Black paint scheme- Yes or No?

[moosp]

Has anyone had experience with black colour paint schemes on helicopters? We are thinking of a re-spray on an EC120 and that is one of the options.

I know on a car they can be a nightmare to keep looking good, even a rain shower can make it look un-kept. Is a helicopter paintwork any different?

Thanks in advance for your ideas.

[goaround7]

One Jet Ranger in black used here in South Africa and looks awful - faded in the sun very badly.

We operate a metallic dark grey EC120 which looks the absolute dog's - best scheme I've seen.

What about the UK police and Air Force machines - aren't they black ?

[jayteeto]

Not quite black. Like a bad priest's socks, ours is a very very very very dark blue and it looks terrible unless you are out polishing all the time. Another colour recommended!!

[TheFlyingSquirrel]

I have to agree with goaround - one of the most eye catching paint jobs i've witnessed is a H500 in a dark metalic grey - looks the DB's !!

[ShyTorque]

Computer says no.....

[Texdoc]

Cars always wear the dirt well in a dark colour if they have a real good metallic (Luminiscent?) paint ...dirt camoflage :suspect: Can you get metallic black :8

[BigMike]

Try black tinted with a pearl. There are some fantastic paint jobs done using this combination. Go to a car repair shop and ask to look at there colour charts. The painters there will also be able to give a few hints.

Cheers BigMike

[moosp]

Thanks for your points. We fly in a pretty polluted atmosphere, plus the salt spray so it might look constantly grubby. The point about the metallic is good - sort of adds the dirt before they paint it.

Our other favourite is dark blue which has worked well in the past. It's not for commercial use, but it's nice to show off a clean machine.

[SASless]

Hughes had a standard dark gray/sliver/blue scheme that was very pleasing to the eye.....but keeping the tailboom clean was a daily task. Lots of 409 spray cleaner after each flight...and a wash at the end of the day.

Black....never...no way...uh uh.....not over my dead body!

[HeliEng]

There is a very nice metallic black, that has gold in it.

There is an R44 with it, and gold registration, and (for an R44) it looks quite smart.

[widgeon]

in the good ole days of news groups there was a black helicopter news group.

[Grainger]

How about one that's black, silent, doesn't show up on radar... :E

[noooby]

If there is any chance of scratching the paint, then DON'T GO WITH PEARL. Ask a painter how easy it is to touch up pearl and he'll probably laugh. Easier to repaint the helicopter sometimes!! Agree with a nice metallic grey or gun metal grey. They look cool! Even metallic can be difficult to touch up after damage though. If it corporate, probably OK, if it Aerial Work, perhaps you need a more practical paint scheme.
Just my 2 cents :-)

noooby

[leemind]

I used to fly a metallic black H500. I think it looked the dogs dangly bits. Very mean. No strips or mixed colours. Just one colour. I don't ever remember it looking scruffy when dirty.

Personally, all these multicoloured schemes with strips look so dated. Go one solid bold colour!

I'll try and dig out a photo if that would help.

All IMHO of course :p

[Arm out the window]

Our mob operate a black Long Ranger that has silvery metallic flecks through the paint (not all that noticeable from a distance, but give a sort of a sparkle to it rather than looking too matt); always looks pretty good.
It doesn't seem to get appreciably hotter than the others, and the machines with whitish paint look shabby when they get a bit dirty. Certainly worth a thought.

[BigMike]

With regards to pearl paint, don't be put off by having to touch it up. The trick is to always mix up plenty of extra paint when you make the colour. Any good spray-painter with experience in Clear over Base painting, and pearls, will have no problem. Some guys are a little afraid of using them if they have no experience with this type of paint. It is very important to apply a good quality professional wax (3M are good) afterwards to protect the paint. You will find it much easier to keep clean as well with carbon etc, not sticking to the paint as much. This applys to older paint-work as well.

Cheers BigMike

[moosp]

Thanks again for the advice. I'll see if the paint shop has some swatches of metallic grey to show us.

The prismatic paints look the dogs too. I wonder what other colour they could mix with a pearl black to give the rainbow walkaround effect.

[BigMike]

Have a look at the 407 picture posted by Blender Pilot on the gallery thread.

http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=1966919#post1966919

Great paint job.
Maybe check out your local Performance Car shop or Hot Rod club as these guys tend to use these types of paint alot. A black base tinter with a blue pearl will give you a good result.

[TheFlyingSquirrel]

Click for the baby I was talking about - the pic doesn't really do it justice - Close up it's mouth watering !!

click here (http://images.airliners.net/open.file?id=561999&WxsIERv=Uhturf%20369R&WdsYXMg=Ovttva%20Uvyy%20Uryvpbcgref&QtODMg=Bss-Nvecbeg%20-%20Ybaqba&ERDLTkt=HX%20-%20Ratynaq&ktODMp=Ncevy%2017%2C%202004&BP=0&WNEb25u=GM%20Nivngvba&xsIERvdWdsY=T-PPXF&MgTUQtODMgKE=Svefg%20cvp%20bs%20guvf%20n%2Fp%20ba%20n.arg.%2 0Nofbyhgryl%20tbetrbhf%20Uhturf%20500%20va%20tencuvgr-terl%2C%20haqrearngu%20gur%20yvtugf%20va%20Rneyf%20Pbheg%20s be%20%22SYL%21%20Gur%20Ybaqba%20Nve%20Fubj%22.&YXMgTUQtODMgKERD=821&NEb25uZWxs=2004-04-25%2000%3A00%3A00&ODJ9dvCE=&O89Dcjdg=0303R&static=yes&width=1200&height=816&sok=JURER%20%20%28nveyvar%20%3D%20%27Ovttva%20Uvyy%20Uryvpbc gref%27%29%20%20BEQRE%20OL%20cubgb_vq%20QRFP&photo_nr=4&prev_id=787638&next_id=NEXTID)