New in Paint Protection
Regardless the coating process, painting an aircraft is expensive. As a result, many operators take steps to protect their aircraft’s exterior surface and avert repainting as long as possible. They may polish their aircraft with wax or cover it with a clear, petroleum-based coating.
Permanon GmbH, a high-tech development company in Germany, has intro- duced a new kind of protective coating called Permanon Aircraft Supershine. It is designed to protect against finish-damaging moisture and contaminants and miti- gate oxidation from the sun’s ultraviolet rays. Dirt, salt and carbon deposits cannot bond tightly to Aircraft Supershine, thus it cuts in half cleaning labor, according to Pat O’Neill, president of Rochester, N.Y.-based JetShine USA Inc., Permanon’s dis- tributor in North America. Aircraft Supershine is unique to other protective coatings in that it is not petro- leum-based and not toxic. Rather, it is a water-based, nano coating that comprises polymer and an element called Silicium 14 (Si14). Delivered in as a concentrate, Aircraft Supershine is diluted with water and can be applied as a mist, using a spray gun or spray bottle. When it reaches an aircraft’s surface, the solution makes an immediate electrostatic bond that occurs when the Silicium’s positive charge contacts the aircraft surface’s negative charge. It does not make the chemical bond, as do most other protective coat- ings. O’Neill claims that application time with Aircraft Supershine is “reduced by 65 percent or more” over conventional coatings. After application, Aircraft Supershine’s carrier is either rinsed or wiped off. The solution is 98 percent biodegradable, so no pollution issues arise. No rubber gloves or special safety equipment are needed to apply Aircraft Supershine, and O’Neill says the solution “can be disposed of without special treatment. In addi- tion, the coating adds virtually no weight to the aircraft.” O’Neill claims the Permanon product also simplifies maintenance. With some
protective coatings, “you have to take the material all off before you apply a fresh coat,” he says. But such preparation is not needed for Aircraft Supershine; it “adheres only to the worn area.” Aircraft Supershine is Boeing compliant for all exterior surfaces. It also can be
used in aircraft interiors. A liter of Supershine costs $332.95, or less if purchased in volume, says O’Neill. The concentrate is available in containers that hold up to 1,000 liters (265 gallons). Five to six liters is sufficient to fully cover a Boeing 747, he says. About two liters diluted will cover a 737.
AkzoNobel has been a leader in gaining BC/CC authorizations. Richardson says Bombardier Aerospace granted in late 2011 his company’s first authorization; it allows Aerodur to be applied on all of the OEM’s new commercial jet aircraft. Other major coating manufacturers also anticipate OEM qualification soon. “We expect our first OEM qualification for our base coat/clear coat this year,” says PPG’s Cancilla. “We have approval pending,” adds Sherwin-Williams’ Voisin.
AMS 3095
MRO paint shops have been applying the new BC/CC for several years and doing so with Boeing’s and Airbus’ blessings. Recognizing that many airlines have mixed fleet yet want to use a single paint process, the two OEMs have joined to recognize a BC/CC specification, held by the Society of Automotive Engineering (SAE) for the aftermarket. MRO paint shops know they
can put on their customers’ Boeing and Airbus aircraft a BC/CC process that has been successfully tested by independent labs for approval under SAE’s Aerospace Material Specification (AMS) 3095, a decorative coating spec.
A challenge in achieving AMS 3095 certification is assuring that the coatings can be applied in different temperature and humidity conditions. Unlike the OEMs, which can maintain consistency using just one paint facility, MROs are located throughout the world.
Another challenge in serving MRO customers is producing a coating process that works in a variety of paint equipment. “We would not have our MRO customers restricted to using just one type of equipment,” says Cancilla. Cancilla admits that PPG Aerospace has not yet gained AMS certification for its BC/CC product. “Our current emphasis is to get OEM qualifications,” he explains.
Nevertheless, the company’s base coats and clear coats have been sprayed on commercial aircraft. “Not all airlines require AMS 3095 approval; they have their own qualifications,” Cancilla explains. Like the airlines, business jet owners, too, embrace the BC/CC process, although perhaps to realize different benefits. Bizjet owners, for example, often like their aircraft polished to a high gloss. A clear coat that is buffable is a “must have,” says Richardson. Not so for commercial operators, who generally want their top coats to be more fluid-resistant, particularly against Skydrol. Paint manufacturers therefore produce separate paint formulas for the two markets. For instance, AkzoNobel produces Alumigrip BC/CC for the general aviation market and various products for the commercial market. Its Aerodur coating process was developed for Boeing and other North American OEMs, and its Aerobase base coat and Aviox clear coat are for Airbus and other
Aviation Maintenance |
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