Complete Detail at Genova Cristoforo Colombo (LIMJ)
Multi-day exterior and interior restoration on the Ligurian coast—salt-air mitigation for midsize to long-range jets.
Complete Detail at Genova Cristoforo Colombo brings together exterior wash, paint decontamination and polish, brightwork restoration, and full cabin detail with disinfection in one hangar visit—typically two to five days. Designed for chief pilots and flight-department managers preparing a super-midsize, large-cabin or ultra-long-range aircraft for sale, delivery or the start of a season, the service addresses both the cosmetic toll of salt air on the fuselage and the deeper cabin refresh that buyers and passengers expect. Working through handling agents at LIMJ, we coordinate hangar availability, airside escort and documentation so the aircraft emerges photo-ready.
10/28 · 2916 m
AIP and airport data13 ft
7.4 km
Genoa city centre (west)What changes at Genova Cristoforo Colombo?
Genova Cristoforo Colombo sits at thirteen feet elevation on an artificial peninsula that juts into the Ligurian Sea. The single runway—10/28, 2916 metres—runs east-west along the waterfront, and every stand shares the same exposure: constant salt-laden air. Paint oxidises faster here than at inland fields, and brightwork hazes over between visits. If the aircraft has spent any time on the apron, a simple dry wash will not remove the fine salt film that embeds itself in the clearcoat.
The airport is managed by Aeroporto di Genova S.p.A. and lies 7.4 kilometres west of Genoa city centre. Handling agents present at the airport arrange ramp parking, GPU and airside escort; hangar space for a multi-day detail is organised in advance, often at a facility nearby rather than directly on the apron. Because the service spans several days, expect coordination around other scheduled movements and any slot or PPR requirements the handler flags during planning.
Why choose a complete detail rather than separate visits?
A complete detail consolidates every appearance task—exterior decontamination, polish, brightwork, cabin deep-clean and disinfection—into one hangar period. For an aircraft about to enter pre-buy inspection or be photographed for sale, this means the paint, windows, metal trim and interior all reach showroom standard at the same moment. Splitting the work across two or three visits introduces the risk that the exterior dulls again before the cabin is finished, or that a buyer walks the aircraft between services.
The single-visit approach also simplifies logistics. One set of airside passes, one handler coordination, one block of downtime. We deliver a photographic report that captures the aircraft before we begin and again after final buffing, so the documentation matches a single date and location. For charter operators rotating an aircraft into a high-profile contract or fleet managers preparing a delivery flight, that continuity matters.
What does paint decontamination and polishing involve on the Ligurian coast?
Salt deposits, industrial fallout from the port and microscopic organic growth all bond to clearcoat in a marine environment. Paint decontamination uses a clay bar or chemical process to lift embedded contamination without abrading the finish. Once the surface is clean, a single-stage polish removes light oxidation, restores gloss and leaves a hydrophobic layer that sheds water on the next departure.
We work panel by panel: fuselage sides, nacelles, winglets, belly and tail. Leading edges receive extra attention because they collect the highest concentration of airborne particles during taxi and takeoff. Brightwork—window frames, door handles, exhaust surrounds—is polished separately with a metal-specific compound. The process requires stable temperature and humidity, which is why we insist on hangar access rather than attempting it under a wing cover on the ramp. At Genova the sea breeze carries moisture and particulate even on clear days, so any open-air polish will be compromised before it cures.
How does the full interior detail differ from a cabin tidy between legs?
A turnaround clean targets visible dirt and restocks galley supplies. A full interior detail strips the cabin back: we vacuum beneath seat tracks, clean air-vents and gaskets, treat all OEM cabin materials according to manufacturer guidelines, and disinfect high-touch surfaces in both cabin and flight deck. Leather receives conditioning, wool carpets are deep-cleaned or extracted, and wood veneer is polished with a no-silicone product that will not leave residue on avionics panels.
We remove seat cushions to vacuum the frames, wipe down seatbelt hardware, and clean the galley to the back of every drawer. Lavatory surfaces are disinfected and polished, and any odour sources—spoiled seals, trapped moisture—are identified and reported in the tech log if they require maintenance intervention. The flight deck follows a no-touch avionics protocol: we clean yokes, throttles, seats and side panels, but never the instrument faces or multifunction displays. Static ports and pitot covers remain untouched unless the crew explicitly requests otherwise and supervises the work.
What do handling agents at Genova expect from a third-party detailing crew?
Handlers want to know three things in advance: how long the aircraft will occupy the hangar, what services we need on-site—GPU, fresh water, waste disposal—and who holds responsibility for airside escort. We provide those details during the initial coordination call, along with our insurance certificate and the names of the technicians who will carry airside passes. Most handlers at LIMJ prefer that we arrive and depart the ramp under their escort rather than issuing unaccompanied passes for a multi-day job, so we build that time into the schedule.
Once on stand, the handler expects us to follow their safety brief, park support vehicles in designated areas and notify them before any engine run or systems test. If the aircraft is cold-soaked and requires deicing before the ferry flight out, we coordinate that separately; complete detail does not include Type I or Type IV application, though we do ensure that all polished surfaces are free of wax or polish residue that could interfere with holdover times. At the end of the visit, the handler walks the hangar with us to confirm the space is clean and that all GPU, air-start or tug equipment is disconnected and stowed.
