Aircraft Exterior Cleaning Services with Detail
- 1. AIRCRAFT EXTERIOR CLEANING SERVICES WITH DETAIL
- 3. DRY WASH WITH PAINT PROTECTION Aircraft exterior cleaning high quality waterless cleaner with protective finish. Cleans and leaves a high gloss protected surface shine, reduces maintenance time and produces no contaminated water run-off. A solution that preserves paint life protects against corrosion and leaves the aircraft surface in aerodynamically clean condition. Non-abrasive formula. DRY WASH CARBON ACTIVATOR WITH PAINT PROTECTION Dry wash Carbon Activator with paint protection is an aircraft carbon removing product with paint protection. The dry wash application process removes heavier carbon and grease stains while leaving a clean and high-glossed surface. Protects long term against harsh environment, Dry wash II Precisions Wax Formula with Nano-Tech polymers Dry wash II Precision Wax Formula - with Nano-Tech polymers, aircraft exterior cleaning product with high quality gloss and protective finish. One easy step that cleans and leaves a high gloss shine and reduces maintenance time so the aircraft spends less time on the ground
- 4. and there is no contaminated water run-off. A solution that preserves paint life, smooth’s the exterior surface and improves aircraft performance. QUICK CLEAN DRYWASH WITH NANO-TECH POLYMERS CAN BE APPLIED IN DIRECT SUNLIGHT Is a light-duty cleaner and Eco-friendly Green waterless cleaning product. It is a cleaning and protecting compound designed to safely remove dirt and contamination from the surface without harming or scratching the paint. A blend of the latest NANO -Technology, seals and protects the surface up to 6 months with the hardest natural wax and durability, for a smooth and deep Nano Shine. Protects from scratching and helps repel dirt build-up for 6 months. BOOT CLEANER & PROTECTANT SEALANT FOR RUBBER SURFACES. Boot Cleaner is a dry-to-the-tough water-based dressing that works great on Rubber. It creates an invisible shield that repels water, dirt and dust. It also protects surfaces from damaging UV rays. Boot Cleaner resists drying, fading and cracking surfaces to aid in maintaining exterior surfaces while at the same time enhancing shine. AIRCRAFT EXTERIOR CLEANING SERVICES MORE Half belly wash from APU to stern. Full dino wash- not including technical wash. Technical wash- sometimes known as an engineering wash- which includes wheels/legs/struts/outside of doors and cargo hold lips. Half APU wash -required when there is a leakage from APU or toilet valve. (The price for this depends on how far across the belly the leakage has spread. APPLICABILITY ALL AIRCRAFT THAT UNDERGO WASHING, CLEANING AND POLISHING. 2. Purpose This Airworthiness Bulletin sets out to provide general guidance and warnings on the subject of aircraft washing and cleaning and also serves as a reminder that any work carried out on an aircraft, including washing and cleaning, is required to be in compliance with the aircraft’s applicable manuals and other relevant product user instructions. Regardless of whether aircraft washing/cleaning is listed in the maintenance schedule as a task requiring certification, or if the owner is cleaning his/her aircraft on the weekend, the basic principles for correct washing procedures remain the same: knowledge, training,
- 5. experience with the aircraft type and compliance with the manufacturer’s instructions are critical to the continued airworthiness and safe operation of the aircraft. 3. Background Defect reports submitted to CASA over many years have identified damage occurring to undercarriage bearings and control surface hinge points where investigation into the defect revealed these bearings were not re-lubricated after washing. Through a combination of the resulting corrosion and excessive wear, this has led to failures of undercarriage torque links and various other movable pivot points. As well as the lack of re-lubrication, in some instances, rod end bearings were found to have failed prematurely due to continual washing of the aircraft with heavy duty, solvent cleaning agents. Additionally, there has been reports of the use of unapproved cleaning agents, such as truck wash, which have a high salt (sodium chloride) content and are intended for cleaning automotive vehicles (made from steel) as opposed to the typical aluminum aircraft structure. Although it is desirable that aircraft be kept thoroughly clean of deposits containing contaminating substances such as oil, grease, dirt and other organic or foreign materials, it is even more important that the cleaning agents used should not add to the corrosion problem on aircraft. 