Ceramic Coating at Speyer/Ludwigshafen (EDRY)

Why apply ceramic coating rather than wax?

Wax sits on top of the paint and breaks down in weeks—faster still under Type I fluid, summer UV, or apron wash runoff. Ceramic forms a covalent bond with the clear coat, creating a glass-like layer that lasts two to three years. That permanence means fewer detail cycles, lower labour cost over the warranty period, and predictable appearance between charter legs.

We apply two coats after full paint correction, so the ceramic locks in a defect-free surface rather than sealing swirls or oxidation. Brightwork—nacelle lips, strakes, cheat line—receives the same treatment, and windows gain a hydrophobic layer that sheds rain and bugs without film. The hangar cure ensures cross-linking before the aircraft returns to service; rushing that stage voids both performance and warranty.

What changes at Speyer/Ludwigshafen?

The single runway—16/34, 1 677 metres—and 312-foot elevation suit midsize and super-midsize jets comfortably; larger aircraft arrive light or plan a fuel stop. Silver Cloud Air, the handling partner of FSL Flugplatz Speyer/Ludwigshafen, organises slots and PPR from the private terminal, which offers passenger and crew lounges plus flight-preparation rooms. Customs and immigration for non-Schengen flights require two hours' prior notice; Schengen movements clear without delay.

The airfield sits immediately south of the Technik Museum Speyer and serves the Rhine-Neckar industrial corridor—Mannheim, Ludwigshafen, Heidelberg—so expect weekday corporate traffic and occasional museum fly-ins. Hangar availability is finite; we book the bay and confirm door clearance before you file. Because the field is unslotted, schedule changes stay simple, but a three-to-six-day window still needs co-ordination with your next positioning leg.

How long does ceramic coating take from chocks-on to release?

Three days minimum for a super-midsize in good condition; six if the paint needs heavy correction or the belly requires decontamination after a winter of salted aprons. Day one is wash, clay-bar decon, and inspection under LED. Day two is machine polishing to remove oxidation, swirls, and water-spot etching—every panel must read defect-free under a paint-depth gauge before we open the ceramic bottles. Day three applies two coats with flash time between; brightwork and windows follow. The final day or two is controlled curing at stable temperature and humidity.

We will not release the aircraft early. Ceramic that has not fully cross-linked will streak in the first rain, and any dust that settles during cure becomes permanent. If your next leg is time-critical, schedule the detail after it or accept a longer weather hold. The warranty and the two-year service interval both depend on correct curing.

What documentation do you provide after ceramic coating?

Every project closes with a bound report: time-stamped photographs of the paint before correction, depth-gauge readings at twenty test points, polishing-compound records, ceramic product batch numbers, and post-cure gloss measurements. The maintenance plan lists the recommended wash interval—usually every four to six weeks—and the approved shampoo chemistry; using a high-pH degreaser will strip the coating and void the warranty.

The warranty document itself covers delamination and loss of hydrophobic behaviour for twenty-four or thirty-six months, depending on the product tier and your operational profile. If you fly de-icing season in northern Europe or park outside year-round, we note that in the file. The flight department keeps one copy, we keep one, and the third travels in the tech log so any line station understands what they are washing.

Can you ceramic-coat an aircraft that has existing swirls or oxidation?

Yes, but only after correction. Ceramic amplifies whatever lies beneath—it will make swirls glossier and oxidation shinier, locking both in place for two years. We always begin with a clay-bar pass to lift embedded contaminants, then measure paint thickness at the usual thin points: leading edges, winglets, belly panels forward of the gear. If depth allows, we machine-polish in stages until the test light shows no hazing.

Heavily oxidised paint or a nacelle that has seen repeated dry-wash abrasion may need wet-sanding before polish, adding a day to the schedule. If thickness is already marginal we will recommend a repaint instead; sealing thin clear coat only delays the correct solution. Once correction is complete the surface is wiped with an oil-removing prep solution, and the ceramic goes on within the hour so no new contamination interferes with the bond.

How does ceramic coating affect de-icing-fluid holdover?

The hydrophobic surface sheds Type I faster than untreated paint, which can shorten published holdover times if the fluid film cannot grip. We always note in the maintenance plan that the crew should follow the lower end of the table or request a Type IV overcoat if freezing rain is forecast. The coating itself is unaffected by glycol—propylene or ethylene—and resists the corrosion inhibitors in both fluids far better than bare clear coat.

Belly and gear-bay overspray, a chronic problem during European winter, wipes off ceramic in a single rinseless pass instead of requiring solvent. That alone recovers hours over a season. The coating also resists the pink staining that Type IV leaves on white paint, so the aircraft looks presentable even after a morning de-icing cycle. Pitot covers and static ports remain no-touch; we mask them during application and flag them in the report.