It seems like a thousand years ago when I started my first real plane washing business at the age of 12. It turned out to be a very astute business decision in hindsight. Still, when I was 12, it was very hard work, and I remember cleaning bugs off the leading edge and wings of small light aircraft and business jets. Then I’d have to wax them real good to help me get the new bugs out the next time I wash the same plane.
That was then, and this is now, and relief may be on the way for future young aircraft cleaners. Let’s talk, let’s discuss some new future technologies in the aerospace industry.
There’s a great video on YouTube that talks about NASA’s research on wings for modern aircraft. The title of the video is: “The super efficient future of air travel” and it is worth watching. Fast forward the video to: 16:00 in the video.
This video looks at resistance, both induced resistance and parasitic resistance, from dead insects and how this affects a wing’s performance, which is another reason why aircraft detailers constantly wash and wax aircraft wings.
Now, imagine specialized coatings in the future that prevent dead (crushed) insects from sticking. Wouldn’t that be wonderful? Yes, I totally agree. Wow, looking back all I can say is; I wish they had such coatings back then, it certainly would have saved me so much work, or it would have, maybe not, because if those coatings existed, my aircraft washing, cleaning and detailing services may not have been necessary.
Well, either way, these new technologies will completely change the game for the aircraft detailing industry, just like Teflon nonstick pans changed things for cooking bacon and eggs. Materials science has come a long way, and it’s amazing how much it will reshape the world we live in in the future, even for those sub-sectors of our economy, like aircraft washing and cleaning.
Sometimes I feel like our industry doesn’t keep up with all the new technologies that affect us, and yes, it’s a relatively simple business sector to get involved in; however, a prudent operator or owner of such a business must stay current. the forefront of aerospace technology to stay ahead of the competition, so I thought you’d like to hear about this. After all, we don’t want any of our workers to get carpal tunnel while they’re cleaning up all those erased and baked bugs, do we? Please consider all this and think about it.
