The exterior of the aircraft usually has brightly painted and designed to represent the aircraft carrier they operate. Aircraft painting is essential for various reasons, including protecting ships from elements and corrosion that can affect the identity of the aircraft, their company or organization.

However, the industry requirements for aircraft coating are not as simple as home or car decoration; in addition to attractive designs and coatings, aircraft coatings are expected to stand the test of time.

Read more: The vivid history of the Boeing logo and the Airbus logo

Airplanes are usually painted in 7 to 10 years; the old paint must be completely removed before applying new paint.

Generally speaking, paint is divided into three layers: primer, primer and topcoat; the topcoat layer gives the aircraft a shiny appearance. After peeling off the old color, apply a primer on the plane, then add the primer, and finally apply a shiny topcoat.

The aircraft was towed to a dedicated painting hangar and all necessary inspections were completed in the first step. The inspection process is performed to determine the condition of the aircraft before painting, in order to list the possible challenges in the painting process. Then, the aircraft was parked and masked to polish the old paint; several paint removers were applied to the surface of the aircraft to completely remove the old paint.

After finishing the sanding process, the aircraft is cleaned with clean cold water, the primer is re-covered, and the other paint layers are gradually applied. Most aircraft are painted with high-volume and low-pressure spray systems. The low-pressure painting system can add a very thin and even layer of paint on the surface of the aircraft. The latter process requires a lot of re-cleaning, masking, sanding and even manual grinding to reach the final varnish stage. If deemed necessary, the aircraft will be weighed after the final touches.

Depending on the size of the aircraft and the number of layers required (depending on the type of paint), it may take days or weeks to fully paint the aircraft.

There are generally two main types of coatings used for aircraft painting.

Epoxy resin is a polyurethane coating that can adhere well to the surface of the aircraft. It is formed by the reaction of curing agent and resin. These coatings are known for their high heat and good electrical insulation, making them very suitable for high-altitude flight.

Epoxy paint is not as dry as enamel, so it will not chip or crack over time. Epoxy coatings also have high chemical resistance, are not easy to fade, oxidize or become brittle, have durability and excellent bonding strength.

Enamel paint is a low-cost option for aircraft painting; this coating method is not as dangerous as epoxy coatings, which emit certain gases during the coating process, which is extremely dangerous under exposure. Aviation industry enamel is very different from commercial enamel; the enamel paint used on aircraft is very hard and can withstand chemicals and a variety of conditions. The toughness of enamel allows the aircraft to cope with the harsh environmental and weather conditions that are often exposed to it.

Two of these coatings can also be used together; usually, enamel coatings are used for the design and color of aircraft, while epoxy resins are used for additional strength and gloss. When used together, epoxy and enamel form a perfect combination of artistry and strength. 

Most travelers, even frequent travelers, are always confused about the white base color of the plane, but never ask why the plane is painted white. Each operator has its own unique brand or uniform; below the graphics, almost all passenger cars are sporty white.

But the plane was not painted white at first. In the dawn of the aviation industry, it is rare to see airplanes painted white. Manufacturers and airlines prefer bare or chrome-plated airplanes with a little paint or no paint at all. 

As the aviation industry began to develop, carriers and manufacturers eventually abandoned the bare-metal and no-paint strategy, because this would cause dirt and stains on the exterior of the aircraft to quickly become soiled. In order not to leave a bad impression on passengers, frequent cleaning of aircraft has increased the workload of airlines. Therefore, the aircraft began to receive complete paint, which also extended the life of the aircraft.

Although this is not a mandatory rule, most airlines adopt the white uniform standard for the following reasons: 

One of the main reasons airplanes are painted white is the quality of the sunlight they reflect. Other darker tones will absorb most of the sunlight, which is not good because it heats the aircraft fuselage that may be prone to system failures and many other obstacles, so the sunlight reflecting the white paint quality creates comfortable air-even in There may also be a travel experience flying close to the sun.

When the aircraft is parked on the ground, it can also minimize the heating of the aircraft cabin to eliminate the potential damage of airborne and airborne solar radiation.

When flying, the aircraft are exposed to various strong atmospheric conditions; they are constantly confused under extreme weather conditions. With exposure to various weather conditions and different elements present in the atmosphere, the aircraft will fade, and colors other than white will fade faster. Even after spending a lot of time fighting a variety of conditions, white painting will not fade faster like other tones. 

Therefore, if the aircraft needs to be repainted repeatedly in a short period of time, it may be quite expensive for the operator, because painting is not only expensive; they also significantly increase the weight of the aircraft, up to 550 kg of additional weight, which will Burn more fuel, which leads to the failure of basic cost optimization. Not only that, the repainting process takes about one to two weeks, and the grounding of the aircraft for such a long time will affect revenue generation.

Unlike the darker tones that can blend damage perfectly to a certain extent, white painted aircraft can be easily checked for damage during regular inspections, usually by apron engineers or even pilots before each flight. For safety reasons, aircraft need to be inspected regularly; inspectors will regularly check the aircraft for any damage or wear.

If the aircraft is painted white, the inspection is easier. Compared with other darker tones, the inspector can easily detect bumps, cracks, oil leaks and other malfunctions on the white surface. This enables airlines to quickly carry out necessary repairs and maintenance to ensure safety and comfort for passengers along the way.

Bird strike is a very common problem faced by aircraft. The huge size of the aircraft puts it at risk of bird strikes when flying, taking off, landing or at low altitudes. Generally speaking, it is very common, but it can pose a major threat to small aircraft. Bird strikes may cause structural damage to the aircraft, such as penetrating the cockpit windshield or causing serious damage to the control surface or tail, which will have a dangerous impact on the stability and safety of the aircraft carrier. It is possible that on larger airplanes, especially jet-engine airplanes, after birds are sucked into the engine's intake, they are susceptible to thrust loss, which may cause errors in related instrument readings. 

The white airplane improves the visibility of the birds, and even the birds can be spotted from far away, allowing the birds to recognize the airplane and avoid it. Darker colors will reduce the contrast between the aircraft and the visual background, thereby reducing the ability of birds to detect aircraft and may increase the risk of bird strikes.

Aircraft paint can be very expensive. They are a special mixture of polyurethane coatings and various catalysts and activators to ensure their durability in harsh weather and environments. Although much more expensive than the paint used for interior or exterior decoration on the market, the amount required to paint aircraft is considerable. The Boeing 737 requires an average of 260 liters of paint, while the Airbus A380 may require up to 3,600 liters of paint, so depending on the size of the aircraft, the cost may be quite high.

Moreover, since white is the most common color, the price of this color is quite economical compared with other dark and expensive shades. However, economic reasoning is only part; the thin paint layer makes the aircraft lighter and provides a more fuel-efficient option for the aircraft.