Below is a screen shot from FS9 in Vista Ultimate.  Initally the planes are nice and white, pick "FLY NOW".
- the screen goes back to 'Create a Flight' and then the plane is dark.  Same with the default ones or add-ins. 

Also during the game the ones on the ground flying around are dark.

So I tried restarting the game and picked a default Cessna, it is white.  Click FLY NOW and it goes dark. 
The second screen shot below the FedEx one shows this.

Any ideas?

tom@tomax7.com

Acer Desktop, E4300 1.8GHz duo, with 2GB RAM, Intel 946GZ Express Chipset graphics with 384 RAM, GMA3000