What are white body aircrafts and why they cost more?
Every airline has its own distinct branding consisting of colour, graphic, and typographic identifiers but a vast majority of aircrafts are painted white. In fact, some carriers have abandoned their colourful liveries in favour of a mostly white canvas with a few decals.
Originally, aircraft were designed for a combination of efficiency and passenger comfort, as well as to increase cargo space. However, in order to maximise revenue and profits, airlines quickly caved in to economic factors and reduced the extra passenger space. They are used in science, research, and military applications. The military employs some wide-body aircraft as flying command posts. The primary reason for aircraft being painted white or light colours is to reflect sunlight. Other colours absorb the majority of the light. This is critical because when sunlight is absorbed by an aircraft, it heats up the aircraft’s body. Painting a passenger plane white reduces both the heating and potential damage caused by solar radiation, not only while the plane is in flight, but also while it is parked on the runway. One of the primary reasons aircraft are white is that they spend so much time in the sun. On the ground, aircraft in hot countries will struggle to keep cool while loading and unloading passengers in the sun. A predominantly white paint job helps to reflect some of that heat away.
Commercial aircrafts are routinely inspected for surface damage such as cracks and dents for obvious safety reasons. Nothing works better than white paint because these dents, oil spills, and other flaws are almost always darker than white, making them easier to identify and repair. a collision between a bird and an aircraft in flight, or one that is taking off, landing, or flying at low altitude. Bird strikes are common and can pose a serious risk to aircraft safety. White exteriors can improve visibility and potentially increase bird detection and avoidance. Darker aircraft colour schemes, on the other hand, may reduce contrast between the aircraft and the visual background. As a result, birds’ ability to detect aircraft in time to avoid collision may be compromised.
Airplanes are extremely complex objects, requiring millions of parts and hundreds of millions of man-hours to design. Airplanes necessitate high-quality aluminium, a plethora of expensive materials, and a significant amount of labour. While it is possible to reduce costs by switching suppliers, the cost is well justified. After all, the company must make money even after paying its employees and other expenses.
