Why White ?

Ren Frew – With outside air temps at -50 and EGT’s around 400C the difference of a few degrees would be negligible. In fact, heat from outside would be more efficient reducing the bleed requirement from the engines as the cabin has to be heated at altitude. Bodies on board do a lot of that too. Flew a nearly empty aeroplane to India recently and the cabin was unable to be controlled above 22C!

Bemused – Groundspeed may be 400-600kts but IAS and therefore the air across the fuselage has a maximum of about 360kts. At altitude IAS is more like 250kts.

How about the shiny clear laquer of American? I remember them saying at Renton the aircraft weighs more like that than it would if white or some other colour.

Ren Frew – With outside air temps at -50 and EGT’s around 400C the difference of a few degrees would be negligible. In fact, heat from outside would be more efficient reducing the bleed requirement from the engines as the cabin has to be heated at altitude. Bodies on board do a lot of that too. Flew a nearly empty aeroplane to India recently and the cabin was unable to be controlled above 22C!

Bemused – Groundspeed may be 400-600kts but IAS and therefore the air across the fuselage has a maximum of about 360kts. At altitude IAS is more like 250kts.

How about the shiny clear laquer of American? I remember them saying at Renton the aircraft weighs more like that than it would if white or some other colour.

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned so far…

Most lease terms specify that a leased aircraft should be returned in all white colours. Therefore many airlines colour schemes don’t deviate much from white. This was certainly the reason why Aurigny’s Saabs were used to roll out the then new company colours in 1999.

Thats realy a secondary reason.
Its not the original reason for the white paint. Althogh, its a valid enough reasons nowadays.

pain in the arse to see white aircraft tho…….ok talkin white gliders and GA types….never had to think too much about avoiding heavies!

One thing that hasn’t been mentioned so far…

Most lease terms specify that a leased aircraft should be returned in all white colours. Therefore many airlines colour schemes don’t deviate much from white. This was certainly the reason why Aurigny’s Saabs were used to roll out the then new company colours in 1999.

I´m not aware of any larger country in which white is connected with bad luck or death.

White is the colour of mourning in China and Japan, isn’t it? :confused:

I´m not aware of any larger country in which white is connected with bad luck or death.

White is the colour of mourning in China and Japan, isn’t it? :confused:

First off all white is cheap, as it is an universal color and no special mix of different colors like the others.

White does not fade. So any paint work done after the main painting is not that visible.

White is a neutral color. I´m not aware of any larger country in which white is connected with bad luck or death.

White reflects heat when the plane is sitting on the ramp. And it save energy for the a/c.

White makes leaks much more visible.

White aircraft can be more easily leased or sold to other airlines as they do rquir less paint work.

First off all white is cheap, as it is an universal color and no special mix of different colors like the others.

White does not fade. So any paint work done after the main painting is not that visible.

White is a neutral color. I´m not aware of any larger country in which white is connected with bad luck or death.

White reflects heat when the plane is sitting on the ramp. And it save energy for the a/c.

White makes leaks much more visible.

White aircraft can be more easily leased or sold to other airlines as they do rquir less paint work.

another advantage of white is that it does not fade. Most other strong colors do, check for instance a NW DC-10 or KLM 737 that has not been painted recently.

another advantage of white is that it does not fade. Most other strong colors do, check for instance a NW DC-10 or KLM 737 that has not been painted recently.

It should have been restricted to flying during the hours of darkness only!!! 😮

It should have been restricted to flying during the hours of darkness only!!! 😮

it did has something to do with the supersonic speeds.
The paint has to be extremely heat resistant and flexible enough to allow fo concordes stretching during flight

Indeed, and because of that the Pepsi Concorde was restricted to lower speeds, or shorter time at the higher speeds compared to the standard white livery I believe?

it did has something to do with the supersonic speeds.
The paint has to be extremely heat resistant and flexible enough to allow fo concordes stretching during flight

Indeed, and because of that the Pepsi Concorde was restricted to lower speeds, or shorter time at the higher speeds compared to the standard white livery I believe?

Ah righty, cheers 🙂

Ah righty, cheers 🙂

I was sure it was something to do with what happened to it at Supersonic Speeds, I remember people discussing the problems Virgin would have had had they purchased Concorde with the colour been Silver.

it did has something to do with the supersonic speeds.
The paint has to be extremely heat resistant and flexible enough to allow fo concordes stretching during flight

I was sure it was something to do with what happened to it at Supersonic Speeds, I remember people discussing the problems Virgin would have had had they purchased Concorde with the colour been Silver.

it did has something to do with the supersonic speeds.
The paint has to be extremely heat resistant and flexible enough to allow fo concordes stretching during flight

I was sure it was something to do with what happened to it at Supersonic Speeds, I remember people discussing the problems Virgin would have had had they purchased Concorde with the colour been Silver.