Tom,
I want to put one more thought in your head to make your decision even more difficult (and others probably don’t agree with this):
I painted my 4P with automotive base coat/clear coat metallic artic silver (same as my beloved old Porsche 911). I then used laser cut two color vinyl stickers for the N number (you can get all the designs and colors you can imagine there). I got chills (and still do) when I look down these bold and sexy curves of this airplane and no color change interrupts this beautiful design. With clear coat you can get that mirror shine image and I was so proud that I can lay a flash light on my wing tip and the reflection that I see down the wing is almost a straight line with almost no zic zac in it.
After almost 200 hours of flying I learned:
- If you really use your plane there will most likely be some damage to your paint. Some primer/filler might shrink (quick temperature changes because you are coming down 25000 ft in 15 min), you might get some small stress cracks because you are pulling several g’s (you might find it is so much fun flying down the run way with 240 kts and pulling it straight up or rolling your plane up –side-down), you might get some IFR damage around your cowl from going in the rain, your door might slam down on you, your wife or friend might drop something on the wing while getting in (oops)…. I think you are getting the picture…
- Most likely you will need to do some repair on your paint at some point of time. If you use metallic paint u need a very gifted painter to blend it in perfect (fortunately I have one and he doesn’t live far away). Base coat/clear coat is more hassle to fix. Paint schemes ad more complexity to the repair
- Vinyl does not come off if it is not used on the front part of the cowl. I have not seen any static problems with it. When I did a window repair I peeled half of the vinyl off we repaired the paint and I ordered the same vinyl again (they are usually laser cut and they keep the CNC programs on file) – around corners you might peel of the paint when removing the vinyl and not being careful
If I would do it again I would be really torn between an appealing sexy metallic paint scheme and a one stage boring white with vinyl designs that is simple to fix and easier to maintain flawless over a longer period of time
If I overestimate the advantages of plane boring white (because I have not experienced it in real life) please let me know…
Ralf
From: Tom Wallace [mailto:tlwcfii@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, July 28, 2012 12:03 PM
To: lml@lancaironline.net
Subject: ppg paint
I am trying to finalize my selection of paint systems and think I have selected PPG as the vendor as they have been very helpful thus far. However I am trying to decide if I use their Aerospace for General Aviation products CA 8620 primer and CA 8000 or CA 8800 topcoat product.
I have seen a beautiful paint job on an ES using PPG automotive paint system (K36 primer DBC basecoat with DCU 2002 clear coat). So if anyone has experience with these paint systems your input would be greatly appreciated.
Lastly, PPG makes an antistatic Coating 528x310 that is conductive that they recommend over a composite surface first. If anyone could share their thoughts on use of this over the entire surface or just in selective areas it would also be appreciated.
Blue Skies,
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Tom