Aircraft Refinishing
The Procedure
Inspect Aircraft
 Extensively photograph aircraft |
Check lighting operation |
| Note dings, dents, corrosion, missing rivets, etc. |
Flight controls for damage |
| Windshield and window condition |
Door seals and door operation |
| Condition of fiberglass and plastic |
Propeller condition |
| Fuel and oil leaks |
Antennae condition |
| Wing and horizontal stabilizer root seals |
|
Prepare for Paint Strip
| Protect windows with 4 layers alternating paper and heavy duty foil and 3M™ foil tape |
Cover interior with plastic |
| Seal flight control gaps, skin laps, doors and gas caps with 3M™ foil tape |
Cover all fiberglass, plastic, antennae, deicing boots, vents, landing gear and propeller(s) to prevent stripper contact |
Strip Paint
| Apply TOP Chemical™ Boeing Aircraft approved environmentally friendly stripper (BOSS never uses hazardous methylene chloride) |
Pressure wash aircraft to remove stripper |
| Remove all protective masking layers from windows and deice boots |
Final rinse entire aircraft |
Prepare Aircraft for Paint
| Remask windows, propeller(s) and deice boots to protect them |
Remove all flight controls and flaps |
| Inspect aircraft for damage hidden by old paint |
Lightly sand paint residue and corrosion from entire aircraft skin between rivet rows |
| Use Norton Beartex™ abrasive wheels on all universal head rivets to prevent damage |
Degrease and wash aircraft |
| Acid etch aircraft to promote finish adhesion |
Passivate aircraft with Alu-Gold conversion coating to aluminum surfaces (Mag-Coat on magnesium surfaces) to provide a corrosion resistant layer |
| Rinse entire aircraft and remove all protective masking layers |
|
Prime
| Remask windows, propeller(s) and deice boots to protect them |
Apply Sherwin Williams™ corrosion resistant epoxy primer |
Body Work
| Fill dents on non-control surfaces |
Fix cracks in fiberglass fill and feather smooth if feasible* |
| Apply one or more coats of high-build primer if necessary |
Lightly sand entire airplane |
| Reprime areas as needed |
|
Base Coat Application
| Wipe down entire airplane with solvent to remove contamination |
Wipe down entire airplane with tack rags to remove dust |
| Apply 3 coats of PPG Aerospace single stage polyurethane |
Allow finish to cure slowly to ensure the wet look |
Scheme Layout and Application
| Meticulously lay out scheme desired by customer |
Invite customer in to be part of the process |
| Or send photographs to customer for approval before applying color |
|
Reassembly
| Rebalance Flight Controls to manufacturers specification by FAA Certified Mechanic |
Reassemble flight controls and flaps |
Final Detail
| Apply Flamemaster™ Chemseal around windows |
Apply Randolph™ Abrasive Wing Walk Compound where required |
| Thoroughly clean deice boots to ensure sealant adhesion |
Apply Flamemaster™ Chemseal to deice boot edges |
| Apply Aircraft Placards |
Perform gear swing test on retractable geared aircraft |
| Wipe down and detail aircraft |
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* Fiberglass and plastic can be weathered or eroded beyond the point of repair. In these cases we advocate replacement with FAA PMA parts.