4. Discussion Aircraft cleaning should be a regular part of aircraft preventative maintenance and can be considered as an important part of an aircraft’s corrosion prevention & control program (CPCP). Page 1 of 6 AIRWORTHINESS BULLETIN Aircraft Washing AWB 02-019 Issue: 2 Date: 17 December 2014 additionally, washing and detail cleaning of an aircraft will facilitate a more detailed visual inspection of the aircraft for owners, pilots and engineers. This is achieved by the removal of soils, grit and residue that can often hide potential problems on the aircraft such as degradation of seals and plastic components, ‘working’ rivets, loose fittings and fasteners, damage and wear on landing gear and flight control surfaces. Cleaning agents work by removing soluble and insoluble soils from the surface being cleaned by dissolving, emulsifying or suspending soils in a solution. They can either be classified as light (such as synthetic detergents and soap), or heavy (such as solvents and emulsion type cleaning agents). Solvent emulsion type cleaners (heavy cleaners) should be avoided for the washing of aircraft. However, on occasions, and in certain heavily soiled areas there may be a need for the use of these solvent type cleaners where the area is difficult to clean. These heavy cleaners may carry health and environmental risks together with the possible risk of damaging parts of the aircraft such as composites, acrylics, fabrics, rubber and synthetic seal materials and even some two-pack paints if not washed-off thoroughly. Heavy cleaners also contain solvents and corrosive ingredients that may cause damage to electrical wiring and terminations. They easily remove grease from inside of bushes, bearings and can damage rod end bearings and similar moveable fittings, potentially impacting the airworthiness of the aircraft. Extra care should be taken to remove any traces of the heavy cleaners from the airframe after its use. Similarly, lubrication should be re-applied to all necessary areas that may have been exposed to the cleaning agent. Covers and protective blanks Many aircraft maintenance manuals or other manufacturers’ instructions give details for the requirement to cover critical components, such as pilot- tubes, static vents, AOA sensors and other ports that need to be protected during the washing process. Often the aircraft will have its own fabric covers as well as intake and exhaust blanks to protect such areas. In some aircraft it will be necessary to seal off grills/vents and other apertures and/or the taping up of doors and emergency exits. Caution: Always remove these covers and tape after washing. There
- 6. has been many accidents/ incidents that have resulted from pilot/ static vents or other critical sensors being left covered when the aircraft has been released to service. Page 2 of 6 AIRWORTHINESS BULLETIN Aircraft Washing AWB 02-019 Issue: 2 Date: 17 December 2014 The Washing Process The use of stiff bristled brushes is not recommended for use in aircraft washing. Aggressive rubbing, used in conjunction with abrasive brushes, will result in scratches on the aircraft surfaces. It will also force contaminants into difficult to remove areas and bearing surfaces. Use of a hose with a low pressure or a fine spray nozzle is recommended during washing, rather than using a stream of high pressure water which can force the water, contaminants and detergents into joints and cavities that could lead to corrosion and other damage in unwanted areas. It is recommended that washing takes place in an area protected from the sun so as to prevent the cleaning agent drying onto the surface. This can lead to streaking as well as residue and increase the further potential risk of corrosion. All cleaners that are appropriate for use on aircraft should be able to be rinsed and neutralized from the surface. Washing aircraft from top to bottom is generally considered good practice. For fabric covered and antique aircraft, it is generally recommended to use a ‘dry washing’ technique. This is where the cleaning agent can be applied by a spray bottle and swab which is then wiped clean with a dry cloth rather than risking ‘saturating’ the aircraft with water and detergent which could make its way into the internal aircraft structure. Windows and Transparencies For the cleaning of plastic surfaces and acrylic windows, it is important that the surface be initially rinsed with water in order to remove any salt deposits or any other water-soluble soil before the cleaning commences to avoid creating unwanted scratches. Use only soft cleaning cloths with soap or mild detergent that are appropriate for use on windows and Perspex. Many dry cloths, not designed for plastic materials, will cause unwanted scratches. Polishing minor scratched surfaces