Do aircraft ever get washed?
Discussion
.Commercial aircraft get washed. Some chaps come along in a cherry picker and hose it down.The undersides get very dirty from all the dirt getting kicked up by the wheels. There are usually dead bugs splattered on the flight deck windows.
The insides get done quickly after each flight and they get deeper cleans when they have major maintenance every few months/years,
The insides get done quickly after each flight and they get deeper cleans when they have major maintenance every few months/years,
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 26th January 09:45
Yes, they do.
The outsides are done with a scaled up pressure washer mostly, keeps them all clean and pleasant to look at. Can be big money in it, but it does depend on the aircraft being available; and during winter when many airports won't allow the washing because the water might freeze over (certainly the case at Gatwick) then the same guys do the de-icing.
All of the insides are cleaned on a routine basis; this is what the company I work for does mostly. That varies a lot depending on the type of service, so some airlines we go in and just grab the rubbish bags that the crew have collected in flight; some we go in and just do a quick 10 minute spritz, wiping down the tray tables and seats, brushing up any obvious mess. Others will get all brushed, scrubbed, hoovered etc. Finally, every 30-60 days, depending on airline, the aircraft will get a full "deep clean" inside where over the course of several hours, carpets shampooed, all the air vents dusted, seats taken apart a bit to get to all the crumbs etc.
The outsides are done with a scaled up pressure washer mostly, keeps them all clean and pleasant to look at. Can be big money in it, but it does depend on the aircraft being available; and during winter when many airports won't allow the washing because the water might freeze over (certainly the case at Gatwick) then the same guys do the de-icing.
All of the insides are cleaned on a routine basis; this is what the company I work for does mostly. That varies a lot depending on the type of service, so some airlines we go in and just grab the rubbish bags that the crew have collected in flight; some we go in and just do a quick 10 minute spritz, wiping down the tray tables and seats, brushing up any obvious mess. Others will get all brushed, scrubbed, hoovered etc. Finally, every 30-60 days, depending on airline, the aircraft will get a full "deep clean" inside where over the course of several hours, carpets shampooed, all the air vents dusted, seats taken apart a bit to get to all the crumbs etc.
astrsxi77 said:
I find dirt, particularly on sensitive areas like control surfaces and flap-tracks, perturbing. I imagine it causing drag and other undesirable aerodynamic effects, and masking tiny fatigue cracks in the skin. If they let the aircraft get this dirty, what else are they neglecting?!
I used to think like this too. But after faffing around with old cars for years I've learned to avoid the shiny polished ones, and instead look for cars where the money has been spent on mechanical and structural maintenance rather than pansy-ass cosmetic stuff. I know it's heresy around here but I rarely clean my cars nowadays. Also I'm good friends with some quite senior aerospace engineers and the stuff they worry about you'd need special test gear to detect – a bit of dirt won't hurt anything.I'm sure someone has better numbers than me, but I got told Ryan Air wash their planes every 4 days or so (or when they're in for regular checks). Dirty planes according to the same source can add 1-4% fuel burn so its worth doing. As a result some private planes get kept in hangars to avoid the need to clean/dry rain off them....and keep them looking good.
mcdjl said:
I'm sure someone has better numbers than me, but I got told Ryan Air wash their planes every 4 days or so (or when they're in for regular checks). Dirty planes according to the same source can add 1-4% fuel burn so its worth doing. As a result some private planes get kept in hangars to avoid the need to clean/dry rain off them....and keep them looking good.
Yet on Mythbusters, dirty cars are more economical?!mcdjl said:
I'm sure someone has better numbers than me, but I got told Ryan Air wash their planes every 4 days or so (or when they're in for regular checks). Dirty planes according to the same source can add 1-4% fuel burn so its worth doing. As a result some private planes get kept in hangars to avoid the need to clean/dry rain off them....and keep them looking good.
