Ceramic Coating at Naples Capodichino (LIRN)
Multi-year ceramic protection for business jets transiting or based in southern Italy
Ceramic Coating at Naples Capodichino (LIRN) is a three-to-six-day hangar project for super-midsize through ultra-long-range business jets operating in or through southern Italy. We decontaminate and correct the paint, apply two layers of ceramic coating to all painted surfaces, treat brightwork and windows, then allow full cure time under controlled conditions. The result is a hydrophobic shell that keeps the aircraft cleaner between washes, resists UV degradation and Type I fluid staining, and cuts fifteen to twenty minutes from every future turnaround wash. Handling agents present at the airport coordinate airside access and slot protection while the aircraft is indoors.
06/24 · 2628 m
AIP and airport data294 ft
03:30-22:30 local
Airport closed 22:30-03:30 local (except exceptional flight delays)5 on the airport
independent, no affiliationWhy apply ceramic coating at Naples rather than waiting for home base?
Ceramic work requires consecutive hangar days without flight ops, which is easier to schedule at a city-hub airport than at a congested home base where the aircraft may fly twice daily. Naples sits between northern-Europe and Mediterranean routes: if your jet has just completed a busy charter season or a sequence of winter operations, the paint will carry months of exhaust soot, de-icing fluid residue, and industrial fallout that ceramic cannot hide—only correction removes it. Performing the full process here means the aircraft re-enters service with protection already in place, rather than losing another week at home later in the quarter.
We also see aircraft inbound from North Africa or the eastern Mediterranean with UV-faded cheat lines and oxidised leading edges. Correcting that damage before coating locks in the gloss for the next two to three years. The combination of access to four handling agents and predictable airside logistics makes Naples a natural mid-route point for a planned detail rather than an unscheduled AOG cosmetic repair.
What happens during the three-to-six-day process?
Day one is decontamination: clay bar, iron-remover, and a solvent wipe to pull embedded contaminants out of the clear coat. Day two is paint correction—we machine-polish every panel to remove swirls, light scratches, and oxidation, working under high-intensity lighting so no defect survives into the coating stage. On day three we apply the first ceramic layer to all painted surfaces, then allow it to flash. Day four brings the second coat, which cross-links with the first and builds film thickness. Brightwork—nacelle rings, winglets, tail cone—receives its own ceramic formula that tolerates higher temperatures. Windows get a separate hydrophobic treatment.
Days five and six are curing time. The hangar stays climate-controlled; we do not tow the aircraft out until the coating has fully cross-linked. Before release you receive a maintenance plan that specifies pH-neutral wash soap, prohibits automatic brush washes, and sets out a simple panel-wipe protocol to maintain the hydrophobic effect. A signed warranty document travels with the tech log.
What changes at Naples Capodichino that affects the schedule?
The airport operates 03:30 to 22:30 local, with a night curfew that closes the field until the following morning except for delayed flights. That nine-hour closure means any aircraft entering the hangar in the evening will not compete for ramp space or GPU access during the night; we simply continue work under interior lighting. Slot coordination applies at Naples, so if your release date lands on a peak departure bank, the handler will file the slot request while the second ceramic layer is still curing. The single runway—06/24, 2628 metres—handles everything from light jets to ACJ320s without length restrictions for business aviation, but it does mean every departure uses the same piece of concrete: if the curfew threatens to strand the aircraft overnight, we will pause work and tow back to the apron so you can depart legally.
Four handling agents work general aviation at the airport: Sky Services, AviaVIP (which publishes an 04:00–21:00 UTC operating window), Alisud/GH Napoli, and Fly Service. Signature offers trip-support arrangements but not a full FBO presence. Elevation is 294 feet, so density altitude rarely disrupts performance even in July, and the coastal location moderates temperature swings that can interfere with ceramic cure times in desert or continental climates.
How does ceramic coating survive de-icing fluid and Mediterranean salt?
Type I glycol and Type IV thickened fluid are both mildly acidic; over a season they etch unprotected clear coat and leave brown staining along the belly and gear-door edges. Ceramic coating presents a chemically inert, tightly cross-linked surface that de-icing fluid cannot penetrate. The glycol beads and runs off rather than pooling in rivet lines. After a holdover application you will still need to rinse the aircraft—ceramic is not a substitute for post-flight wash—but the fluid comes away with plain water instead of requiring a degreaser and abrasive pad.
Salt is less aggressive than people assume, provided it does not sit on the paint for weeks. Naples sits on the Tyrrhenian coast; any aircraft based here or flying frequent Mediterranean legs will collect sodium chloride in the lower fuselage and wing roots. Ceramic's hydrophobic layer prevents salt crystals from bonding to the clear coat, so a rinseless wash between flights keeps the surface clean without scrubbing. We have seen five-year-old paint under ceramic that still shows sharper gloss than two-year-old unprotected paint on an identical airframe.
Can you coat an aircraft that already has swirls or faded panels?
Ceramic does not fill scratches or restore colour; it magnifies whatever surface lies beneath. If the paint carries swirl marks from years of brush washes, the coating will lock those swirls under a glossy shell and make them even more visible in direct sunlight. That is why the process begins with full correction: we remove defects first, then seal the corrected surface. If your jet has faded horizontal panels—common on white fuselages parked outdoors in southern Europe—we will machine-polish through the oxidation until the original pigment reappears. Only then do we apply ceramic.
Repainting is not always necessary. We have corrected ten-year-old paint that looked chalky on arrival and brought it back to near-factory gloss through multi-stage polishing. The test is simple: if a white cloth rubbed on the panel comes away clean, the clear coat is intact and can be corrected. If the cloth shows pigment, the clear coat has failed and the aircraft needs paint before ceramic makes sense. We assess that during the initial inspection and tell you immediately whether correction will work or whether you should route the aircraft to a paint shop first.
