why dont airlines paint wings different colors?

emerald_flag wrote:

so if i started an airline could i paint the wings if i wanted to?

Yes but it wouldn't be very economical 😉

I don't know, but maybe you won't even get enough lift for take-off 😳

besides adding weight, there is also the shape of the wing to consider. when you fly through hail or a swarm of bugs you'll chip the paint, changing the shape of the wing. also, cracks and chips in the paint will encourage icing, and that's a big no-no. not to mention chipped up paint looks real crappy. paint may also inhibit the slippery-ness of the wing because the microscopic surface of the paint may not be as smooth as the metal. a wing with a problem like that may experience an accelerated metal fatigue.

Disclaimer: i'm no aeronautical engineer, nor do i play one on TV.
the preceding statements are only "best guesses" on my part and should not be accepted as fact until confirmed by someone who actually knows.