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Flat-black on the hood

Mark33

Mark33

Well Known Member
So I?m thinking waayyyy ahead in the future about the paint job I?m planning on for my -7 build, and was wondering about the suns glair/reflection coming off the top cowling. My paint job is going to be VERY simple. I?m planning on painting it solid white and using vinyl wrap for the minimal amount of red and black graphics that will be applied. I know that with a dark color that?s shiny you?re able to actually see the suns reflection, but with white, the reflection will still be there but it just may not be as obvious. I?m thinking about possibly painting all or part of the top cowling with a flat-black to help reduce the suns glare. What?s some of experiences/recommendations have you guys had?

Mark
 
All my glare comes off the inside of the plane. Particularly the sides of the cockpit and the instruments and seats. I have a medium blue cowl and light colored interior. I never notice any of it in flight. It is only when I try to take a still pic out the side. I guess flat black on the inside might help (???) but I love my interior as-is.
 
DanH said:
Do you need a flat black hood on your car?
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Sometimes it would be nice! LOL!! I?ve noticed a fair number of aircraft with flat-black on the top cowling and I just assumed that it was to help stop the glare.
 
I shot Krylon flat black on the top of the forward top (aluminum section, not cowling) that the windshield sits on top of, just the section inside the cockpit from the windshield aft, to keep it from throwing glare up onto the windshield. The cowling forward is not an issue, IMHO.
 
The cowling slopes down to the prop. You would need to fly directly into a setting sun for a reflection.
 
airguy said:
I shot Krylon flat black on the top of the forward top (aluminum section, not cowling) that the windshield sits on top of, just the section inside the cockpit from the windshield aft, to keep it from throwing glare up onto the windshield. The cowling forward is not an issue, IMHO.
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Yeah, I'm sure at the very least I'll paint the area inside of the cockpit from the glare-shield forward to the windscreen a flat-black.
 
I’ve been flying my 8 unpainted now for over 4 years. I regularly have a ton of glare off the wings. I’ve never noticed a bit of glare off the nose. Never. Same finish both spots. Nuff said.
 
Veetail88 said:
I?ve been flying my 8 unpainted now for over 4 years. I regularly have a ton of glare off the wings. I?ve never noticed a bit of glare off the nose. Never. Same finish both spots. Nuff said.
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Reflection from a polished wing can distort your canopy......:(
 
AndyRV7 said:
it probably has military origins.
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You used to see it some on civil aircraft, too. IIRC the first 747 had a flat black area in front of the cockpit windows.

I?m planning it for my airplane, but almost purely for cosmetic reasons. It?s kinda cool in a retro sort of way ;)
 
It was a no cost factory option on the Caravans when I was working in that area for Brand C. In two years of spec'ing out new airplanes with customers, I don't recall anybody ever wanting it.

Maybe it would be different in a shiny polished aluminum airplane, but I doubt it.
 
I have a flat black piece of 3M 1080 vinyl on my forward top skin between windshield and firewall. Search photos of N767T.
 
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