What documentation and reporting do you provide after coating?
You receive a complete photo report: before images showing contamination and defects under high-intensity light, during images of the correction process on sample panels, and after images of the finished coating under both hangar and daylight conditions. The report includes paint-thickness readings taken before correction to confirm we stayed within safe polishing limits, and a list of any areas—usually leading-edge erosion or stone chips—that were beyond correction and may need touch-up paint in future.
The maintenance plan is a printed document that specifies which wash soaps are safe (pH 6–8, no wax or silicone), how to perform a panel wipe with a microfibre cloth and distilled water, and when to return for a ceramic top-up, typically after two years. The warranty covers coating delamination or failure due to application defects; it does not cover damage from automated brush washes, acidic cleaners, or abrasive polishing by a third party. One copy goes into the tech log, one stays with the flight-department files, and we retain a third in case the aircraft changes hands and the new owner wants to continue the maintenance schedule.
Questions operators ask about Ceramic Coating at Naples Capodichino
How long does ceramic coating last on a business jet?
Two to three years with correct maintenance; longer if the aircraft lives in a hangar and flies infrequently. Durability depends on flight hours, apron exposure, and wash frequency. An aircraft that spends most of its life indoors and is washed with pH-neutral soap will hold full hydrophobic properties for three years or more. An aircraft parked outdoors in a coastal or industrial environment and washed weekly may see the coating begin to fade after eighteen months, though it will still outperform uncoated paint.
Can ceramic coating be applied over vinyl wraps or decals?
No—ceramic requires direct contact with paint or clear coat to bond correctly. Vinyl has a different surface energy than cured paint, and ceramic will not cross-link properly. If your aircraft carries registration decals or a company logo in vinyl, we mask those areas and coat around them. The uncoated vinyl will still benefit from the surrounding hydrophobic surface because water sheets off the coated panels and does not pool against the decal edges.
Do I need to re-correct the paint when I return for a ceramic top-up?
Usually not—if the coating has done its job, the paint beneath will still be defect-free. A top-up after two years involves a light decontamination wash, a panel-wipe with isopropyl alcohol, and a single fresh layer of ceramic. We inspect under high-intensity light; if new swirls have appeared because someone used the wrong wash method, we will correct those panels before recoating. Most aircraft need only cleaning and a new layer.
What happens if the aircraft is caught in a thunderstorm the day after coating?
Rain will not damage a fully cured coating, but we prefer to keep the aircraft dry for forty-eight hours. Ceramic reaches handling cure in twenty-four hours and full cure in forty-eight. If you must depart before forty-eight hours and encounter rain, the coating will survive but may not develop maximum hardness. We schedule the work so that release coincides with a clear weather window whenever possible, and the handler can delay pushback if a squall line is crossing the field.
Can you apply ceramic to the belly and gear bays?
Yes—belly coating is included; gear bays are optional because they require additional masking and curing time. The belly collects the most contamination—exhaust soot, hydraulic mist, de-icing fluid—and benefits enormously from ceramic. We coat the entire lower fuselage as part of the standard process. Gear bays are more complex: we must mask brake lines, hydraulic fittings, and placards, and the ceramic needs to cure without the gear being cycled. If you want bays coated, add one day to the schedule.
Does ceramic eliminate the need for wax or sealant?
Yes—applying wax over ceramic will actually reduce hydrophobic performance. Wax sits on top of the coating and interferes with the hydrophobic layer, causing water to bead less effectively. The maintenance plan explicitly prohibits wax, spray sealants, and any product containing silicone. The only approved maintenance is pH-neutral soap, distilled-water rinses, and an annual or bi-annual panel wipe with isopropyl alcohol to remove any residue.
How do you protect avionics and static ports during the coating process?
We use no-touch masking: every sensor, probe, and port is covered before any liquid or polish touches the aircraft. Pitot tubes, static ports, AOA vanes, and antennas are masked with low-tack film and foam bungs. We never spray near avionics bays, and we keep all polishing and coating work at least thirty centimetres away from any sensor. The masking comes off only after the final cure, and we inspect every port with a lighted magnifier to confirm no residue remains.
Can I schedule ceramic coating during a positioning flight to or from Naples?
Yes—if you have three to six consecutive days without passenger or cargo commitments, we can fit the work between legs. Many operators route an empty aircraft to Naples for the coating, then reposition to northern Europe or the UK once the work is complete. The handler will file your outbound slot request on day four or five so that release, customs, and departure align with the cure schedule. If the aircraft must leave early for operational reasons, we can pause after the first ceramic layer, but you will need to return within sixty days to complete the second coat.
What is the difference between ceramic coating and a single-stage polish?
Polish corrects the paint but offers no protection; ceramic adds a durable hydrophobic layer that lasts years. A single-stage polish removes defects and restores gloss, but the corrected paint is immediately exposed to UV, contamination, and wash-induced marring. Ceramic coats the polished surface with a chemically bonded layer that resists all of those threats, so the gloss you see on release day is still there two years later. If budget or time allows only one service, polish is the foundation; ceramic is the insurance policy.
Do you offer a maintenance visit between coating applications?
Yes—we can perform a decontamination wash and panel-wipe inspection at twelve months to extend coating life. A mid-life service takes half a day: we clay-bar the paint to remove any bonded contamination, wipe the panels with isopropyl alcohol, and inspect the coating under light to check for thin spots. If we find any area where the hydrophobic effect has diminished, we apply a booster layer to that panel only. This service is not mandatory, but it can push total coating life from two years to three.