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that a good shop will re-work and ad- dress before going to the final stage of the process. It’s also during this stage in the painting process when the con- trol surfaces are painted and balanced with the same painstaking attention to detail. Step 4: Paint ReWork, Cut-and-Buff, Clear Coat, Installation of Control Surfaces and Balancing, and Final Inspections. During the final phase of the paint- ing process, estimated to take one to two weeks, areas will be repainted as a result of periodic inspections done to assess each paint application. Ad- ditionally, some of the top shops will use a process called a “cut-and-buff” to blend the height of the striping with the height of the base color. A trick I like to use when assessing a paint job is to take my finger and drag it across the seam of the stripes. If it’s smooth, I can assume it was likely a thorough paint job. If it has an evident edge to the stripe, then I know no blending was done and it was likely a cheaper paint job. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad paint job; it simply means they skipped a finer detail that I like to look for. And, finally, there’s the clear coat. Though not required and adds weight, it’s a must for any metallic paints. At the end of the process, the control surfaces are reinstalled and balanced to ensure smooth operation. No unnec- essary input is required by the pilots or the trim to compensate for any minor changes in the control surface’s weight as a result of the paint. Finding a Good Value It’s easy to see why costs have es- calated in the last 10 years. Between state-of-the-art equipment, systems, facilities, training and disposal costs, it’s no wonder a good paint job from a reputable shop on a Citation Excel/ XLS/XLS+ can now cost between $85,000 to $95,000 for a two-stripe paint job. There are some good shops out there that can do it for less, and that doesn’t necessarily mean you are sacrificing on quality. But you do need to under- stand what processes they use, ask lots of questions and ask to see some of their work. As they say, the devil is in the details, and with paint, it’s all about the details. Be on the Lookout for Subpar Work On the other hand, there are bad paint shops out there and shops that just don’t offer the level of detail I like to see. When in doubt, here are some things to be on the lookout for: 1. High-Build Primer or Impro- per Use of Bondo – Yes, Bondo body filler can be used on airplanes. But it can also be misused, as can high-build primers. Things I look for are the outlines of the rivet heads in the wings. If you can’t see them, why? Is the paint too thick? Did they use a high-build primer or body fill- er? Filler does not flex like paint either, so you’ll likely see cracking of the body filler in these areas. Send Solutions 22 • TWIN & TURBINE / May 2020 Jet Journal