Painting

Painting an aircraft is quite an elaborate process. The following checklist is our approach to painting your aircraft.

Inspection #1

Initial incoming inspection to determine exact workscope and note discrepancies in the general condition of the aircraft.

Strip to Metal – Non-metal aircraft parts are protected from the paint stripper and the metallic surfaces are stripped bare with mil-spec organic chemical stripper.

Inspection #2

In work inspection is accomplished to determine the extent of any hidden damage.

• Cosmetic Repair Work – A six man hour allowance is allocated to the cosmetic repair of minor bumps, dents, and dings.
• Surface Corrosion Control – A four man-hour allowance is allocated for the treatment of minor surface corrosion.
• Fiberglass Parts – Non-metallic airframes surfaces are machine sanded, polyurethane filler primed, and hand sanded.
• Skin Seams – Flush skin seams are cleaned, inspected, and sealed as required.
• Erosion Protection – High erosion areas are specially prepared by texturing them to give added “tooth” to the metal for better primer adhesion.
• Brightener Wash – The entire aircraft is hand washed with diluted phosphoric acid soap brightener and scuff pads, rinsed and hand washed a second time to achieve a water break free cleanliness.
• Alodine – All metal surfaces receive a complete alodine treatment. Controlled chromic acid is applied to the metal, conversion coating it to non-metal aluminum oxide. This treatment provides a corrosion protection barrier and the basis for superior adhesion.
• Primer – One coat of chromate epoxy primer is applied for corrosion protection and top coat bonding.
• Color – Three coats of overall Jet Glo polyurethane Base color are sprayed over all of the aircraft.
• Trim Colors – The trim colors of your choice, in the most current factory paint design are applied.
• Landing Gear – The landing gear, brakes, and wheel assemblies, but not the wheel wells, are prepped and painted a silver lacquer or matching overall exterior color to current factory design specifications.
• Flight Control Surfaces – The applicable flight control surfaces are removed, balance checked to the manufacturers tolerances and reinstalled by a licensed A.P.
• Bright Metal – (when applicable) The existing unpainted bright metal surfaces are re polished.
• Placards – The FAA requires placards only as listed in the aircraft fight manual are applied to the finished surfaces.
• De-Icer Boots – (when applicable) The pneumatic deicer boots are finished with an application of the B.F. Goodrich conductive edge sealer, then sealed with gloss black polyurethane enamel.
• Window Seals – Cabin windows are sealed with an elastomeric fillet sealant for a finished window treatment, if needed.

Inspection #3

A final airworthiness inspection and work scope specification inspection are accomplished. The aircraft logbooks are signed off with an airworthiness release.