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HOW IT’S COATED
© Air Dolomiti
When Paints Fly High Interview with Luca Bressan, Engineering & Planning Director at Air Dolomiti
W
hen we raise our eyes to the sky, we
corporate colours, which are generally
How is the coating process of a plane
have a very high chance of seeing
the same as its logotype. Air Dolomiti is
carried out? How and how many coats are
one of them flying over our heads:
represented by a turquoise diamond, which
applied and how are the paint products
with an average of more than 140,000 tracked
is its symbol in the skies over Europe. White
selected?
flights per day1, planes have long been part
is the colour of elegance par excellence, and
The painting process varies depending on
of our daily visual landscape. When standing
a ‘total white’ livery makes our three-pointed
the component to be painted. For fuselages
at the airport, waiting to open their doors
diamond stand out at best.
and metal parts, three products are required: corrosion protection, primer, and top coat. For
to welcome or drop off passengers, they undoubtedly attract attention: each with its
The white finish is one of the most widely
composite materials, only a primer and a top
own characteristics, they stand out for their
used due to both economic and technical
coat are needed.
size, shape, and above all colour. In most
reasons. Could you explain in detail the
The products are applied by spraying to
cases, the livery of an aeroplane reflects the
reasons for choosing it? Is it true that
reduce thicknesses and achieve smoother
colours chosen by its respective airline to
a different colour would also make the
finishes. The aircraft manufacturer defines the
identify and distinguish its aircraft. We asked
aeroplane heavier?
applicable products and their specifications.
Luca Bressan from Air Dolomiti, a company of
As well as being aesthetically pleasing,
The various colours must be included in the
the Lufthansa Group, to explain why certain
white reflects the sun’s rays and reduces
specific request.
tints are preferred over others and what the
overheating in the cabin, while also
The number of coats required depends on
complex coating stages of these “giants of the
highlighting any defects in the structure that
the degree of coverage of the colour, but it
skies” are.
might be confused with darker shades.
is essential to remain within the applicable
White paint does not always weigh less than
thickness limit, again defined by the
In 2019, Air Dolomiti unveiled a new
coloured paint. However, it can make a
manufacturer.
livery. How are the colours of an airline’s
difference if one creates a white background
livery chosen?
to bring out their chosen colour and then
How important is the paintwork in the
Each company is represented by its own
apply a coloured coating: this means applying
construction of an aircraft?
two colours, which results in an increase in the
Coatings play a fundamental role, because
total weight of the paint.
they protect the structure of the aircraft by
1
https://www.flightradar24.com/data/statistics
22
N. 73 - JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 - international PAINT&COATING magazine
