smigaldi said:
What types of things do you look for in a paint shop
Ask around your home airport. Chances are someone there has had their airplane painted and can give you a referral. If you can get a close-up look at some of their work, so much the better.
If at all possible find a shop within a reasonable travel distance from your home, so that over the (usually) several weeks of the project you can drop in and check on things and compare notes with the painter.
where do the designs come from
First, the factory itself. The manufacturers pay professional designers big bucks for those stripes, and after all the magazine photos, ads, etc., the airplanes just look "right" wearing the factory scheme, or one from a newer or more upscale version of the same basic design. Yes, you can go off on a tangent with an original design, but it could negatively impact resale value if it doesn't appeal to a wide range of potential buyers.
I have a large collection of photos of factory paint schemes on disk; e-mail me at
grumman365ps@yahoo.com, let me know your make and model, and I'll send you some suggestions.
Second, there are professional designers who market their services to aircraft owners looking for something a little different. Probably the best-known is
Schemedesigners, whose work you've seen on the AOPA Sweepstakes airplanes in recent years. They've also been commissioned by Piper and Mooney for some of their new paint schemes. Their web site shows a number of samples. They do excellent work (for a price), though some of their themes are a little far-out for my taste.
Third, of course, are your own ideas, but as noted above, be mindful of how it might appeal to a potential purchaser down the road. Get a three-view sketch of your airplane (there might be one in your Pilots Operating Handbook, though these -- especially Piper's -- are sometimes inaccurate) and start doodling. Note, however, that a design that looks good on a flat page might not look as good on a three-dimensional canvas (i.e., your airplane).
what pitfalls whould I avoid
Some types of airplane have specific requirements for preparation and painting. Paint strippers, for example, can damage the bonded areas of the Grumman-American series of airplanes. The maintenance manual explains the proper procedure to protect the bond lines. Make sure the painter is aware of any specific instructions that apply to your airplane, and is willing to abide by them.
If you plan to do any exterior modification to your airplane in the foreseeable future (e.g., aftermarket wingtips, adding or removing avionics antennae, etc.), do them before painting so any blemishes will be covered and colors will match.
Painting an airplane properly requires a substantial amount of airframe disassembly and reassembly. When you pick your airplane up from the paint shop, is when you must do the most thorough preflight inspection you have ever done, to make sure everything has been put back together properly. Trust me on this one.
I hope this is helpful. Good luck with your project.
The story of our paint project, from selection of the design through completion, is online at
http://www.geocities.com/grumman365ps/paint1.html
-- Pilawt
