Aviation questions
Why are planes white?
Most airliners are painted white mainly for practical reasons, not looks — white simply works harder for an aircraft than any other colour.
It reflects sunlight rather than absorbing it, keeping the fuselage and cabin cooler while an aircraft sits on a hot apron between flights. A white skin is also easier to inspect: a hairline crack, leak or patch of corrosion shows up far more clearly against plain white than against dark or patterned paint, which matters for maintenance. And white is simply cheaper to keep looking good — touch-ups blend in easily, and a plain white aircraft is easier to resell or repaint for a new operator than one in bold custom colours.
Airlines still add colour elsewhere, in tail markings and stripes, but the body stays white for those same reasons. It's also the shade that makes an aircraft's true lines and rivet detail stand out best on a brushed aircraft metal print — one of the many types of aircraft that wears it well.
Written by Craig Fearn, Aviation Gift Co.