Importance of Cleaning During Aircraft Maintenance

Aircraft are built to be durable, but they do have a life expectancy. The “in-service” life expectancy of an airplane is 20 years. These powerful and expensive machines require routine maintenance in order to achieve this. Without regular maintenance, aircraft can end up developing damage that shortens their life expectancy. The following information can help you better understand just how important aircraft maintenance is.

Protective Films and Coatings

As technology evolves, aircraft are being made using more lightweight alloys and exotic materials. These types of materials can lead to rapid deterioration when they are mixed together. In order to help prevent this from occurring, these aircraft materials are often treated using protective films and coatings. Reducing the risk of deterioration can help aircraft reach their life expectancy.

Corrosion from Chemical Contaminants

You might not see debris on the surface of aircraft, but it can become coated with thin layers of chemical contaminants, such as sea salt or salt-laden sand. In fact, aircraft typically collect chemical contaminants with each flight. When these layers of contaminants are left on, this can lead to corrosion and a shorter life expectancy for aircraft. Keep in mind that bird and bug droppings can remove protective paint layers, leaving planes more vulnerable to erosion.

Benefits of Cleaning Aircraft

Keeping aircraft clean during maintenance offers important benefits. Cleaning helps ensure that problems with aircraft, such as leaks on the underside near hydraulic, overflow, or water drains and holes, can be detected and repaired promptly. This helps keep aircraft in safe operating condition at all times. Aircraft maintenance technicians can check for these problems while giving aircraft a thorough cleaning. Having cleaning done also helps passengers feel more confident that their planes are kept in good condition.

Equipment Protection

Cleaning aircraft on a regular basis helps keep essential equipment, such as antennas mounted under planes, safe from damage. Engine exhaust from planes can cover these components in dirt and oil residue. When this happens, these antennas are unable to transmit signals effectively, which can cause unsafe flying conditions—quickly wiping this equipment down after every flight offers a simple and easy way to protect their performance.

Undercarriage Cleaning

Dust and dirt can collect on the undercarriage of aircraft over time. Hydraulic leaks can also occur in this part of planes, resulting in safety issues. Keeping the plane’s undercarriage as clean as possible helps prevent dirt and dust buildup while also ensuring that any leaks that occur are found and fixed right away. The undercarriage should be kept clean regularly to prevent these problems and ensure that aircraft can fly properly.

Interior Cabin Cleaning

Cleaning aircraft during maintenance doesn’t only involve cleaning the exterior surfaces. Cleaning the interior cabin is just as important overall. A clean interior reflects how well the aircraft is maintained in general. Having a dirty interior cabin is unsanitary, leading to public health issues. Dirty interiors can also reduce their longevity, which can shorten an aircraft’s life expectancy overall, even if the exterior is kept clean regularly.

Safety

Aircraft cleaning is essential to ensure safety when the plane is in use. For example, a buildup of dirt and debris on the windshield can obscure visibility, making it dangerous for pilots to operate these aircraft. Dirty windshields can also make it much harder for pilots to spot traffic in the distance. Aircraft windshields should be kept as clean as possible in order to lower the risk of these safety hazards and ensure safe flying.

Find Reliable Aircraft Maintenance

At Blue Line Technical Services, we offer dependable aircraft maintenance to keep your aircraft in excellent condition. Our state-of-the-art aviation complex, located at JNX, has 50,000 square feet of space, including an observation area and hangar. Our complex also has a rooftop restaurant where you can enjoy a meal while waiting for aircraft maintenance to be completed. We are available for regular aircraft maintenance and emergencies, and inspections. Please contact us for more information on our services.