invasion stripes on that wing only. You cannot believe the difference those two? three? stripes made! Later, someone else banged up a wing the second time, but alas it was the same wing, so I never got a chance to see if a second set of stripes would have improved things even more. Nine Seven Mike has since been sold down the river, so you may see it at your airport. all the best -- Dan Ford email: (requires authentication) see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com |
#6
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Article in Passagemaker boating magazine cited the coast guard who rescued
some sailers in the water who were wearing flotation suits of safety yellow.. The chopper crew agreed that if the suits had been orange or red, they would have missed them... They could not see the international orange raft that was drifting nearby, but the yellow suits showed against the haze like beacons.. denny "Cub Driver" wrote in message ... I would guess that the best color might be different when viewed against the sky or the ground. If you have ever been in the pattern with a Piper J-3, you must know that the best color is Cub Yellow. |
#7
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Cub Driver wrote
If you have ever been in the pattern with a Piper J-3, you must know that the best color is Cub Yellow. Probably not true. When I started flight training in Pensacola in 1958, all of the Navy's trainers (T-34, T-28, and SNJ) were painted "Cub Yellow". By the time that I graduated 18 months later, after extensive research, the Navy had repainted their training fleet to the current color scheme, white and red. This is of course the same as that used by the Coast Guard and has lasted for 45 years. Bob Moore |
#8
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The Coast Guard choppers that I see around Puget Sound are red with a white
stripe. Bob Gardner "Robert Moore" wrote in message . 7... Cub Driver wrote If you have ever been in the pattern with a Piper J-3, you must know that the best color is Cub Yellow. Probably not true. When I started flight training in Pensacola in 1958, all of the Navy's trainers (T-34, T-28, and SNJ) were painted "Cub Yellow". By the time that I graduated 18 months later, after extensive research, the Navy had repainted their training fleet to the current color scheme, white and red. This is of course the same as that used by the Coast Guard and has lasted for 45 years. Bob Moore |
#9
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the Navy had repainted their training fleet to the current color scheme, white and red. This is of course the same as that used by the Coast Guard and has lasted for 45 years. Right, and fire engines used to be red but now are yellow. Perhaps because the navy and the Coasties can ensure that their population doesn't include color-blind, while the population at large cannot? all the best -- Dan Ford email: (requires authentication) see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com |
#10
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Cub Driver wrote: Right, and fire engines used to be red but now are yellow. All the fire engines in our town went back to Red after a decade of yellow/green. It was found that Lighting is much more important than the color for visibility. And when our fire trucks were yellow/green the public thought they were highway/garbage trucks. We went back to Red because that's the color the public most associates with fire trucks. |
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