Ceramic Coating at Zurich (LSZH)

What changes at Zurich?

Zurich sits at 1,417 feet elevation with three runways—the longest 3,700 metres—nine kilometres north of central Zurich. The airport enforces one of the strictest night curfews in Europe: no routine movements between 23:30 and 06:00 local, in force since 29 July 2010. Slot coordination applies throughout the day, and the allocation curfew for arrivals closes at 23:00 CET, departures at 22:46 CET. Any overnight aircraft therefore sits from late evening until first light, creating a natural window for hangar work that does not disrupt the next day's schedule.

The General Aviation Center on Bimenzaeltenstrasse in Kloten operates from 06:00 to 22:00 daily. Handling agents present at the airport can arrange hangarage, GPU and airside escort. Because ceramic coating requires controlled temperature and humidity during cure, the aircraft remains inside for the entire process. Positioning in or out during curfew requires a special permit; most operators plan arrival before 22:00 and departure after 06:00 to stay within the published hours.

Why apply ceramic coating between legs?

Ceramic forms a molecular bond with cleared paint, creating a hydrophobic layer that sheds water, repels contaminants and resists both UV degradation and the glycol in Type I and IV de-icing fluids. Once cured, every rinseless wash takes fifteen to twenty minutes less because exhaust residue and bug strikes release on first contact. Leading edges stay cleaner through multiple sectors, and the belly no longer holds streaks after a wet stand in autumn.

The coating also reduces oxidation on polished nacelle rings, winglets and cheat-line brightwork. A single-stage polish before application removes fine scratches and haze; the ceramic then locks that finish for two to three years. Operators who run transatlantic or Middle East routes see the difference within the first month: the aircraft comes off a ten-hour leg looking as if it flew two.

We recommend ceramic every two to three years, ideally after a repaint when the paint is fully cured or after a complete detail that has already corrected the surface. Applying it over tired or contaminated paint only seals the defects.

What happens during the three to six days?

Day one is decontamination: a clay-bar treatment lifts embedded metal particles, tar and exhaust residue that washing alone will not clear. We then inspect the paint under task lighting, noting any oxidation, scratches or areas where the clear coat has dulled. Correction follows—machine polishing to remove defects and restore gloss—so that the ceramic bonds to a perfect surface.

Day two and three cover application: two ceramic layers on all painted surfaces, each requiring a controlled cure period in stable temperature and humidity. Brightwork—nacelle rings, leading-edge strips, any polished aluminium—receives its own ceramic formulation, and windows are treated with a separate hydrophobic layer that improves visibility in rain and simplifies ice removal. We mask all no-touch avionics, pitot tubes and static ports before any product goes near the fuselage.

The final days are cure and inspection. The coating cross-links at the molecular level; rushing this step voids the durability. Before the aircraft leaves the hangar we photograph the entire exterior under daylight-balanced lighting, document coating thickness on paint and brightwork, and hand over a maintenance plan that specifies which wash products are compatible and which will strip the coating prematurely.

How do you handle airside access and the slot at Zurich?

Zurich is slot-coordinated, so we confirm the arrival slot and hangar reservation together. Once the aircraft is on the ground and handed over by the crew, a handling agent escorts our team airside with all equipment and materials pre-cleared. The aircraft taxis or is towed directly into the hangar; exterior work never begins on the apron because dust, pollen and temperature swings will compromise the bond.

If the departure slot falls within the curfew window, we notify the handler at least forty-eight hours ahead so that any permit application goes in on time. Most ceramic schedules are planned around a charter gap or a positioning leg that allows four to five full days on the ground. The FBO can arrange GPU throughout, and we keep the handler updated at each milestone—decon complete, first layer cured, final inspection—so that fuelling, catering and flight-plan filing align with the agreed departure time.

What does Alpine winter do to unprotected paint?

Zurich sits in the path of transalpine weather: freezing rain, wet snow and the glycol-heavy Type IV fluids used for holdover protection. Uncoated paint collects de-icing residue in every panel line and rivet, and if the aircraft repositions to a warmer climate without a wash, that residue bakes on under Mediterranean or Gulf sun. Within six months the paint loses gloss, the belly shows brown staining, and the leading edges develop a matte haze that no amount of soap will fully remove.

Ceramic stops this cycle. The hydrophobic surface sheds Type I fluid during the takeoff roll, and any remaining film rinses away with cold water at the next station. UV inhibitors in the coating prevent the chalky oxidation that appears on white fuselage crowns after a summer of high-altitude flying. Operators who protect their aircraft before winter see paint that still looks new at the next C-check, and the reduction in labour at every wash pays back the ceramic investment within eighteen months.

What documentation do we receive?

Every ceramic coating includes a photo report: high-resolution images of the entire exterior before decontamination, after correction, and after final cure. The report shows paint condition by zone—nose, fuselage crown, belly, nacelles, winglets, tail—and notes any areas where we advised the crew of damage that correction alone cannot address. These photographs become the baseline for warranty claims and for tracking how the coating performs over the contract period.

The maintenance plan lists compatible wash products by brand and part number, specifies the correct dilution ratios, and explains which solvents or abrasives will damage the coating. It also sets out a recommended wash interval—typically every four to six weeks for an aircraft in daily charter use—and describes how to inspect the hydrophobic effect between washes. If water no longer beads on the paint, the coating may need a booster treatment rather than full removal and reapplication.

We file a copy of the warranty document with the tech log entry so that the next maintenance facility knows the coating is in place. If the aircraft moves to a new operator or management company during the warranty period, the protection transfers with the airframe.