CERAMIC AIRCRAFT COATINGS

WELL OKAY MAYBE an aircraft coating is not strictly a gadget – but we are getting reports of how good the latest aircraft coating is.

Barend de Toit is the local agent for Feynlabs range of coatings, and he has expanded his market to include a ceramic aircraft coating. He launched this ceramic coating on a particularly challenging aircraft – Dennis Jankelow’s personal V-tail Bonanza which, while still pristine, had been painted 20 years ago and whose paint job was therefore dull and heavily oxidised.

Barend du Toit says that the key for aircraft coatings is 80% preparation and just 20% in the application. For aviation use there is a four-part coating process. Barend and his team spent almost a week polishing the old oxide coating off the V-tail. They then applied the ceramic coating and, as can be seen from the pictures, the result is astoundingly impressive.

There are many benefits: The ceramic coating reduces surface friction (the boundary layer) and makes the aircraft more slippery and thus either faster or more fuel efficient. Best of all, the ceramic coating will preserve its gloss look for years longer than all other clear coatings. And the plane is far easier to keep clean.

A typical cost for a single engine piston varies from R20,000 to R30,000 depending on the age of the paint scheme. It is best to have the ceramic coating applied shortly after a new paint job.

For more information contact Barend on 083-721-9355.

The old and new on the wing surface. It's easy to see how surface friction would be reduced.