4 days is far too often for that. Its an expensive business, washing aircraft, and I doubt the fuel burn is that significant.Private planes get kept in hangars because they get used far less often, and don't need to be in a ready state at all times.
When we had all the aircraft grounded for 6 days in 2010 because of the ash cloud, they did not use it as an opportunity to go and wash everything (though they all got nice and clean interiors), which if there was such a fuel efficiency to be made, would surely have made sense.
Once a month, more likely, but even then, only in summer generally.
Shakermaker said:
4 days is far too often for that. Its an expensive business, washing aircraft, and I doubt the fuel burn is that significant.
Private planes get kept in hangars because they get used far less often, and don't need to be in a ready state at all times.
When we had all the aircraft grounded for 6 days in 2010 because of the ash cloud, they did not use it as an opportunity to go and wash everything (though they all got nice and clean interiors), which if there was such a fuel efficiency to be made, would surely have made sense.
Once a month, more likely, but even then, only in summer generally.
Looking and checking, about once a month seems more likely (4 weeks rather than 4 days?), I guess when its being checked over anyway makes sense.Private planes get kept in hangars because they get used far less often, and don't need to be in a ready state at all times.
When we had all the aircraft grounded for 6 days in 2010 because of the ash cloud, they did not use it as an opportunity to go and wash everything (though they all got nice and clean interiors), which if there was such a fuel efficiency to be made, would surely have made sense.
Once a month, more likely, but even then, only in summer generally.
Washing is scheduled into the maintenance program for military aircraft.
Going back to the 80's Kinloss had a dedicated 'wash pan' near to the control tower where a civilian crew would wash the aircraft. As riggers we'd have to prepare the aircraft for them and then carry out post-wash lubrication, application of corrosion preventative, etc.
Harrier was a difficult aircraft to keep clean. Everything aft of the hot nozzles would be black with oily soot. (Hiding the cracks and pulled rivets.) Even Harrier 'Fairies' would have dirty overalls sometimes. It wasn't much fun standing up in the main u/c bay with a pressure washer. I've also carried out engine compressor washing on Harriers. LP by squirting the water/detergent mixture into the intake of the running engine. HP by the attachment of a special pressure rig.
I worked on a Middle East Hawk contract. The Arabs expected two aircraft a day to be washed. There was no equipment other than buckets of soapy water and sponges. We got out of it by training our Indian labourers to do it. They really loved the responsibility and did a fine job.
Going back to the 80's Kinloss had a dedicated 'wash pan' near to the control tower where a civilian crew would wash the aircraft. As riggers we'd have to prepare the aircraft for them and then carry out post-wash lubrication, application of corrosion preventative, etc.
Harrier was a difficult aircraft to keep clean. Everything aft of the hot nozzles would be black with oily soot. (Hiding the cracks and pulled rivets.) Even Harrier 'Fairies' would have dirty overalls sometimes. It wasn't much fun standing up in the main u/c bay with a pressure washer. I've also carried out engine compressor washing on Harriers. LP by squirting the water/detergent mixture into the intake of the running engine. HP by the attachment of a special pressure rig.
I worked on a Middle East Hawk contract. The Arabs expected two aircraft a day to be washed. There was no equipment other than buckets of soapy water and sponges. We got out of it by training our Indian labourers to do it. They really loved the responsibility and did a fine job.
Washing aircraft with buckets of water and a sponge is horrible. I once washed the BBMF Spit XIX using this 'technique'. It was one of the most miserable couple of days of my life, esp when on day two I arrived back to find the wax all smeary so I had to do it all again, or so they said, the sods. To add insult, I could have opted for the Lanc crew instead – the guy who did do that got a flight in the rear turret 
Nanook said:
eldar said:
xjay1337 said:
Yet on Mythbusters, dirty cars are more economical?!
Laminar flow?
h.Ayahuasca said:
Nanook said:
eldar said:
xjay1337 said:
Yet on Mythbusters, dirty cars are more economical?!
Laminar flow?h.
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