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 Jet Journal A Guide to the Citation 560XL Series: Part 3 The art of painting your airplane. When is it time, and how much will it cost? by Kandi Spangler  PHOTOS COURTESY OF JETAVIVA If you’re anything like me, you’re probably shocked by the price of an aircraft paint job these days. Just 10 years ago, I remember getting paint quotes from a reputable shop on a mid-size jet for around $60,000 to $70,000. Those days are long gone, unfortunately. This got me wondering, “Why is painting an aircraft so expensive?” Like the car industry, the chemicals in aircraft paint used to be much better in terms of preventing corrosion, chip- ping, fading and generally holding up to the elements. Nowadays, however, those chemicals have been deemed too dangerous for us to use, harmful to both our health and our planet’s environment. Not to worry, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is here to save us! I’ll skip the political debate on this, but the use of newer-age, “safer” chemicals is only part of the reason for the increased costs. The other half of the equation is far more interesting to talk about and vastly improves the finished product. The Painting Process Some of the most reputable shops in the industry are now led by profession- als who seem just short of having a PhD in aircraft paint and detailing. These pros geek out on aircraft paint and it shows. In fact, did you know there is an annual conference where around 30 aviation companies made up of “paint doctors” and paint manufacturers show up to discuss best practices in aircraft painting, talk about new application techniques, and help develop new prod- ucts? Neither did I until I researched this article. Reputable shops like West Star Avia- tion, Duncan Aviation, Elliott Aviation, Jet Aviation, as well as the aircraft manufacturers, are now hiring expe- rienced aircraft paint professionals who went to school for this specific trade. They then put them through an additional extensive training program 20 • TWIN & TURBINE / May 2020 Jet Journal   


































































































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