what color to paint new metal panel?

[Artimas]

I have noticed that most airliners and biz jets have fairly dark gray panels. I assume these colors have been selected based on research that indicates the color is preferable to others.
I also have noted that most people with small planes choose beige or black when they redo their panels.

Would dark gray actually be a better choice? Are there reasons to pick a specific panel color other than aesthetics?

Thanks.

 

[Cap'n Jack]

In no particular order, the ability to not show minor dirt. Reflections in the glass. Contrast with the instruments.

 

[Let'sgoflying!]

Please not white.

 

[AKBill]

I vote for flat black

 

[Pilawt]

For some reason a lot of Russian aircraft have a sort of teal-blue motif. They like little electric fans and Garmin hand-held GPSs, too.

 

[SkyDog58]

Here’s a cool color scheme.

 

[Unit74]

Jimmy Hendrix approves!

 

[dmspilot]

I'm so tired of seeing gray, it's so drab. Try beige.

 

[GRG55]

Please not white.

Isn't that supposed to be only on the outside of the airplane?

 

[murphey]

Match your interior, if it's not too garish.

 

[MBDiagMan]

See what you think about grey. I never thought it would look this good. Sorry for the low light pictures.

I thought of something else worth comment. The satin black panel in my Cessna is tough to beat.

 

[kyleb]

Black or grey, IMO. Light colors reflect in the windows.

 

[Unit74]

Does light colors make it easier to acquire the instrument in low light situations? Like, more definitive outlines?

 

[JonH]

Does light colors make it easier to acquire the instrument in low light situations? Like, more definitive outlines?

Light colors are better for crew spaces where walking around and the possibility of hitting your head are higher. I don't think it would be beneficial to a panel otherwise.

 

[weirdjim]

I met the engineer that designed the first marker beacon receiver. I asked him how he chose the colors for the lamps (white, blue, amber) and what criteria he used in his selection. He said he went to the stockroom and those were the only colors that they had.

Go to your garage. What color rattle cans do you have? pick one.

Jim

 

[mwagg737]

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

 

[SkyDog58]

I met the engineer that designed the first marker beacon receiver. I asked him how he chose the colors for the lamps (white, blue, amber) and what criteria he used in his selection. He said he went to the stockroom and those were the only colors that they had.

Go to your garage. What color rattle cans do you have? pick one.

Jim

Always with the scientific answer, uh Jim?

 

[Dana]

Nobody suggested a nice burl veneer?

 

[Pilawt]

Well, what did the [cough cough] design geniuses at Cessna do on the 172?

Black! No, brown. No, black and grey. Nope, black. Beige. Lighter beige. Black (or optional grey) with fake woodgrain trim. Two-tone grey with big TV screens?

<sigh> Take your pick.

1961:


1964:


1965:


1968:


1974:


1978:


1981:




2005:

 

[EdFred]

I kind of like the 1978 scheme

 

[Pilawt]

I kind of like the 1978 scheme

Yeah, me too.

 

[asicer]

Does light colors make it easier to acquire the instrument in low light situations? Like, more definitive outlines?

Depends on what's in the panel. Looking at Pilawt's 1961/1968/1981 pics, I would say that black gauges on a black panel make it harder to figure out which gauge is which at a quick glance. But if it were G1000 I don't think it would matter.

 

[MBDiagMan]

I have a grey panel one plane and black in the other and have flown planes with all different colors and have never, ever correlated panel color with instantaneous instrument identification.

I think Jim has the best solution; whatever paint is on the shelf, usable and enough in the can....there’s your color.....as long as it’s not pink or purple or some such.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

How ‘bout both?

I was test-fitting the gray panel and repairing the black. Decided to repaint using black.

 

[Scott MacMoyle]

love that Mooney panel. Makes me miss my C model. I did the same panel mod to make it verical.

 

[Ravioli]

Please not white.

Isn't that supposed to be only on the outside of the airplane?

Don't be hating on white!

 

[SloRoam]

Just did my new panel in matte black and I don't notice it at all.

That's why matte black is cool: you should not have your eyes drawn to the panel.

When people do work that requires color discernment, what's called a neutral grey it's used as a background, but reading instruments isn't like doing a photo proof.

So have fun!

 

[cgrab]

How about a mirror finish that way you can see how well you are flying.