Scientific and Ecnomic reasons for painting the Aircraft with white color
The Reasons Are Scientific and Economical
White airplanes are the norm. (Save for the rebellious Southwest, but we digress.) This
color conformity isn’t without reason. Science and economics provide plenty of solid
reasons why your airplane shouldn’t look like a kaleidoscope. Too bad.
It’s Gettin’ Hot in Herre
The main reason for snow white planes? Thermal science. MIT Aeronautics and
Astronautics professor R. John Hansman told Business Insider that the color best reflects
sunlight, which keeps the cabin of the craft cool (kind of like how long white clothing is
your best bet in the desert). Shielding the plane’s plastic parts (usually the nose cone)
and composite materials from the sun is especially important. White paint also lets
potentially dangerous solar radiation bounce right off. Think of white paint like airplane
sunblock.
According to a 2011 study published in Human-Wildlife Interactions, birds appreciate a
bright white plane in the sky too. The study, conducted by researchers from Purdue
University and the National Wildlife Research Center, found that white airplanes
experienced fewer bird collisions than deep blue and light blues planes. This research
suggests that our feathered friends can most easily pick white planes out of the sky, and
swerve accordingly.
The white paint helps humans visually too. It’s not a matter of collision though, thank
goodness. The whiteness makes cracks, dings, and divots stick out like a sore thumb to
the human eye. And, you know, being able to detect damage on an aircraft is kind of
important.
Show Me the Money
Science is one half of the white plane story, and economics makes up the other. Even
airlines gotta save that dough where they can, okay? When it takes 65 gallons of paint to
coat a single airplane, you need to be smart about what you’ re doing. White is a standard,
cheap color: simple as that. If you did want to get funky with your plane (you do have an
airplane, right?), whatever color you chose to paint it will oxidize and basically fade to
white over time anyway. To keep it nice and brightly colored would require more painting
more often — which, of course, means more money.