DASH Aero

DASH Aero is a company in Orlando, Florida, founded in 2018 by David Allen and Sandy Showalter. It cleans the APU inlet plenum and compartment on Airbus A320 family aircraft. The method uses a patented contained steam process, covered by US Patent 10,703,510.

The site explains that APU contamination can reach the cabin. Airbus notes that oil can reach cabin air through the APU. Hydraulic fluid can run aft from the main landing gear bay to the APU air intake. De-icing fluid can be drawn in when the APU bleed is left on during de-icing. Exhaust from nearby engines or ground power units can also enter the intake.

The cleaning method uses containment. Technicians open the APU access doors, and a water impervious curtain with a collection basin is placed under the compartment. Technicians clean the plenum and compartment with steam and hot water. Runoff is pumped to storage and disposed of under local rules, and the job is recorded.

The site says the work can be done on the ramp, at the gate or in a hangar, without a wash bay. It notes that EPA guidance says aircraft wash water does not go to a storm drain. The company does this work as scheduled maintenance, before a smell has been reported.

DASH Aero took a steam cleaning unit to its first on-wing trial with Austrian Airlines in Vienna in April 2026. The unit was developed with RH Aero. The trial was on an A320.

David Allen is co-founder and chief executive officer. The site says he started washing cars as a teenager near the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, earned a pilot certificate, and later founded The Allen Groupe, which cares for business aircraft. The company's quality system is certified to ISO 9001:2015 by DEKRA.

The contact page asks visitors to describe their fleet and the reason for the question. The phone number is (317) 439-5000. The company is based in Orlando, Florida.