Aircraft Livery Changes

Aircraft Livery Changes

Airframe paints.

Perhaps the primary function of aircraft coatings is to protect the airframe from corrosion. Today's R&D programmes look closely at fuel saving and cost cutting. Aerospace coatings take a lot of punishment. A commercial short-haul aircraft is subject to huge temperature changes as it climbs to a typical cruising altitude of 35,000ft to experience temperatures below -50'C and high levels of short-wave radiation. Structural flexing, changing air pressure, exposure to cleaning agents, water, fuel and other chemicals can all result in corrosion of the aircraft skin. If corrosion occurs and is left unchecked, it will result in pitting, which could compromise the integrity of the airframe.

Anti-static conductive epoxy coatings control static charge and surface conductivity, high-temperature coatings resist temperatures as high as 500°C and anti-chafe coatings with a Teflon additive resist abrasion in areas such as wing flaps.

Airline liveries.

Aircraft liveries are increasingly used for brand identification, a marketing tool for airlines, because customers identify the exterior of the aircraft with the flying experience. Corporate colours and redesigned livery can project a powerful brand with all that that brings with it.

Water-based aircraft paints.

Traditionally, aerospace coatings contained high amounts of volatile organic compounds (VOCs); essentially solvents used to carry the pigment in the paint. As the paint dried the VOCs evaporated, damaging the environment (depleting the ozone layer) and potentially, the health of those applying the coating. Many VOCs have been classified as toxic and carcinogenic.

New aviation coatings, made from non-chromate materials, offer performance levels that at one time could only have been achieved with high VOC, chrome-containing paints. Even coating-removers are now water-based.

Low VOC coatings are better for the environment, but they do present challenges because of their low-solvent, high-solid content. Ultra-high solids coatings now last four to eight years and are better value, fewer coats are needed, so less coating is used, there is a subsequent saving in labour costs and turnaround times and crucially, the finished coating weight is less.

The smoothness of the surface finish on final topcoats effects drag and fuel efficiency. The accumulated weight of the coatings is a factor, but rivets and seams need to be hidden. The turnaround time can be drastically reduced if the materials dry quickly.

American Airlines flies with the majority of the airframe unpainted. By not painting aircraft surfaces, this type of paint scheme reduces weight and therefore results in fuel savings. Aluminium is the main material in the airframe, but now lighter weight magnesium and titanium are sometimes used for areas subject to particular stress. Composites are increasingly used in next-generation aircraft such as the 787. Traditional aerospace coatings do not adhere easily to these materials. Most composites are sensitive to strippers. Therefore, research into airframe coatings continues.