Complete Detail at Catania Fontanarossa (LICC)

Why choose a complete detail at Catania Fontanarossa?

A complete detail resets the aircraft to reference condition. Paint that has accumulated months of exhaust residue, salt haze and volcanic dust is decontaminated with a clay bar, then polished to a single-stage gloss that brings back depth and hydrophobic behaviour. Brightwork—nacelle rings, leading edges, cheat lines—is hand-polished to remove oxidation. Inside, every cabin surface is cleaned to OEM specification, galley and lav disinfected, and the flight deck detailed without touching avionics or static ports.

The work takes between two and five days depending on aircraft size and condition. We prefer hangar access to control lighting and avoid ash fallout, but can complete the exterior on stand if the forecast is stable. Each project ends with a before-and-after photo set that satisfies pre-buy inspectors, brokers and new owners. Flight departments typically schedule this service once or twice a year, or any time the aircraft changes hands.

What changes at Catania Fontanarossa?

Catania Fontanarossa sits at 39 feet elevation, four kilometres from the city centre, with a single runway—08/26, 2560 metres. The airport is fully slot-coordinated under Italian Assoclearance Level 3 rules; every general-aviation arrival and departure needs a slot arranged through the handling agent. That means your turnaround window is fixed, and we build the detail schedule around those slots rather than asking you to wait for us.

Mount Etna lies fifteen kilometres north. Volcanic ash periodically forces short closures—usually no more than a day—and ash fallout on parked aircraft is a recurring problem. If your jet has been on stand during an eruption, expect a layer of fine abrasive dust on the fuselage, wings and belly. A standard rinseless wash will not remove it safely; decontamination and polish become necessary rather than optional. An X-band radar monitors ash clouds, and handlers notify operators when fallout is forecast.

Customs and entry formalities are available. Catania is the busiest airport in Sicily, operated by SAC, and handling agents on the apron co-ordinate everything from GPU to airside escort. We work with whichever handler you appoint; no exclusive agreements.

How do you fit a multi-day detail into a charter or owner schedule?

Most operators schedule the complete detail during a natural gap: the aircraft returns from a summer season and has five days before the next charter block, or the owner is away and the jet would otherwise sit idle. We confirm the start date once your slot is PPR-approved, then lock hangar space or a sheltered stand. If the schedule compresses, we can split the work—exterior one visit, interior the next—but that loses the efficiency and the unified photo report.

For aircraft in continuous charter, some flight departments use Catania as a positioning stop: drop the jet with us after a southbound leg, pick it up detailed and polished four days later on the way north. The slot requirement actually helps; it forces everyone to commit to a timetable, and last-minute changes are rare. If an AOG or a diversion interrupts the work, we photograph the state of progress and resume when the aircraft returns, billing only for time actually spent.

What does the Mediterranean climate do to paint and cabin materials?

Salt haze, UV exposure and dust—including volcanic ash—degrade paint faster here than in northern Europe. A jet based at Catania or island-hopping the Mediterranean will show chalking and loss of gloss within six months, even with regular dry washes. The decontamination step pulls embedded contaminants out of the clear coat using a clay bar; the single-stage polish then restores gloss and leaves a hydrophobic surface that sheds water and delays the next round of bonding.

Inside, high cabin temperatures when the aircraft is cold-soaked on the ramp can bake galley spills and lav residues into seals and grout lines. We use OEM-approved cleaners and soft brushes to lift those deposits without damaging leather, veneer or composite panels. Disinfection follows cleaning: all high-touch surfaces, seat controls, armrests, belts and galley handles are treated with aviation-grade disinfectant, then wiped to a no-residue finish. The result is a cabin that looks and smells like delivery day.

What does the photographic report include?

Before we touch the aircraft, we shoot the exterior in daylight from eight angles—nose, tail, both sides, both wings, belly and gear bays—and the interior in sections: flight deck, forward cabin, galley, lav, aft cabin, baggage. Any existing damage—paint chips, scratches, worn brightwork, stained carpet—is documented in close-up. Those images go into a PDF with date, time and aircraft registration.

After the detail is complete, we reshoot the same angles under the same lighting. The before-and-after pairs sit side by side in the final report, which also lists every product used, every surface treated and the total labour hours. Pre-buy inspectors appreciate the documentation; it shows the aircraft has been maintained to a standard, not just cleaned for the viewing. We send the report as a password-protected PDF and keep a copy in our records for three years.

How do you handle airside access and co-ordination with the handler?

We hold permanent airside passes for Catania Fontanarossa and work under the supervision of whichever handling agent you appoint. Once your slot is confirmed and the aircraft is on stand or in the hangar, the handler notifies us and we begin the walkaround and photo documentation. If you need the detail done in the hangar, the handler arranges the tow and secures the space; if on the ramp, they confirm the stand will remain allocated for the full duration.

All our staff carry ID, and every tool bag is logged in and out through security. We bring our own water and power unless the handler provides a GPU and a potable water cart. The tech log is signed only by the captain or an authorised engineer; we never make entries ourselves. If the aircraft needs to move mid-detail for any reason, we pack up, the handler tows, and we resume once the jet is back on stand. Co-ordination is straightforward because everyone involved—handler, crew, Terso—understands the slot system and the tight windows it creates.