• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
Unexpected reason why most planes are painted white

Home> Lifestyle> Travel

Updated 19:42 8 Nov 2023 GMTPublished 19:41 8 Nov 2023 GMT

Unexpected reason why most planes are painted white

There's a good reason why white paint is used on planes

Anish Vij

Anish Vij

Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images

Topics: Travel, Weird

Anish Vij
Anish Vij

Anish is a Journalist at LADbible Group and is a GG2 Young Journalist of the Year 2025. He has a Master's degree in Multimedia Journalism and a Bachelor's degree in International Business Management. Apart from that, his life revolves around the ‘Four F’s’ - family, friends, football and food. Email: [email protected]

X

@Anish_Vij

Advert

Advert

Advert

Ever wondered why most airplanes are painted white?

Watch below, and wonder no more:

If you think about it, planes are pretty crazy.

Hear me out, you're literally flying in a big metal jet thingy that weighs over 400 tonnes, on your way to a completely different location, with a totally different timezone and culture. 'Mad innit'.

Advert

Even though planes have been around for over a hundred years now...

Anyway, if you've managed to stay with me so far, you might as well find out why planes are usually painted white.

So, according to Sandi Toksvig, host of BBC Two show QI, there is an unexpected reason as to why we don't fly in rainbow coloured planes.

Ever wondered why most planes are painted white?
Pexels

The panel - who were discussing the 'strange ways airlines cut costs' - were shocked when Toksvig revealed that the reason why planes are normally painted white and not black is because 'dark paint can add the equivalent weight of eight passengers'.

Advert

"Dark paint is heavier because it has more pigments in it," Toksvig says.

"So, if you look at a plan, you'll see most of them are of a lighter colour."

Now, Menkor Aviation - who specialise in the chartering of private jets - also claim there are other reasons why planes are painted white.

"White is the colour that best reflects sunlight," it states.

"You can compare the effect of white on the warming up of the cabin to wearing a white t-shirt in summer, it is always warmer when wearing a dark coloured t-shirt.

Advert

"You can also compare the effect of white on a plane’s fuselage to applying sunscreen to your skin on a sunny day. White, because it best reflects solar radiation, helps minimize potential damage."

Dark paint is apparently heavier because it has more pigments in it.
Pexels

White colours also apparently reduce birdstrike hazards.

"Although it may not be obvious at first glance, the white colour of an airplane has been shown to reduce the risk of bird strikes," Menkor Aviation explains.

"The impact of birds in flight is a significant and common threat to the safety of aircraft. In 2019, no less than 17,228 collisions between an airplane and a bird were recorded in the United States.

Advert

"The white livery allows birds to better identify the threat and steer away from it. Darker color combinations reduce the contrast between the aircraft and the visual background, reducing the ability of birds to detect the aircraft and increasing birdstrike risk."

Choose your content:

an hour ago
6 hours ago
23 hours ago
2 days ago
  • YouTube/The Body DocYouTube/The Body Doc
    an hour ago

    Sobering simulation shows what happens inside your body when having heart attack

    A heart attack simulation video shared on YouTube shows 'what happens during a stroke'

    Lifestyle
  • tiktok/skyhighthaisitiktok/skyhighthaisi
    6 hours ago

    Brit living in Thailand explains 'too good to be true' amount he spends living in country

    Just booking my flights now

    Lifestyle
  • Getty Stock ImagesGetty Stock Images
    23 hours ago

    Woman who dated married men on website says they all had one thing in common

    She said she was quickly 'inundated' with messages

    Lifestyle
  • Getty ImagesGetty Images
    2 days ago

    Sweeteners in diet drinks may be doing 'serious harm' to your brain

    The Brazilian study looked at the effects of consuming sweeteners over time on the brain

    Lifestyle
  • Smart reasons behind why cruise ships are always painted white
  • World's most experienced pilot reveals truth about why we use brace position on planes
  • World’s most experienced pilot reveals why we use brace position as simulation shows terrifying reality
  • Disgusting truth behind what 'blue ice' on planes actually is