August 22, 2023 Safer Flights, Lower Costs

The Liberty Gazette

August 22, 2023

Ely Air Lines

By Mike Ely and Linda Street-Ely

Have you ever wondered why so many airplanes are mostly white? Well, there are a few reasons, and you can probably guess some of them. 

First off, as the saying goes, follow the money. When you consider that over time, aircraft have to be repainted, the cost of paint can really add up. Especially for larger jets, which can take 120 gallons to cover, costing a couple hundred thousand dollars each time the paint job is redone. If you go with white, it lasts longer than colors, which dull and fade at a faster rate. Fewer paint jobs over the life of a single airplane, not to mention a whole fleet, makes accountants happy.

Interestingly, white paint also weighs less than colored paint because of no pigment additives to bump up the scales. We’re talking a difference of several hundred pounds, over a thousand for larger aircraft. This affects fuel burn, because the heavier it is, the more fuel required to make it fly. For airliners, an all-white plane versus a colorful one can be the equivalent of the weight of eight passengers. Passengers pay for tickets and paint doesn’t, so that’s easy math.

And of course, a used airplane which doesn’t require much change in paint is easier to re-sell. 

Another aspect to consider is heat. White reflects the sun, that heater in the sky you’re a little closer to in an airplane than you are on the ground. Darker colors absorb more heat, requiring more energy to make the inside comfortable. Remember the Concorde? (Incidentally, it is making a comeback.) Highly reflective white paint was crucial on that airplane because flying at Mach 2 produces a lot of heat. The nose and leading edges could reach over 260 degrees Fahrenheit at supersonic speeds. Air France’s Concorde was briefly sporting Pepsi-blue (just for a couple of weeks), which restricted the high speed it was known for to only 20 minutes. 

The most important reason to champion white paint is for safety. It’s much easier for maintenance crews to see damage on an airplane painted white than on darker colors and multi-colored paint schemes, and to find and fix leaks and cracks. White is also easier for birds to see and avoid. Remember that bird strikes happen lower in the sky than your ultimate cruise altitude, so take-off and landing are when these collisions are a risk. Birds are usually above the airplanes at that point, so looking down, with the earth below the airplane, white will get their attention better than something that blends with the colors of the ground. Come to think of it, that applies to search and rescue as well. 

Colorful paint, then, could be argued to be an unnecessary expense. So why do some companies opt for colors? Brand identification and the attraction of snazziness. Who doesn’t love the lively paintings of Star Wars, the Smurfs, Hello Kitty, and Iceland Air’s stunning Northern Lights? Kinda puts you in the mood for a fun flight. 

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