Aircraft owners know how frustrating it can be to deal with corrosion and rust on their aircrafts parts. It not only eats away at the parts but also reduces their resale value, causing great financial damage. Therefore, timely dealing with such damages and reducing the effects of corrosion and rust can prevent you from having to buy new parts. If left undetected and untreated, corrosion can make an aircraft unairworthy in just a matter of years.
However, you can take several steps to improve the life of your aircraft and prevent it from getting rust. This blog post mentions what you can do to keep the rust away from your aircraft's parts and what to do if the upper layer of the metal has already started oxidizing.
What Does Rust On An Aircraft Look Like?
Rusting appears as small freckle-like red spots on the bare metal or the entire surface. It may adopt a slightly reddish tint that worsens with time. Over time, it can develop pits in the metal greatly reducing the effectiveness of the parts of your aircraft. Moreover, over time the metal pieces can break off from the rest of the aircraft, causing you to have to replace those parts as a whole.
What To Do If You Find Corrosion On An Aircraft Part
Aircraft surface corrosion can be removed by sanding down the surface. This might include sanding it down with an abrasive material such as an emery cloth, crocus cloth, or a bristle brush.
Moreover, there are anti-rust and protective paints available that you can apply over the affected area to prevent further spreading of the rust. Get help from a professional technician or aircraft welder if the condition is too severe and you think it can't be fixed using paint. When in doubt, have a professional take a look.
Preventive Tips For Controlling Corrosion
You should be proactive and vigilant when it comes to controlling the corrosion on your aircrafts parts. It is better to take action in the early stages. Otherwise, it can cause more damage. Some of the preventive tips you can opt are as follows:
Wash Your Aircraft
This might seem like an unimportant tip, but washing your aircraft will keep its parts clean and free of dust. Clean your aircraft after a long flight to remove corrosion-producing agents. Make sure to give extra attention to corrosion-prone areas, including the landing gear and any joints, gaps, or hinges. Protect the airplanes’ parts by cleaning, priming, and coating them. Periodic cleaning will keep corrosion-causing agents away.
Clean Before Assembling
Aircraft part assembling is a process that needs great attention. Therefore, it is important to clean your aircrafts parts before use. You must make sure that your aircrafts parts are free of the following things before assembling:
- Oil/grease residue
- Old surface coating
- Surface rust
- Welding scale
Close The Windows
Make sure that the windows of your plane are tightly closed; otherwise, moisture can get inside and affect the interior of your aircraft.
Weld When Necessary
Welding can play an important role in joining two aircraft parts that have been damaged. Numerous welding procedures have been developed to make this process convenient for aircraft owners. Aircraft welding is a cost-effective and reliable solution to repair your aircrafts parts that have been broken down or eaten by rust.
About Acorn Welding
Acorn Welding has grown to become Canada’s largest aircraft exhaust and engine mount manufacturer and supplier. We are your reliable partner for aircraft welding processes and also supply quality aircraft parts. Contact Acorn Welding today for all your aircraft needs.
