Question: Why is white used as a base color for so many aircraft? You look out on the ramp and most of the airplanes are white with stripes. Is that to make them more visible?
Answer: The color white is the most reflective, so it helps dissipate solar radiation. You may have noticed that the roofs of many buildings are painted white. The color reflects heat. Unfortunately, a white airplane flying over a city or town where most of the buildings have white roofs can make the airplane hard to see against that background. This is why white is usually the base color, and stripes or decals in contrasting colors are used on the aircraft. Some aircraft owners select their colors not for aesthetics, but for maximum visibility. The most visible colors against blue or gray skies are red and yellow.
