What is exterior detailing?
Exterior detailing is a full dry or wet wash, decontamination and hand-finish of the airframe. On a light jet it runs 8–14 hours and $1,400–$2,600. It removes the contaminants that cause corrosion and paint failure if left in place.
BY AIRCRAFT CLASS
Price and turn time, by airframe.
| CLASS | EXAMPLE | RANGE | TURN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piston | Cirrus SR22, Baron 58 | $650 – $1,150 | 4–6 hrs |
| Turboprop | King Air 350, TBM 960 | $1,000 – $1,800 | 6–10 hrs |
| Light Jet | Phenom 300, CJ4 | $1,400 – $2,600 | 8–14 hrs |
| Midsize | Learjet 75, Hawker 900XP | $1,900 – $3,500 | 11–19 hrs |
| Super-Mid | Challenger 350, Citation Longitude | $2,400 – $4,400 | 14–24 hrs |
| Heavy | Global 7500, Gulfstream G650 | $3,200 – $6,000 | 18–32 hrs |
| Helicopter | AW139, Bell 429 | $1,250 – $2,350 | 7–13 hrs |
| Airliner / VIP | BBJ, ACJ320 | $4,750 – $8,850 | 27–48 hrs |
Light condition — illustrative, subject to inspection
FULL SCOPE
- Full airframe wash, top-down, aviation-approved chemistry only
- Bug and exhaust-soot removal from leading edges and belly
- Decontamination of paint to remove bonded fallout
- Hand dry with plush aviation towels, no rotary buffing
- Landing gear, wheel wells and brake dust removal
- Static wicks, antennas and probes checked and cleaned by hand
APPROVED MATERIALS
- pH-neutral aviation wash concentrate
- Boeing D6-17487 Rev P compliant chemistry
- Deionised water final rinse
QC CHECKPOINTS
- Walkaround under portable LED before sign-off
- Leading edges inspected for residual soot
- No chemistry permitted on acrylic windows
WHAT THIS PROTECTS
Bonded contaminants hold moisture against the paint. Removing them on a schedule is the difference between a repaint at twelve years and a repaint at seven.
Questions owners actually ask
- How often should an aircraft be detailed?
- Most owners run a full exterior detail every 60–90 days, with dry wipe-downs between trips. High-salt coastal environments and heavy utilisation push that to 30–45 days.
- Will you use anything that voids my paint warranty?
- No. Everything used is aviation-approved and documented on the work order, and the chemistry list goes into the aircraft record.