may be accomplished with an approved plastics polish and finally finished with an anti-static polish or cloth. Particular care and detail should be taken with the task of windscreen/ windshield cleaning to avoid any damage, scratches and contamination that can cause visual distortion or undue sun glare for the pilot. Aircraft Washing AWB 02-019 Issue : 2 Date : 17 December 2014 An FAA report titled, ‘Natural Sunlight and its Association to Aviation Accidents: Frequency and Prevention’ highlights the facts relating to the many accidents, over a 10 year period, that were associated with glare from natural sunlight. This includes those accidents that resulted from a ‘compromised windscreen’. In several of the accidents, the glare effects were exacerbated due to neglected windscreens (dirty, scratched, crazing and pitted), which further scattered the sunlight. This report demonstrates the importance of aircraft windscreens to be cleaned thoroughly and correctly in the interests of safety. Polishing For bare, unpainted aluminum aircraft surfaces, some polishing is important to prevent corrosion and microbe build-up on the unpainted metal. After removing oxidation and/or microbe build up, apply the approved surface treatment to protect the metal from further environmental effects as advised by the manufacturer. However, regardless of the surface finish, it is recommended that heavy polishing is not performed on any aircraft unless specified as a maintenance requirement by the manufacturer. Incorrect or overuse of polish can have detrimental effects due to the polish, being abrasive, working its way into areas of hinges, bushes, lap joints, etc. and negatively impacting their normal operation. In order to prevent these problems, polishing activities should be limited to the use of only aircraft manufacturer approved products and procedures. 5. Recommendations 1. Use only cleaning products that have been specifically approved for use on aircraft. 2. Always comply with the details contained in the aircraft’s Maintenance
- 7. Manuals, Pilot’s Operating Handbook (POH) as well as other applicable manufacturer’s instructions or relevant product information. 3. Be aware that automotive and household products can cause damage to the airframe and components and that some household cleaners/detergents contain high levels of salt (sodium chloride) which is corrosive to aluminum. 4. Chlorinated solvents or detergents are NOT to be used to wash aircraft. Chloride can cause stress corrosion cracking in stainless steel and in some aluminum alloys. For these reasons, chloride based detergents, such as trichloroethylene, 111 trichloretan etc. are not to be used in the general purpose cleaning of aircraft. AIRWORTHINESS BULLETIN Aircraft Washing AWB 02-019 Issue: 2 Date: 17 December 2014 5. The products and techniques used for cleaning the interior of an aircraft are also important. Due to the confined nature of interiors within the aircraft, only approved (generally non-flammable) cleaners should be used. At the completion of aircraft washing all applicable fittings should be lubricated as necessary. In summary: Incorrect washing and cleaning procedures and the use of incorrect products Incorrect washing and cleaning procedures and the use of incorrect products not suitable for aluminum aircraft structure can cause damage to the aircraft and further contribute to problems of corrosion rather than being a method of corrosion control. Washing aircraft to remove contaminants such as dirt, salt, and exhaust gas residue is important and good practice. However, excessive cleaning or the use of unapproved cleaning agents can ‘wash out’ lubricants and contribute to additional failures, particularly for those components with moving parts that are exposed directly to the washing process. 6. References • Applicable Aircraft Maintenance/Service Manuals, Pilots Operating Handbooks. • Applicable Product information, technical data sheets • Applicable Aircraft Corrosion Control & Prevention Programs (CPCP) • UK CAA CAP 562 – Book 2, Leaflet 12-10 Cleanliness of Aircraft. • FAA Human Factors report, “Natural Sunlight and its Association to Aviation Accidents: Frequency and Prevention” May 2003. • FAA Aviation Maintenance Technician Handbook FAA-H-8030-30, Chapter 6, Aircraft Cleaning and Corrosion Control. AIRWORTHINESS BULLETIN Aircraft Washing AWB 02-019 Issue: 2 Date: 17 December 2014 7. Enquiries with regard to the content of this Airworthiness Bulletin should be made via the direct link e-mail address: [email protected] or in writing, to: Airworthiness and Engineering Standards Branch Standards Division Civil Aviation Safety Authority GPO Box 2005, Canberra, ACT, 2601 Best Regards Faisal Farooq