Most Visible Color for Aircraft

The better solution is what reflects light the most. Generally, your
attention is drawn to the object, not by it's color, but it's difference.
When a glint of light is seen, it stands out. All colors look dark
from a distance. Especially down sun.

It is interesting that model planes covered with transparent coverings
are more visible than those with solid colors.

White is better than most. When I see a white plane with a
contrasting stripe, the contrasting stripe disappears before the
white plane does. Sometimes a vertical fin looks like two pieces
flying in formation, the stripe disappears.

One other significant item. The top of your fuel tanks should
always be white, or as close to white as possible.. The worse thing
to have is to have a dark color.

During hot fuel testing they paint the tanks black and set in the
sun awhile. Hot fuel vapor locks quicker.


In article zZE2c.1820$re1.1377@newsfe1-win, "Julian Scarfe"
wrote:
wrote in message
...
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.

I think white on top (contrast vs ground clutter) and dark on the underside
(contrast vs sky) works well, like, for example, the factory Mooney schemes,
http://www.mooney.com/ .

Julian Scarfe

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

What are "invasion stripes"?

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

On 07 Mar 2004 15:14:08 GMT, (Teacherjh)
wrote:

What are "invasion stripes"?

I could be wrong but I believe it's the set of black-white-black
stripes painted on Allied aircraft towards D-Day in WWII. If it is
what I'm thinking http://www.airliners.net/open.file/506614/M/ might
be a decent picture.

wrote:

Any pointers will be welcome,

If you want to stand out against any background, go with lemon yellow or white
with an orange and red starburst pattern.

George Patterson
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that
you look forward to the trip.

Teacherjh wrote:

What are "invasion stripes"?

Sets of alternating black and white bands on the wings and fuselage. With the
exception of some of the high-level bombers, all Allied aircraft that were
expected to fly over Europe in support of the invasion of Normandy were painted
with these. The idea was to keep our troops from shooting at our own aircraft.

They don't necessarily make an aircraft more visible, but they allowed troops
to figure out at a glance whose side the plane was on if they saw it.

George Patterson
A diplomat is a person who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that
you look forward to the trip.

Red on yellow.

wrote in message ...
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

A study was done in england to find the best color/pattern for
increasing glider visibility. They found out that solid black was
best (unfortunetly grp aircraft have to be mostly white, heat issues)
and that bright stripes on a white aircraft broke up the silhouette
and did'nt improve visiblility. I heard the same argument regarding
military use of parachutes, they are grey because all black creates a
definitive outline even at night.

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

After thinking about I would go with the alternating Coast Guard red, black
(on the bottom) white (on the top), and neon/dayglow yellow (the color of
the traffic safety signs in CA). Now mind you I wouldn't want to look at it
with out sunglasses on (or look at it at all really) but I really think it
would be hard to miss.


wrote in message
...
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