How to Choose an Aircraft Detailing Company

You choose an aircraft detailing company by matching its methods to your aircraft, checking who handles the required pre and post wash steps, and confirming training, approvals, access, and insurance.

What aircraft detailing includes

Aircraft detailing covers the exterior and the interior. Exterior work can include washing, polishing bare metal parts called brightwork, polishing and protecting paint, cleaning windows, and care of rubber de-ice boots. Washing may be a wet wash with water or a dry wash that uses a wipe-on product and little or no water. Interior work can include carpets, leather seats, wood and metal trim, the galley, and the lavatory.

If you plan interior refurbishment beyond cleaning, see the companies listed under aircraft interiors.

Why aircraft cleaning is not like car washing

On 28 March 2016 the US Federal Aviation Administration published InFO 16005, "Automotive Detailing Companies Working on Aircraft." The FAA said it had received reports of operators using automotive detailing companies to wash aircraft without making sure other required procedures were followed. The notice named aircraft preparation tasks, post-wash inspections and lubrication, and documentation.

The same notice says the physical act of washing an aircraft is, by itself, usually neither maintenance nor preventive maintenance. But steps before and after a wash often are. Examples include wash preparation such as covering static ports, post-wash inspections, lubrication, preservation, and replacing defective environmental gaskets and sealant. For those steps, appropriately authorized or certificated people must perform or supervise the work, it must be documented, and return-to-service procedures must be followed.

Why do these steps matter? On 2 October 1996, AeroPeru Flight 603, a Boeing 757, crashed after tape placed over the static ports before the aircraft was washed and polished was not removed and blocked them. The crew got false speed and altitude data. Everyone on board died. Maintenance manuals often require that pitot tubes, static vents, and angle-of-attack sensors are covered during washing. Incidents have happened when covers were left on. You should ask who covers and uncovers the sensors, and how that is checked.

Follow the manuals and corrosion guidance

The FAA points owners to the aircraft manufacturer's published manuals and to Advisory Circular AC 43-4, Corrosion Control for Aircraft. The current edition is AC 43-4B, issued 11 September 2018. It says the manufacturer's or operator's own program takes precedence over its recommendations. The FAA also recommends that owners and operators review their washing procedures and their corrosion prevention and control program to make sure they meet the rules on performance and documentation.

Products and methods to ask about

The wrong chemical can damage paint, acrylic windows, seals, and metal. Ask which products the company uses and whether the products are approved in your aircraft's maintenance manual.

Wet wash or dry wash may both be fine when used the right way. But you still need correct prep and post-wash checks. Use the table below to compare common work types and the key questions to ask.

Work	What it covers	What to ask
Wet wash	Uses water.	Where at the airport is wet washing allowed?
Dry wash	Uses a wipe-on product and little or no water.	Is the dry-wash product approved in the manual?
Brightwork	Bare metal parts that are polished.	Which approved metal polish will you use?
Paint	Paint is polished and protected.	Are the paint polishes approved in the manual?
Windows	Windows are acrylic and the wrong chemical can damage them.	Which products are safe for acrylic windows?
De-ice boots	De-ice boots are rubber.	Are the boot treatments approved in the manual?
Interior	Covers carpets, leather seats, wood and metal trim, galley and lavatory.	Which interior products are approved for this cabin?

Airport rules and access

Many airports limit where and how aircraft may be washed because of water runoff. Ask whether the company is allowed to work at your airport. Ask whether it uses a wash rack or a dry wash on the ramp. If your fixed-base operator will arrange the service, see what an FBO does here: what an FBO does.

Who books the detailer and how they coordinate

The person who books the detailer is often the owner, the flight department, the aircraft management company, or the FBO on the owner's behalf. Many FBOs and maintenance shops offer detailing or work with a local detailer. If a management firm oversees your aircraft, learn more here: aircraft management companies.

Ask how the detailer and the maintenance team coordinate the before and after steps. If your maintenance shop will handle those tasks, you can review how to pick one in this guide: choosing a maintenance shop.

Oversight, documentation, and return to service

See the FAA notice above for which steps before and after a wash are considered maintenance or preventive maintenance. Follow its guidance on authorization, documentation, and return to service.

Insurance, people, and proof

Ask for proof of insurance that covers damage to aircraft in the company's care. Ask about staff training and experience on your aircraft type. Ask for references. A simple checklist and a second-person check help prevent errors.

Checklist to ask a provider

• Which products will you use on my aircraft, and are they approved in its maintenance manual?
• Will the wash be wet or dry, and why is that the best choice for my location and surface?
• Who covers and uncovers pitot tubes, static vents, and angle-of-attack sensors, and how is that verified?
• Who performs or supervises any required preparation, inspections, lubrication, or preservation steps?
• How will you document your work, and who signs any return-to-service entry when needed?
• Are you permitted to work at my airport, and do you use a wash rack or approved dry wash method?
• Do you have insurance that covers damage to aircraft in your care? Can you share a certificate?
• What experience do you have on my aircraft type? Can you provide references?
• How are interiors protected during exterior work, and how are windows and brightwork handled?
• If issues are found, how will you report them to me and to the maintenance team?

Sources: FAA InFO 16005 (28 March 2016); FAA Advisory Circular AC 43-4B, Corrosion Control for Aircraft; Aviation Safety Network record for AeroPeru Flight 603; CASA airworthiness bulletins on aircraft washing and pitot/static care.

Looking for a detailer near your airport? Browse aircraft cleaning and detailing companies in our aviation directory.