Why unpainted?

[jis]

Unfortunately, most single engine airplanes - perfectly legal to fly in the clouds in controlled IFR - can't afford to include TCAS in their stack.

That's why they still need ATC help in IFR

The point is that anyone that thinks visual identification or detection of an aircraft is the only means of avoiding collisions while in flight is well......

 

[BCL]

If that was once the case, I don't believe it is anymore. I seem to recall reading something a few years ago about a new paint stripping method Amtrak started to employ using high pressure water. They started to use this methodology when the fleet was being repainted from Phase III/IV/V into IVb.

I got a good look at a Superliner (the 11 in Emeryville) this morning. The side stripes were all decals. I could see where one decal ran out and another was laid over the end of the previous one. The decals all had little raised bumps. That would be a neat trick to get paint to do that. The red stripe was reflective tape. The other stripes might also be reflective but it was hard to tell.

I think some of the cars were painted. Not sure where the black from the Pacific Parlour cars comes from, but it looked painted.

 

[PerRock]

I got a good look at a Superliner (the 11 in Emeryville) this morning. The side stripes were all decals. I could see where one decal ran out and another was laid over the end of the previous one. The decals all had little raised bumps. That would be a neat trick to get paint to do that. The red stripe was reflective tape. The other stripes might also be reflective but it was hard to tell.
I think some of the cars were painted. Not sure where the black from the Pacific Parlour cars comes from, but it looked painted.

Some equipment in Amtrak's fleet are decals some paint. I believe most of the Phase IVb cars use decals, and most engines use paint. What black on the PPC are you referring to?

peter

 

[BCL]

I got a good look at a Superliner (the 11 in Emeryville) this morning. The side stripes were all decals. I could see where one decal ran out and another was laid over the end of the previous one. The decals all had little raised bumps. That would be a neat trick to get paint to do that. The red stripe was reflective tape. The other stripes might also be reflective but it was hard to tell.

I think some of the cars were painted. Not sure where the black from the Pacific Parlour cars comes from, but it looked painted.

Some equipment in Amtrak's fleet are decals some paint. I believe most of the Phase IVb cars use decals, and most engines use paint. What black on the PPC are you referring to?

peter

Might have been the observation car. It was black in the area of the smoked windows. They sort of blended into the color of the windows.

 

[leemell]

Landing lights aren't on for the vast majority of the time that the aircraft is in flight.
Planes are damn hard to see during the day time, and the strobes are nigh invisible until you're right on top of each other.

That is why in inclimate weather, you don't turn your strobes on, but rather are required to have an instrument flight plan which means that 98% of the time you're in radar contact.

Strobes are turned off in flight in clouds as the refection from the clouds of your own strobes can be very distracting to almost blinding. In the worst daylight haze you can see strobes quite a ways away, they are far from invisible. I've never had any trouble spotting other planes, especially if their strobes are on. Airline aircraft are required to have all their navigation lights on at less then 10,000 feet in the day.