Complete Detail at Buochs (LSZC)

What does Complete Detail include at Buochs?

The service begins with a full exterior dry wash or rinseless wash, depending on apron access and airside water rules. We then decontaminate the paint to lift embedded contamination—industrial fallout, exhaust residue, insect protein—that washing alone cannot remove. A single-stage polish follows, restoring gloss and leaving a hydrophobic surface that sheds moisture and delays the next contamination cycle. Brightwork—nacelle rings, door handles, threshold plates—is polished separately.

Inside, we detail the entire cabin and flight deck: vacuum and brush all surfaces, clean and condition every OEM material, treat galley and lavatory fixtures, scrub seat tracks and window reveals, and disinfect high-contact areas. The belly, gear bays, and nacelle interiors are cleaned as far as airworthiness limits allow. Leading edges, winglets, and the cheat line receive individual attention. At the end we produce a photographic report—before and after—that documents the work and provides a dated record for the aircraft file.

Duration is typically two to five days, and the aircraft usually moves into a hangar after the exterior phase to protect fresh polish and allow controlled-temperature interior work. We coordinate timing with the handler or directly with Airport Buochs AG to align the visit with your operational schedule.

What changes at Buochs?

Buochs sits at 1475 feet elevation in the valley south of Lake Lucerne, a former Swiss Air Force base now operated by Airport Buochs AG. The single runway, 06/24 at 2000 metres, accommodates business jets up to ultra-long-range, though the field is best known as the Pilatus factory airfield: PC-12 and PC-24 delivery flights dominate movements, and taxiing restrictions apply around the factory perimeter. An underground aircraft cavern and military hangars remain on site from the base years—regular Air Force operations ended in late 2017—and some of that infrastructure is available for civil use, including sheltered workspace when weather interrupts exterior phases.

The airfield is not slot coordinated, so scheduling a multi-day detail visit involves only standard PPR and coordination with the handling agents present at the airport. There is no curfew noted in current NOTAM. The alpine location means rapid weather changes: a cold-soaked airframe arriving in the morning may need time on a GPU before interior work begins, and afternoon Föhn winds occasionally delay outdoor polish work. Rain and snow are common outside the summer months, which is why most Complete Detail visits move into the hangar after the wash phase. We monitor the forecast and adjust the work sequence to protect each stage—fresh polish should not sit under freezing drizzle, and cabin disinfection requires stable cabin temperature.

Why does the photographic report matter?

The before-and-after report serves three purposes. First, it gives the flight department or owner dated evidence that the aircraft was brought to reference condition—useful when the logbook needs to show more than a line-item entry. Second, it protects both parties: we document pre-existing paint chips, cabin wear, or brightwork corrosion before we begin, so there is no dispute about what was present on arrival. Third, the report becomes part of the sales package when the aircraft goes to market or moves between operators under lease. Pre-buy inspectors and new chief pilots want to see that appearance was maintained to a standard, not merely touched up between legs.

We shoot the exterior in natural light from consistent angles—nose, tail, both sides, belly, winglets, nacelles—and the cabin in sections: galley, seating zones, lavatory, flight deck, baggage. Each image is timestamped and geo-tagged. The file is delivered as a PDF and, on request, as individual high-resolution images. Some fleet managers add the report to their digital maintenance file; others print and bind it with the tech log for handover meetings.

How do operators fit a multi-day detail into the schedule at Buochs?

Most Complete Detail visits at LSZC happen during planned downtime: between charter contracts, before a pre-buy inspection, after a lease return, or in the gap between a delivery flight and entry into service. Two to five days is the working window, and we build the sequence around your release-to-service date. If the aircraft must remain available for an AOG call-out or a sudden owner trip, we can pause work and resume when the jet returns, though this extends the calendar duration and risks weather changes between phases.

Coordination begins as soon as you have a tentative stand date. We confirm hangar availability, arrange airside escort if required, and schedule the work in phases—exterior first, then interior, then final inspection and photo documentation. If you are ferrying in from outside Switzerland, we can start the exterior wash within an hour of block-in, assuming the airframe is not cold-soaked. For Pilatus delivery flights departing Buochs, we sometimes work backwards from the delivery slot, completing the detail in the days before the new owner arrives.

Is Complete Detail recurring work or a one-off reset?

Both patterns exist. Some flight departments schedule Complete Detail twice a year as the reference standard, with lighter Exterior Dry Wash or Full Interior Detail visits between. Others use it as a one-off reset—before putting the aircraft on the market, after a season of charter in harsh environments, or when taking over a jet from a previous operator whose maintenance philosophy was less rigorous. The photographic report makes it easy to compare condition over time, so recurring customers can track paint gloss, brightwork oxidation, and cabin wear year on year.

At Buochs, we see both types. Pilatus operators bringing a PC-24 in for scheduled maintenance sometimes add a Complete Detail to the visit, especially if the jet has been working in North Africa or the Middle East, where dust and heat accelerate paint degradation. Larger business jets—super-midsize and above—tend to arrive for a one-off reset before a sale or after a long lease period. Either way, the work is the same: return the aircraft to the condition it would have if it had been detailed after every dozen flights, which almost no one actually does.

What should the crew bring to Buochs for a Complete Detail visit?

We need the tech log and any standing instructions about no-touch avionics, pitot covers, static port protection, or OEM cabin material restrictions. If the aircraft has custom interior materials—aftermarket leather, owner-supplied textiles, non-standard galley finishes—bring the care guide or put us in contact with the completion centre. We also need to know if any exterior area is off-limits due to recent paint repair or if any cabin zone is under MEL restriction.

For the exterior phase, the aircraft should arrive with external power available or a GPU on stand, and with wheels chocked if we are working outside. For the interior phase, we need the cabin unlocked and, ideally, climate control running to bring the interior to working temperature. If you are leaving the aircraft with us for the full duration, provide a contact number for daily progress updates and a release plan for the final day. Most crews prefer to return for the final walk-through and photo review before accepting the aircraft back into service.