You just purchased your dream aircraft, so of course, you want to make sure it looks the best! Aircraft cleaning can be a point of pride in an owner’s life. Being able to take care of your investment can become a leisure activity.
This guide will primarily cover cleaning the external parts of your aircraft. In order to learn more about cleaning the interior of your aircraft check out our guide on that here.
Believe it or not, the Bugs, Dirt, and Debris that form on your aircraft can build up over time and start to cause drag on your aircraft. Even though this drag may be negligible it is still there and can become an issue if it builds over time. In addition, over time dirt can weight, people don’t necessarily realize but having a layer of dirt over your aircraft can weight down its entirety. It may not be as much as people realize but it can have an effect on the performance of your aircraft.
Every pilot’s worst nightmare is corrosion on their airframe. Corrosion can lead to premature wear of your Hull leading to issues that can affect the aircraft’s airworthiness. In addition, corrosion can come with heavy repair bills as if there are structural components that corroded this can warrant a full replacement of aircraft components. You do not want to be stuck having to pay for a new part of your wing or fuselage if it can be avoided. This is why aircraft cleaning is important as it can be a great way to avoid corroding aircraft components.
This can actually be a big factor in the safety of your flight,
Source: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap8_section_1.html
It is clearly denoted that anything that obstructs visibility can potentially become a hazard and safety caution to the flight. It is important that your windshield and windows all around the cockpit stay clear. It’s very easy to mix up small bug particles with actual aircraft approaching. In addition, the opposite can happen, ever get complacent with a bug on the window? Well, there is the potential to mistake an aircraft approaching as a bug on your windshield.
All in all, as the Pilot in Command (PIC) it is important to make sure your field of view is absolutely clear of obstructions, cleaning your aircraft is a big part of making sure that stays true.
As we have noted before, owning an aircraft can be one of the most rewarding experiences. In addition, it’s probably one of the most expensive additions to your lifestyle. You want to take pride in your investment, and you want to make sure people who also see you understand that you enjoy your aircraft. Having pride in yourself and your aircraft means that you are actively working to make sure it looks 100% under all conditions!
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From training, we are taught the importance of making sure the Pitot Static system is clear of all obstructions. As you all know these two areas are vital for altitude and speed readings on an aircraft. Ensuring these ports and the surrounding areas stay clear is important to the safety of your flight. Make sure to take extra precaution when cleaning your aircraft and when you are done cleaning these portions, reinstall their respective covers to ensure that nothing gets trapped while cleaning the rest of your airplane.
This goes out to all our high-wing pilots out there. You have to put in the effort to get on top! For the low wing pilots, you have to get under the wing to make sure it’s clean. Why? Because it’s all part of the flight profile. We have all learned how aircraft fly, and you should know that aircraft need a smooth flowing chord line. This is in order to assure airflow can move properly above and below the wing. Making sure the wings surface is clear is the most important part of the aircraft as it ensures you can maintain appropriate lift.
Many people don’t realize this but the underbelly of the aircraft also assists with the flight profile of the aircraft. It is always important to get under the aircraft and remove dirt and buildup over time. This is especially important since a lot of aircraft expel exhaust onto the underbelly of the aircraft.
The tail of the aircraft is a flight control surface. It is important that you make sure you clean carefully around the trim tab. We advise never to apply external pressure to the tab. As long as dirt and grime do not rest on the main flight control surface you should good at cleaning.
Yes! Part of making sure your aircraft is airworthy is making sure essential flight surfaces are clean. Now we aren’t saying that you have to polish the aircraft however doing a once over and making sure any obvious spots are cleared and cleaned, Especially the windows! Keep reading to find out the correct way to clean aircraft windows.
The three types of aircraft cleaning that you should know. In this article, we have highlighted wet washing. We want to make these important distinctions so that you don’t apply our knowledge to dry washing or polishing.
It’s important to keep your aircraft clean for yourself and the overall value of your aircraft. Keeping your aircraft in tip-top shape can make sure it flies smoother and more efficiently. This is an important safety factor as making sure the aircraft wings are absolutely smooth is a priority. Next time you go flying, whether it’s a rental or your own aircraft, make sure everything is in tip-top shape before you take off.
Cleanliness is another measure of a good pilot, because a clean aircraft, clean cockpit, leads to a clean mind and the best decisions in the sky.
Or read our article on Questions to ask yourself when purchasing your first aircraft!
Check out our blog post on 5 Easy and Cheap Ways to start flight school, in which we also discuss how contracting a personal flight instructor can prove to be significantly cheaper in your own aircraft.
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