Removing Carbon Stains From the Belly of a Light Aircraft
One of the toughest jobs for those who clean airplanes is cleaning the underside of the belly underneath and behind the engine.
If you are working on a twin engine aircraft where the motors are attached to the wings, then you need to clean the underside of the cowling, wing, and often the grease and oil gets inside the wheel well, and on the bottom sides of the flaps.
Decreasing an aircraft isn't a fun job, but it is one of the most important, for a number of reasons.
James E.
Ellis in his 1980 book "Buying and Owning Your Own Airplane," the author explains on page 41 the serious nature of carbon stains under an aircraft; "check inside of the exhaust pipe and outside, as any excessive build up could indicate excessive oil use, which in turn could indicate worn cylinders or pistons, even cracks or broken rings.
" Often there will be oil and grease covering up the carbon stains, and once you clean all that off, a pilot might do his preflight and not notice anything wrong, that's because you removed the evidence, and the clues that there may indeed be a problem.
The pilot needs to know this, thus, adjust his flying to take into account the possibility of an engine failure.
This is why I used to instruct our franchisees from our aircraft cleaning service to make a notation for the owners of aircraft, or their corporate pilots anytime there was excessive grease, or very stubborn carbon deposits after cleaning.
Today, it's very easy to take a digital picture with your iPhone, and e-mail it to the owner of the aircraft explaining what is going on, and how bad it really is.
Aircraft washers and cleaners can tell, because they do so many other aircraft, they pretty much know when something isn't right.
A simple digital picture could end up saving lives, or even preventing an aircraft accident resulting in a wreck.
Now then, you're probably wondering, if you're in the aircraft cleaning business, how to get those stains off? I recommend using a little kerosene on a rag, or jet fuel, and then follow that up with a solvent-cleaner wax, the same types of automotive waxes they use for cleaning clear-coat finishes on automobiles, leaving a slight polymeric coating.
This will also help the oil and grease from sticking next time you clean it.
As a responsible aircraft washer these are things you need to know and take into consideration.
If the aircraft owner and pilot know you're looking out for them, the value of your services just went up substantially.
Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.
If you are working on a twin engine aircraft where the motors are attached to the wings, then you need to clean the underside of the cowling, wing, and often the grease and oil gets inside the wheel well, and on the bottom sides of the flaps.
Decreasing an aircraft isn't a fun job, but it is one of the most important, for a number of reasons.
James E.
Ellis in his 1980 book "Buying and Owning Your Own Airplane," the author explains on page 41 the serious nature of carbon stains under an aircraft; "check inside of the exhaust pipe and outside, as any excessive build up could indicate excessive oil use, which in turn could indicate worn cylinders or pistons, even cracks or broken rings.
" Often there will be oil and grease covering up the carbon stains, and once you clean all that off, a pilot might do his preflight and not notice anything wrong, that's because you removed the evidence, and the clues that there may indeed be a problem.
The pilot needs to know this, thus, adjust his flying to take into account the possibility of an engine failure.
This is why I used to instruct our franchisees from our aircraft cleaning service to make a notation for the owners of aircraft, or their corporate pilots anytime there was excessive grease, or very stubborn carbon deposits after cleaning.
Today, it's very easy to take a digital picture with your iPhone, and e-mail it to the owner of the aircraft explaining what is going on, and how bad it really is.
Aircraft washers and cleaners can tell, because they do so many other aircraft, they pretty much know when something isn't right.
A simple digital picture could end up saving lives, or even preventing an aircraft accident resulting in a wreck.
Now then, you're probably wondering, if you're in the aircraft cleaning business, how to get those stains off? I recommend using a little kerosene on a rag, or jet fuel, and then follow that up with a solvent-cleaner wax, the same types of automotive waxes they use for cleaning clear-coat finishes on automobiles, leaving a slight polymeric coating.
This will also help the oil and grease from sticking next time you clean it.
As a responsible aircraft washer these are things you need to know and take into consideration.
If the aircraft owner and pilot know you're looking out for them, the value of your services just went up substantially.
Indeed I hope you will please consider all this and think on it.