Aircraft Detailing at Memmingen (Allgäu Airport) (EDJA)

What changes at Memmingen (Allgäu Airport)?

Memmingen operates a single runway—06/24, 2,630 metres—and sits at 2,077 feet elevation, making it one of Germany's highest commercial fields. The airport is open 06:00 to 22:00 local, with a PPR-only extension to 23:00 for delayed arrivals; after that the field is closed until morning. Any detailing work must fit inside that daytime window, so turnarounds are planned around your slot and the handler's apron schedule.

Ground handling and fuelling are provided by ALLgate GmbH, the airport's wholly owned subsidiary; there is no independent FBO. Business jets park on Apron 3, the general-aviation stand on the southern side of the runway opposite the passenger terminal. VIP passengers are driven directly to the aircraft via Gate 1 of the main terminal. Airside access for our crew is arranged through ALLgate and airport operations; we hold the necessary insurance and follow the handler's safety brief on arrival.

Elevation and the foothills climate mean colder winters and a longer de-icing season. Exterior work in freezing conditions shifts to dry-wash or rinseless methods when water would freeze on contact; brightwork polishing moves indoors or waits for milder weather. Memmingen is designated Level 2 schedules-facilitated, so confirm your arrival time with the airport before locking the schedule—particularly if you are planning a same-day detail and departure.

Which detailing services do you offer at Memmingen?

We bring the full range to Memmingen: Quick Turn resets the cabin, lavatory, galley and windows between legs with a waterless exterior touch-up if the belly and nacelles need it. Exterior Dry Wash cleans the entire airframe with aviation-approved waterless products on the ramp, no GPU or tow required. Full Interior Detail is a deep clean of every cabin surface—leather, veneer, carpet, sidewalls, galley and lavatory—with conditioning and stain lifting where the material allows. Brightwork Polish restores bare-metal leading edges, inlet lips, spinners and exhaust cones to a mirror finish by hand.

Complete Detail combines exterior wash, paint decontamination, single-stage polish, brightwork and full interior in one visit, typically across two days if the aircraft remains on stand. Ceramic Coating applies a multi-year hydrophobic layer over corrected paint and polished brightwork; the aircraft stays at Memmingen for the cure window. Cabin Disinfection sanitises high-touch surfaces and the air path with aviation-approved chemistry. Fleet Care Program schedules recurring quick turns, monthly interiors and quarterly exteriors for any jet based here or transiting regularly through the Allgäu.

How does airside access work with the handler at Memmingen?

ALLgate manages all ramp operations, so our crew checks in with their duty supervisor on the morning of the detail. We carry third-party liability insurance that meets German airport requirements and present our airside passes—or collect a temporary escort—at the gate. The handler confirms the stand assignment on Apron 3, verifies that no tow or reposition is scheduled during our window, and notes the detail in the daily movement log so ops and tower are aware.

If you have requested cabin disinfection or a complete detail that requires GPU power and extended access, we coordinate the plug-in time with ALLgate's ground-power team. The handler also confirms curfew: standard operations end at 22:00 local, with a PPR extension to 23:00 only for delayed flights. Any work that runs past 21:00 is flagged in advance so the handler can approve late apron activity. Memmingen's compact layout and single-terminal operation make communication straightforward; the same operations desk handles scheduled traffic and business aviation, so requests move quickly once the flight is registered.

Can you detail an aircraft between two legs at Memmingen?

Yes, if the turnaround window and curfew allow it. A Quick Turn—cabin reset, lavatory service, galley wipe-down, windows and a waterless exterior touch-up—takes ninety minutes to two hours depending on cabin size and passenger load. We arrive on the apron as soon as the door opens and work in parallel with any refuelling or catering truck. The handler schedules our access so that all ground services finish before the next departure slot.

Longer work requires the aircraft to remain on stand. A Full Interior Detail typically needs four to six hours; an Exterior Dry Wash adds two to three hours depending on the size of the jet and the state of the leading edges. If you are flying in at 08:00 and departing at 18:00, there is time for both interior and exterior provided the aircraft is not repositioned mid-day. For a Complete Detail or Ceramic Coating the jet stays overnight—or across two nights if curing time is needed—so we book the stand and GPU in advance and ensure the work finishes before the 22:00 curfew or your next departure, whichever comes first.

What does a recurring detailing schedule look like at Memmingen?

Operators who base an aircraft at Memmingen, or transit weekly on a charter rotation, usually choose a Fleet Care Program: a twelve-month plan with scheduled quick turns after every second or third leg, a full interior detail each month, and an exterior wash with brightwork polish every quarter. The programme is written around your movement pattern, so if the jet is in Memmingen every Tuesday we book that stand window with ALLgate and the detail becomes part of the weekly turnaround.

For fleets that move between Memmingen, Friedrichshafen and Munich, we coordinate the detail location by leg: quick turns at whichever airport has the longer ground time, deeper work at the base where the aircraft overnights. The contract includes priority scheduling during peak season and a single invoice each month covering all visits. If the schedule changes—a charter diverts to Zurich, or a maintenance slot opens early—we adjust the next detail date and confirm the new window with the handler. Recurring work removes the need to arrange access and insurance each time; ALLgate knows our crew, the detail is logged as a standing instruction, and you see the same lead technician on every visit.

How do winter conditions affect detailing at Memmingen?

At 2,077 feet elevation, Memmingen experiences colder winters than the low-lying airports around Munich or Augsburg. De-icing season typically runs November through March, and sub-zero morning temperatures are common. Exterior wash shifts to waterless or rinseless methods when the air temperature or cold-soaked airframe would cause water to freeze on contact. Brightwork polishing is still possible if the metal is above freezing and we can work in a sheltered corner of the apron; otherwise we defer the polish to the next visit or arrange a heated hangar at a nearby field.

Interior detailing is unaffected: the cabin is climatised by GPU or APU, and we work at normal temperature and humidity. Ceramic coating requires stable temperatures during the cure window, so winter applications are scheduled only when the forecast shows no frost for forty-eight hours after the final layer is applied. If the aircraft is departing into icing conditions immediately after a detail, we ensure all static ports, pitot covers and no-touch avionics zones remain sealed and that any residual moisture from the exterior wash has evaporated before Type I or Type IV fluid is applied. The handler's de-icing team is briefed if we have worked on the leading edges or belly that morning.