Duncan, While I chose a light blue Nextel for the rest of the cockpit I have
cobalt blue Nextel for the complete panel which gives complete absence of
windscreen reflection and good instrument visibility. I have not encountered
any heating problems although I have fitted a small fan on the underside of
the panel over the passenger's feet which blows air around the instruments
and out through a series of holes at the base of the pilot's side of the
windscreen. This arrangement doubles as a screen demister for foggy English
days, and an instrument cooler for scorching hot days. A year's flying has
so far only revealed the occasional need for the former! Regards, david
----- Original Message -----
From: Ami McFadyean <ami@mcfadyean.freeserve.co.uk>
Subject: Europa-List: Instrument panel colours
<ami@mcfadyean.freeserve.co.uk>
>
> I painted the top of my instrument panel in a light colour, for VFR day
> flight only; generally it provides a feeling of spaceousness in the
cockpit.
> Big Mistake.
>
> In sunlight there is noticeable reflection onto the inside of hte
windscreen
> that gives an effect of flying into haze; visibility permanently degraded
> whilst the sun shines.
>
> I'm fearful that repainting the top of the panel with matt black could
> overheat hte panel and/or cause heat distortion of the fibreglass.
>
> Has anyone with a "dark" colour panel (meaning grey or dark blue etc)
> experienced any difficulties as above? Are there colours complimentary to
> the brown-tinted windscreen that would reflect less?
>
> Duncan Mcf.
>
>
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