A NEW COAT FOR THE SUPERJUMBO JET

Text by Ge Rufeng Translation by Leo Photos by Zeng Jian, Tian Yu, Liu Yunping

A NEW COAT FOR THE SUPERJUMBO JET

Text by Ge Rufeng Translation by Leo Photos by Zeng Jian, Tian Yu, Liu Yunping

Unlike mankind who changes frequently, aircraft have to wait for fi ve years on average to get a new coat and most of them wear only one style of coat throughout their lifetime.

In June, two Airbus A320 aircraft, named “Meihao Chongqing” (or “Glory of Chongqing”) and“Chongqing Shiguang” (or “Good Times of Chongqing”), went through a process of recoating at Guangzhou Aircraft Maintenance Engineering Co., Ltd. (GAMECO), just days after an Airbus A380 aircraft was given a fresh new look. The two A320s belong to the fl eet owned by Chongqing Airlines, a Chongqing-based local air carrier majority-owned by China Southern.

According to Mr. Wu Pengfei, head of the paint shop of GAMECO'S Overhaul Service, most passenger airplanes will experience the problem of paint fading every fi ve years, which may make their appearance less appealing. That is why they require repainting at regular intervals.

盛夏6月，南航旗下重庆航空两架A320飞机“美好重庆号”“重庆时光号”先后在广州飞机维修工程有限公司喷漆。就在重航这两架飞机素颜换华服前几天，南航A380也在此喷漆，焕然一新。

［left］On 10 June 2017, China Southern Air Media's online livestreaming brand“Outlook Pie” became the first media outlet in China to take a up-close look at the process of painting on the skin of an aircraft. Meanwhile, the Decode Aviation, a key comopent of Outlook Channel also took a full recording of how an aircraft is re-coated.6月10日，南航传媒网络直播品牌“发现派”在国内首次采用互联网直播的形式，近距离展示飞机彩绘过程。同时，发现之旅频道重点栏目《解构飞行》也全程录制了飞机“换衣”。

Steps to Recoating换装全过程

It is told that up to two tonnes of paint are needed to re-coat a superjumbo jet A380, the largest of all civil passenger aircraft, for the area painted extends beyond 4,000 square metres, which is as large as 10 standard basketball courts or equivalent to the total painted area of fi ve A320s.

1. When an aircraft is ready in the paint shop, aircraft structural engineers will examine the exterior of the aircraft and take steps to protect all areas of the aircraft not being repainted. These include fl ight deck windshields, cabin windows and wingtip lights.

停场准备接受喷漆的飞机进入喷漆机库后，有专门的机务结构工程师对飞机外表进行结构检查。同时，喷漆人员对驾驶舱玻璃、舷窗、翼尖灯等不需要喷漆的部位进行包裹。

空中巨无霸的新衣

与穿着花枝招展的人类相比，飞机的衣装平均5年才换一次，而绝大多数飞机一辈子只有一款新衣。

2. When everything is ready, painters will fi rst remove the existing paint (topcoat and primer) by way of either physical stripping or chemical stripping. Physical stripping involves the use of sanders to remove the paint while chemical stripping causes the paint to peel off through

chemical reactions.一切就绪，喷漆人员首先要将飞机原有的漆层处理掉。通常有两种方法，一种是物理方法，利用打磨器将漆层打磨掉；一种是化学方法，使用褪漆剂，与漆层发生反应，使其剥离脱落。

3. After the existing coats are stripped, the painters will paint a new layer of primer onto the skin of the plane. The primer plays the role of strengthening the bond between the skin and the topcoat as well as of resisting corrosion.

完成原有漆层处理后，喷漆人员首先为飞机喷上一层底漆。底漆就像一种黏合剂，一方面增强飞机蒙皮与面漆的结合度，另一方面起到防腐作用。

4. A layer of topcoat is then applied upon the primer. The topcoat looks smoother and more shiny than the primer, giving the aircraft a more attractive appearance.

喷完底漆，再喷面漆。相对底漆而言，面漆更光滑，色泽度更高。面漆让飞机更加光鲜亮丽。

5. Then an airline's logo and required marks are painted on the fuselage. Finally, a layer of clearcoat will be applied to complete the refi nished work. The clearcoat is used to deliver the ultimate protection, shine and glamour.

再之后喷绘的是机身上的Logo，以及民航适航飞机要求的维护标志。最后，还要再喷一层透明的清漆，才算大功告成。清漆的作用是在外表形成一层透明的保护膜，保护内部漆层，也使喷绘图案的立体感更强。