Story ID: 446 Scheme Designers
Scheme Designers Showcases Custom Aircraft Liveries
By: James Wynbrandt
Caption: Photorealistic 3D technology on display lets clients see exactly how their unique aircraft paint design will look from every angle.
Word Count: 615
Paint shops and completion and refurbishment specialists report growing numbers of customers want to make a bold statement on the ramp with their aircraft livery, and paint scheme specialist Craig Barnett agrees: “The latest design trends are more edgy and dramatic, and more clients are exploring exciting designs,” said Barnett, chief designer and CEO of Scheme Designers (Booth 4763), on the eve of NBAA 2018. “New paints have brought more vibrant and saturated colors to the industry, and more projects are employing mixed media, such as a mix of paint and vinyl, to make up the designs.” 
At the convention center, the Scheme Designers team is providing expertise on a vast range of possible paint patterns for any airframe. Barnett launched his company 21 years ago and with it the professional paint scheme design business. An engineer by training and artist, pilot, and serial aircraft owner, Barnett combines his talents and passions to create unique designs representing the vision of each client, while celebrating the beauty of each aircraft. The company currently has 13,500 unique aircraft paint schemes flying worldwide, Barnett said, created for customers in more than 150 countries who “range from kit builders to royalty.”
Meanwhile, as Barnett noted, improved vinyl masking technology and materials, like precut vinyl paint masks, allow dramatic and complex schemes to be laid out as simply as basic stripe designs, without significant cost penalties. 
Scheme Designers is showcasing in Orlando its photorealistic paint scheme design approach, which gives clients “a much better understanding of how a scheme will look on their aircraft,” Barnett said. For some customers, the standard side, top, and bottom view drawings are not enough, he said. “They need to see their aircraft from different angles to fully understand and appreciate how their paint scheme design is truly going to look. We’ve developed new approaches and technologies to create renderings that give owners and operators the best possible view of how their design will look, both on the ground and in flight.” 
Visitors can browse through an extensive library of 3D sample designs and past projects spanning practically every type of corporate and GA aircraft flying, fixed-wing and rotorcraft, and discuss their specific design goals and needs with the Scheme team.
Detailed renderings, application diagrams, and instructions ensure paint shops can perform the exterior makeover correctly and efficiently. The company can also provide complete paint mask kits to the customers’ paint shops to simplify layout and ensure accurate replication of the design. 
Illustrating its design capabilities, this year Scheme Designers completed a new vinyl project for AOPA’s Piper Cub sweepstakes aircraft; and at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh this year, reprised its role as paint scheme provider for the second One Week Wonder, a Vans RV-12iS built by visitors during the event; and also provided the livery design for Vans historic 10,000th RV flying, showcased at the gathering. In addition, 11 Oshkosh Lindy Award winners wore the company’s designs, Barnett said, “the most ever.”
In addition to work on schemes for individual owners and operators, the company has provided livery for a number of business and GA OEMs and airlines worldwide. Barnett said he’s eager to discuss “details, ideas, and design concepts for any type of paint scheme design project” with visitors at his booth, and the company is offering discounts on new projects ordered at the NBAA show.
Additionally, Casey Horgan, director of sales is celebrating her one-year anniversary with the company.