Im starting the get some flaking on my tail and the paint is quite tired. If I kept similar paint scheme, I could probably just do a scuff and spray paint job and do a lot of the prep work myself. Anyone else do that? What are the limitations of changing some of the colors or painting a previously white area a darker color?

If your paint is flaking/peeling, a scuff and paint is prob a waste of time and money. it is not well bonded and will just start lifting again. I have had good luck on the last paint work I did by having the parts soda blasted. was no deforming of the metal, and the surface was great for painting. I have been wanting to try the water based paint products (stewart systems paint). Getting tired of spraying the super toxic stuff (Imron) plus its getting really, really expensive.

Good luck with ever you decide to do.....

Matt's right. Won't do any good to paint peeling paint. I called a place once and asked that same question. "Starts at $6,000 for a paint job" the guy said. It was right then I realized my plane probably looks great from a couple thousand feet. You can do it yourself if you really want to.

I believe that you can do it yourself, without an IA, as long as you don't do any thing to the control surfaces. I think the control surfaces have to be balanced and signed off by an IA.

Painting projects usually take me about five times longer than I thought it would, but is reasonable inexpensive and makes a big difference. When I look at an airplane and think of all the detail areas that need attention, I decide that the paint shops really do earn their money!

Think about how much longer a wax job takes on your plane compared to the car and multiply by ten for a paint job.

I say go for the Rat Rod look. Flat black bomb can. Or if your a hunter, camo. Green, brown, black.

Cheers...Rob

I thought about Camo on the old 172 but was afraid the ATF and DEA might fine that curious. Especially if you ever flew near the Border.

If you do it yourself, test the paint on a small, inconspicuous area first. Different brands of paint have different chemical properties. I've seen a couple of paint jobs where the new paint reacted with the old paint and made it bubble and crack.

Flat black and camo are great but I really like people being able to see me in the air.. Anything to prevent the dreaded mid-air, in my eyes. There are just so many planes out there sometimes, gotta be safe.

Theres a guy on this list that stripped and painted his old 172 a few years back...wanted to save a little money and had the time to do it. Afterwards, his comment was " that was 90 days of my life I will never get back!!! Never, never again!!" He is talented too but didn't realize the work involved. FWIW