Aircraft Washes

[LegacyAirman]

173-4, Paragraph 13c. mentions aircraft washes as a possible fund raising activity. Anyone have any actual experiences, good and/or bad, to share? Thanks.

[Eclipse]

My wing is reluctant to approve these because of the liability risk.  Break an antenna and you could bankrupt the squadron.

[Cliff_Chambliss]

Another point, many airport wash racks are managed by the FBO and they wash airplanes to generate money for their operation.  Several airports in my vicinity either do not allow anyone (to include owners) to utilize their wash racks or restrict the use of the wash rack to the Owner and FBO authorized users only.

Then again, wash my airplane?  What type insurance do you have?  Workers Comp?  Liability?  Who is going to supervise?  What cleaning agents are you going to use?  What equipment?  Any ladders for the top of the wing, fin etc had better have non-slip strips on the rungs.  the list goes on.  (we had a club member whose foot slipped on the step of a Piper Arrow and he suffered a broken leg and he was an experienced pilot/ground handler so accidents can and do happen).

Many household cleaners (Simple Green, Windex, Greased Lightning, etc) can do terrible damage to aircraft.

My airplane?  I had better not see a stiff bristle brush or a scouring pad (and I don't care if it is nylon) being put on the plane.

Washing an aircraft is not like washing a car.

[Mitchell 1969]

173-4, Paragraph 13c. mentions aircraft washes as a possible fund raising activity. Anyone have any actual experiences, good and/or bad, to share? Thanks.

I'll betcha a buck that "aircraft washes" we're tossed into the list by a bunch of people sitting around a conference table who had very limited experience in washing aircraft. It's kind of like those those 1930's movies where Mickey Rooney or Spanky jumps up and says "I know, kids! Let's put on a SHOW!" Movie magic transforms the barn, costumes materialize and every kid can either sing, dance or play the trumpet. Who knew? It ain't that easy.

I actually washed airplanes for a living many years back. I'll betcha another buck that the majority of cadet units do not have the equipment, supplies, knowledge, skills, insurance or realization of reality to pull this off successfully. They be better off if somebody jumped up and said "I know, kids! We can startup a nightshift at the hand grenade factory!" At least they would be given training and procedures to follow.

[usafcap1]

Well washing CAP aircraft I don't have much experience doing. But back in middle school I owned (Yes I said owned) an Aircraft cleaning business. It did pretty darn good, until I went to high school then I had to stop because school was more important. Our Squadron Commander states that one of these day hes going to have us cadets wash and wax the plane. But he has been saying that for the last 1.5 years.


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