Exterior Dry Wash at Graz (LOWG)

Why choose a dry wash between legs at Graz?

Speed and simplicity. A waterless exterior clean fits inside most turnarounds because there is no tow to a remote wash pad, no wait for a bay, and no post-rinse drying time. We bring the chemistry and kit to your aircraft wherever it stands airside, so the jet stays on the apron while you refuel, restock or wait for passengers.

Dry wash is also the practical choice when water restrictions apply or when winter temperatures put a conventional wash out of reach. The process leaves no standing water on control surfaces, no ice risk on cold-soaked skin, and no puddles beneath the aircraft that might freeze overnight. For fleets running a two- to four-week exterior-cleaning cycle, a ramp dry wash keeps the schedule predictable without disrupting operations or adding positioning legs.

What changes at Graz?

Graz sits at 1,120 feet elevation, nine kilometres south of the city centre, with a single 3,000-metre runway and daily operating hours from 06:00 to 23:30 local. A night curfew runs from 23:30 until 06:00, though quiet Chapter 3 aircraft may operate during that window under Schedule Coordination Austria rules. MAGNUM FBO Graz provides general-aviation handling and is open throughout the published airport day.

The late-evening window is longer than at many regional airports, which means we can start a dry wash after your last inbound of the day and finish well before the curfew closes the field. Graz is an IATA Level 2 airport—schedules are facilitated for commercial traffic, but business jets coded D or N are explicitly exempt from slot coordination, so spontaneous arrivals and flexible ground times are straightforward to arrange.

As an airport of entry with customs on site, international arrivals clear at Graz without diversion, which simplifies scheduling for aircraft inbound from outside the Schengen area. The single handling agent coordinates all airside access, so our team collects the necessary escort and works directly on the ramp or FBO apron without towing the aircraft elsewhere.

How does the process work on the ramp?

We coordinate arrival and stand assignment with the handling agent, then meet the aircraft airside with all tools, chemistry and lighting already staged. Once the GPU is connected and the engines have cooled, we begin at the nose and work aft in sections: fuselage sides, wings and leading edges, empennage, nacelles, then belly and gear bays. Each panel is sprayed with waterless cleaner, agitated to lift contaminant, then wiped clean with microfibre cloths that are changed frequently to avoid redepositing grime.

Bug residue on the leading edges and landing lights receives extra dwell time; exhaust staining around the APU outlet and nacelle trailing edges gets a second pass if needed. Brightwork—hinges, static ports, antennas—is touched up by hand to remove oxidation without aggressive rubbing. Exterior windows and lights are cleaned last, using separate cloths to prevent scratching. The entire process generates no runoff, so there is no environmental-compliance paperwork and no need to position the aircraft over a collection point.

What about winter operations and cold-soaked airframes?

Dry wash works when water-based methods do not. In winter, an aircraft that has soaked at altitude arrives with skin temperatures well below freezing, and applying water—even warm water—risks flash-freezing on contact or leaving residual moisture that turns to ice during the next climb. Waterless chemistry remains liquid at low temperatures and evaporates quickly, so we can clean a cold-soaked jet without introducing ice-contamination risk.

If the aircraft will be de-iced before departure, we schedule the dry wash to finish before the Type I or Type IV fluid is applied, so the clean exterior does not interfere with holdover-time tables. Pitot covers and static-port plugs stay in place throughout the wash, and we keep all chemistry and cloths well clear of AOA vanes, probe heaters and no-touch avionics bays. The result is a clean airframe ready for de-icing fluid, with no extra complication for the flight crew.

How does recurring dry wash fit into a fleet programme at Graz?

For aircraft based at Graz or returning on a regular schedule, we build a standing calendar—typically every two to four weeks—that aligns with your operational rhythm. Each visit follows the same scope and timing, so your chief pilot knows exactly what will happen and how long the aircraft will be occupied. We track the condition of the paint between visits and flag any areas—cheat line, belly, winglets—that may need a single-stage polish or a deeper decontamination wash at the next heavy maintenance window.

Recurring work also lets us pre-position materials and confirm airside-pass validity in advance, which trims setup time on the day. If a particular aircraft will RON at Graz, we can start after engines-off and finish before morning pre-flight, leaving the jet clean on stand with no impact on the next day's first departure. For fleets mixing Graz with other Austrian or southern-German stops, we coordinate the same service at each airport so that exterior appearance stays consistent across the fleet without doubling the administrative overhead.

What else should a flight department consider?

Dry wash is an interim step, not a substitute for a full decontamination wash or polish. It removes surface contaminant and restores gloss, but it will not strip embedded industrial fallout, tree sap or heavy oxidation. If the aircraft has not seen a proper wash in six months, or if the paint feels rough to the touch, a conventional wash or clay-bar decon should come first; after that, regular dry washes will maintain the result between deeper cleans.

Lead time at Graz is usually straightforward—we ask for 48 hours' notice for a one-off dry wash and 72 hours if the aircraft is arriving outside the handler's normal operating window or if you need the work completed during a short turnaround. AOG response is available if a last-minute appearance issue arises before a charter leg or owner trip. All consumables, lighting and waste disposal are included in the service; you provide only the GPU and access to the aircraft. We update the tech log on completion and photograph the exterior for your records if requested.