Orange to pink: Pilots raise concerns over planned Flight for Life color change in Colorado

[southwestforests]

Okay, how much of a thing is the color likely to really be?

Orange to pink: Pilots raise concerns over planned Flight for Life color change in Colorado
Mar 20, 2025
Pilots and former crewmembers are worried the change from orange to pink could have safety impacts on the iconic Colorado Flight for Life program.

 

[Graham1973]

They are right, orange stands out in the sky quite clearly under all conditions. Pink on the other hand does not, indeed during
WWII some shades of pink were used to camoflage reconnaisence aircraft.

That said once the change is made it'll take a serious accident to change it back.

 

[southwestforests]

That said once the change is made it'll take a serious accident to change it back.

I'd rather there be no serious accident.
But my Dad and Granddad were pilots, and were in the Navy, and I've lived long enough to have seen that changes usually require some manner of trauma to instigate the action.

 

[martinbayer]

Of course basic safety warning/alert colors should not be subject to any political correctness considerations, if that is what's going on, Colorado.

 

[Yellow Palace]

Of course basic safety warning/alert colors should not be subject to any political correctness considerations, if that is what's going on, Colorado.

It appears that the private company that runs the air ambulances wants brand consistency with its ground ambulances and hospitals. Which is a stupid reason, to be fair. But you'd expect that kind of thing from a healthcare system that's run for profit.

As to whether there's a safety risk? That depends on the extent to which people rely on visually sighting an air ambulance to avoid accidents. On the ground, it's a freaking helicopter, and they're hard to miss. In the air... well, how crowded are the skies over Colorado?

Maybe you have competing air ambulances rushing to get the business of critically injured people over there, I don't know. But given that other aircraft with similar paint schemes exist, I'm not convinced it's a huge risk.

 

[Hanse]

It appears that the private company that runs the air ambulances wants brand consistency with its ground ambulances and hospitals. Which is a stupid reason, to be fair. But you'd expect that kind of thing from a healthcare system that's run for profit.

Why? Do they like to be sued for being unsafe or something?

 

[yeetmahboi]

Why? Do they like to be sued for being unsafe or something?

The question to be asked is if they has ever considered it before. A lot of people are that dumb.

 

[Yellow Palace]

Why? Do they like to be sued for being unsafe or something?

Private companies do have form for putting 'brand identity' ahead of providing a good service.

 

[Hanse]

Private companies do have form for putting 'brand identity' ahead of providing a good service.

Not if it gets them sued. Lawyers rule those places.

 

[Yellow Palace]

Not if it gets them sued. Lawyers rule those places.

Evidently they're satisfied that it won't get them sued, if they're planning to do it. Which does suggest that it's not seen as particularly risky, at least compared to the effect that consistent branding has on profits.

 

[Hanse]

Evidently they're satisfied that it won't get them sued, if they're planning to do it. Which does suggest that it's not seen as particularly risky, at least compared to the effect that consistent branding has on profits.

Sounds like they saved money on their lawyers too.

 

[publiusr]

Evidently they're satisfied that it won't get them sued, if they're planning to do it. Which does suggest that it's not seen as particularly risky, at least compared to the effect that consistent branding has on profits.

That or they have an air-tight LLC.

 

[BlackBat242]

It appears that the private company that runs the air ambulances wants brand consistency with its ground ambulances and hospitals. Which is a stupid reason, to be fair. But you'd expect that kind of thing from a healthcare system that's run for profit.

As to whether there's a safety risk? That depends on the extent to which people rely on visually sighting an air ambulance to avoid accidents. On the ground, it's a freaking helicopter, and they're hard to miss. In the air... well, how crowded are the skies over Colorado?

Maybe you have competing air ambulances rushing to get the business of critically injured people over there, I don't know. But given that other aircraft with similar paint schemes exist, I'm not convinced it's a huge risk.

In some areas, like at the foothills of the Rockies to about 50 miles east of them, between Fort Collins and Colorado Springs*, there are indeed a good number of airfields and aircraft - military, airlines, private (both jets and prop), and helicopters of all three classifications in the airspace.

* Includes the Denver area.

 

[TsrJoe]

A non story really, Ignoring any cost and time arguments, and looking at the proposed artwork, the new scheme does look like it may be actually more visible than the previous yellow/orange horizontally graduated scheme especially during low sun conditions.
I am pretty sure the company would have taken visibility into consideration in their decision :/

 

[1635yankee]

Without a study of some sort, the comparative visibility can't be assessed, so any safety-based argument is moot. I am aware pink was used on P-40s in North Africa during WWII (although a late co-worker, who flew P-40s for the USAAF in that war said there were no pink P-40s), but camouflage colors do depend on the local environment and viewer expectations.

Also, many of the dangers for air ambulances are things like overhead power lines and impromptu landing sites, especially at night and in bad weather.