When I began shopping for an airplane, I established a pretty thorough list of my must-haves and nice-to-haves. I researched various models. I learned which subtypes were the most desirable and which were the ones to avoid. I became familiar with all the various STCs and ADs that pertain to the types, and I learned what things to look for during a pre-purchase inspection. After significant research, I knew exactly what characteristics my future airplane had to have, and I knew exactly what sorts of things would disqualify an airplane from the running.
While all of those details and specifications were whirling about in my head, it was with some resignation that I accepted I would have little to no control over the paint scheme of my eventual airplane. I knew I could wind up with a sweet-looking classic paint scheme, and I knew I had a similar chance of winding up with some horrific creation that combined bad colors with gaudy design. I wasn’t going to sacrifice my list of mechanical requirements in favor of a nicer paint job, so the look of the airplane would be entirely up to fate.
