Painting of Aircrafts with Aerospace Coatings is Essential, Here’s why

It’s no secret that the aerospace industry is growing at a fast pace. There are various factors to be considered when it comes to the maintenance and smooth functioning of airplanes and one among these factors is their paint or coatings. However, the paint cans that you see in your local paint stores are not up to the job—airplane paint has to be very thin, scratchproof, dirt-resistant, and eco-friendly.

Why are Airplanes Painted with Aerospace Coatings?

Aerospace coating can also be called as aircraft coating, aviation coating or aircraft paint. The aircraft’s production, repair, and maintenance team makes use of specialized aviation paints to extend the life of aircraft structures. Jets, airplanes, helicopters, and other airplanes are layered with advanced aircraft coatings to maintain the appearance and protect them against corrosion.

The aircraft paint must bear extreme operating surroundings and can be layered on both exterior as well as interior surfaces of the aircraft. Effective and quality coating is required to safeguard the surface of an airplane from extreme weather circumstances, boost dirt resistance, and minimize drag resistance. Nowadays, the need for coatings in the aerospace sector is growing mainly owing to the sudden changes in the environment. As per a report by Research Dive, the global aerospace coatings market is foreseen to achieve significant growth by growing at a CAGR of 5.5% in the upcoming years.

Many aerospace coatings manufacturers are working closely with aerospace industries to develop high-grade airplane paints. With the advancements in paint technology, new solutions are getting developed which allow aerospace manufacturers to create distinctive appearances. The thing that grabs one's attention first and foremost after coming across a huge airplane is its external appearance—specifically its color. A unique and attractive appearance enables aerospace brands to differentiate themselves from other brands and stay ahead of the competition.

COVID-19 and Aircraft Corrosion Prevention

While many aircrafts are grounded due the lockdown enforced during the COVID-19 pandemic, aerospace coating manufactures are helping aircraft maintenance departments to safeguard their fleets with temporary and protective airplane coatings. Eco-friendly products such as Z6160 and Z6148 peelable temporary protective paints help in the preservation of aircrafts. These products can be easily removed when the airplane services are all set to get back to service post-COVID-19 pandemic. These coatings have very low VOC and are waterborne, which means they do not need a paint hangar environment for their application. The peelable paint is coated directly on the inlet lip skin surface or on top of the fuselage livery. This paint is waterproof as well as light and heat resistant and can safeguard the airplane for about 1 year when stored indoor or outdoor. When it’s time to bring the aircraft back to operation, the paint can be peeled off, leaving the original paint and exteriors intact by time.

Paint Can Add Up Extra Weight!

Weight is certainly of great concern to the airline. Decreasing weight and enhancing efficiencies are prime distresses while painting aircrafts. Constructing light-weight aircrafts is usually advantageous for maintaining the performance of an aircraft and reducing its fuel consumption. Reducing weight makes it easy for the aircraft operators to fly the airplane and also increases financial and sustainability performance and enables longer aircraft ranges for carriers.

Every kilogram on an airplane makes a huge difference in its operational costs. When it comes to aerospace paint, two main factors have to be deliberated: the thickness of paint and the application process or sequence. Confirming the thickness of coating products and their way of application can contribute a lot in managing aircraft weight. The overall look and feel of the paint applied can have a direct impact on customers and their feeling of safety; hence, maintaining the appearance of an aircraft is extremely crucial. Furthermore, as the body of most airplanes is still aluminum, corrosion control or prevention is also a very essential factor which indicates the requirement of quality aviation coatings.

About the Author(s)

Princy A. J

Princy holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering from the prestigious Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. University at Chennai, India. After a successful academic record, she pursued her passion for writing. A thorough professional and enthusiastic writer, she enjoys writing on various categories and advancements in the global industries. She plays an instrumental role in writing about current updates, news, blogs, and trends.