How is the photographic report structured, and who receives it?
We shoot the aircraft twice: once when it arrives on stand, before any cleaning begins, and again after the final buff and cabin vacuum. The before set documents existing paint condition, brightwork haze, belly staining and cabin wear; the after set provides proof of the work completed. Each series includes wide shots of the fuselage, close-ups of leading edges, nacelles, gear bays and tail, plus interior frames of the cabin from entry door to aft lavatory and a full sweep of the flight deck.
The report is delivered as a PDF with metadata—date, location, aircraft registration, MTOW if relevant to ramp-weight documentation—and sent to the point of contact named in the work order, usually the chief pilot or flight-department manager. If the aircraft is entering pre-buy or sale negotiation, the report becomes part of the appearance record that accompanies the logbooks. For fleet operators, it serves as a baseline for the next scheduled detail, showing how long the polish and interior conditioning hold up between services.
Questions operators ask about Complete Detail at Genova Cristoforo Colombo
How long does a complete detail take at Genova?
Between two and five days, depending on aircraft size and existing condition. A super-midsize jet in good condition typically requires two to three days. An ultra-long-range aircraft with heavy salt exposure, oxidised paint or a cabin that has been in charter service may need four to five days. We confirm the timeline after the initial walk-around and share it with the handler so hangar scheduling is accurate.
Can you perform a complete detail on the apron instead of in the hangar?
No; salt air, moisture and particulate make open-air polishing ineffective. Paint decontamination and single-stage polish require controlled temperature, low humidity and protection from airborne contamination. At Genova the sea breeze carries salt and moisture even on clear days, so any polish applied outdoors will haze or streak before it cures. We insist on hangar access for the exterior work; interior detail can proceed on the ramp if weather is stable and the handler permits it.
Is hangar space arranged by Terso or by the handler?
We coordinate hangar availability with the handler during the initial planning call. Handling agents present at the airport either control hangar slots directly or liaise with a facility nearby. We specify the required dimensions, door height and duration, and the handler confirms availability and cost. If no suitable hangar is open at LIMJ, we propose an alternative field within ferry range or reschedule the detail to match the next available slot.
Does the service include deicing or anti-icing fluid?
No; we coordinate Type I or Type IV application separately if the departure requires it. Complete detail removes all wax, polish residue and contaminants so that deicing fluid performs as specified, but we do not apply the fluid ourselves. If the aircraft is cold-soaked or the departure window includes freezing conditions, the handler arranges a deice truck and we confirm that all treated surfaces are clean and free of any coating that would affect holdover times.
What happens if the aircraft goes AOG during the detail?
We pause the work, secure the aircraft and coordinate with the handler and maintenance provider. If a tech-log entry or pre-flight inspection reveals an unserviceability, we stop detailing, ensure the cabin and exterior are safe from dust or chemical exposure, and notify the chief pilot. The handler is informed so the hangar slot can be extended or released, and we resume once the aircraft is released to service. Any time lost to AOG does not extend our labour estimate unless the delay introduces re-cleaning work.
Can you detail an ACJ or BBJ at Genova?
Yes, provided hangar dimensions and door height accommodate the airframe. We regularly detail Airbus Corporate Jets and Boeing Business Jets. The limiting factor at Genova is hangar availability for an aircraft with a span over thirty metres and a tail height above eight metres. We confirm dimensions with the handler during planning; if no suitable hangar is available at LIMJ, we propose a nearby field with heavy-maintenance infrastructure.
How soon after a complete detail can the aircraft return to charter service?
Immediately; all products cure fully and the cabin is dry before handover. Paint polish, brightwork treatment and cabin disinfection all use fast-curing, aviation-approved products. We do not release the aircraft until every surface is dry, all cleaning materials are stowed and the cabin air is clear. The photographic report is delivered within twenty-four hours, but the aircraft is ready to fly as soon as the final walk-around is signed off in the tech log.
What documentation do you provide for the aircraft logbook?
A tech-log entry summarising the work, plus a PDF photographic report with metadata. We make a dated entry in the tech log listing the services performed—exterior wash, decontamination, polish, brightwork, interior detail, disinfection—and sign it with our company stamp. The photographic report includes registration, location, date and a summary of materials used. Together these form the appearance record that accompanies the aircraft through pre-buy, sale or lease return.
Do you clean gear bays and the belly as part of the exterior work?
Yes; both are included in the complete detail. Gear bays are vacuumed, degreased and wiped down; the belly is washed, decontaminated and polished to match the fuselage sides. Salt and hydraulic residue concentrate in the bays at a coastal airport, so we treat them as carefully as the nacelles. If the gear or bay requires maintenance access during the detail, we coordinate timing with the handler and the maintenance provider.
Can a complete detail be scheduled around a crew-training event or a maintenance check?
Yes; we coordinate the timeline so detailing and other work do not overlap in the same zone. If the aircraft is due for a phase check, avionics upgrade or recurrent training, we build the detail schedule around those events. Exterior work proceeds while maintenance holds the flight deck, or cabin detail happens after the training crew finishes. The handler and chief pilot receive a shared timeline so everyone knows when the aircraft is accessible and when it will be released to service.