An aircraft is required to have the ultimate in aerodynamics, even down to smooth paint on the outside of parts or the smoothness of protecting coatings. Any discrepancies can cause the aircraft to behave less than ideal. This is why when it comes to painting or repainting aircraft parts, proper maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) is required.
If you are responsible for an aircraft made from aluminum or an aluminum alloy you need to be careful in choosing the correct blasting abrasive for aircraft paint stripping. Choosing an abrasive that is too hard, such as steel grit or steel shot can cause permanent damage to aluminum. If you choose an abrasive that is too soft then you will struggle to remove the paint efficiently and multiply the amount of time the job should take exponentially.
What abrasive should I use for paint stripping an aircraft?
The choice of what blasting abrasive to use when paint stripping an aircraft is difficult because there isn’t just one product. What you need depends on what you want to do with the surface once it is stripped. If you want to repaint it then you will want a surface that, while smooth, is rough enough for paint, or other coatings to adhere to it. If this is the finish you’d like then crushed glass or the more aggressive aluminum oxide would be good options. Though while aluminum oxide would strip the paint quicker, it would be more expensive, which is something to bear in mind.
If you are looking for a clean, polished finish following your aircraft paint stripping then a glass bead-based media should be an option worth looking at. It is suggested, however, that the best media for aircraft paint stripping is plastic blast media, as it is safe to use on all parts of the aircraft, from aluminum to the fiberglass components, as well as the thin metal on gauges.
