For the same reason that white protects your glass airplane better
(reflectivity vs. absorbsion) it makes your airplane much easier to see from
any distance -- thus, maybe reducing midair collision potential. Red turns to
black at any distance and is much harder to see.

Bill,

 

Two points:

 

1.  Maybe white is better than other colors.  I have tried to meet up with  like Lancairs, Cozys, Glassairs. etc.  I don't care what color they were, whether or not they had strobes flashing, how loud they screamed over the radio or whatever - we have never seen each other at a closing rate of over 350 Kts until a few seconds before the pass.  A join up always requires the "joined with" guy to be at a slightly higher altitude (out of the clutter) and to bank his wings for a larger silhouetted target.  Unless this is done,  visual pickup is seldom possible at distances greater than 3/4 mile.  We can see the flying slugs, they cannot see our wee lawn darts.

 

2. In my early search for paint and being very safety concious I looked at neons - just like the ski jackets I used to wear.  The neon (coal tar) colors are actually greater at reflection (non-absorption?) than anything as exhibited by their excet\ptional brightness in lowlight gray misty stiuations.  An added benefit would be a cooler airplane.  At a long ago Sun'n'Fun, I went over to a LoPresti mumble mumble that was painted a neon lime (Ugly!), at high noon, even.  I couldn't believe how cool it was to the touch.  Anyway, these paints fade in the sun and are very hard to get consistent color over a large surface.  Another good idea scrapped.