How do I know if it is oxidation or just dirt?

Wash a small area first. If the paint still looks flat, milky or chalky when clean, and a white cloth rubbed on it picks up colour, that is oxidation, not dirt. Ramp exposure, sun and salt air accelerate it. Caught at the chalky stage, aircraft oxidation removal by machine polishing costs a fraction of a repaint.

Can heavy oxidation always be polished out?

Not always, and we will tell you honestly. Aircraft paint has a finite thickness, and the depth gauge tells us how much life is left. If correction would cut through, we say so before touching the airframe; sometimes the right answer is managing oxidation until a repaint rather than polishing. A test panel is agreed with you before any machine work on the airframe.

How long does aircraft oxidation removal last?

Sealed and hangared, the result of aircraft oxidation removal lasts one to two years before a maintenance polish. Ramp-kept aircraft in high-UV or coastal environments need attention every year. A ceramic coating over the freshly corrected paint extends it furthest, and the gloss readings logged before and after the work give the next polish a baseline in the record.

EXTERIOR CARE

Aircraft Oxidation Removal

Chalked, hazed paint brought back before it needs a paint shop.

Book aircraft oxidation removal Ask for your price

What is aircraft oxidation removal?

Oxidation removal is machine polishing that cuts back the dead, chalky top layer of oxidised paint and restores gloss and a sealable surface. Caught early it costs a fraction of a repaint; left alone, oxidation keeps eating until only a paint shop can help. The AI estimator gives a round-about range for your airframe, and our team confirms the final price after seeing the paint.

BY GLOBAL TIES AVIATION · UPDATED 2026-10-01

What does aircraft oxidation removal include?

Full wash and decontamination before any machine touches paint
Paint depth readings across representative panels first
Single-stage machine polish to cut the oxidised layer
Heavier chalking stepped up to a two-stage cut and refine
Sealant applied to lock the fresh surface against UV
Test panel agreed with you before committing to the airframe

Which products are used?

Paint depth gauge on every job — no blind polishing
Aviation-rated compounds and rotary/DA machines
Polymer sealant rated for jet-speed airflow and UV

How is the work checked?

Gloss meter readings before and after, logged to the record
Panel-by-panel inspection under LED at a low angle
No polish residue in seams, fastener heads or static ports

Every checkpoint is written to the aircraft record with the job.

WHY AIRCRAFT OXIDATION REMOVAL MATTERS

Oxidation is paint dying from UV in fast-forward — every month it advances, the correction cuts deeper and the repaint gets closer. Catching it at the chalky stage buys years of life for a fraction of a paint shop invoice, and the reading history in the aircraft record proves the paint's health at resale.

What affects the price of aircraft oxidation removal?

How heavy the chalking is: a single-stage polish or a two-stage cut and refine
Aircraft class and painted surface area
The paint thickness that remains, from the depth readings
Whether a sealant or a ceramic coating follows
Where the aircraft is and the travel to reach it

Because these change from one aircraft to the next, we do not publish a sticker price. Send the booking request: a person at Global Ties Aviation reviews the aircraft and confirms the scope, the price and the timing with you before anything is scheduled. Nothing is charged without your approval.

Which aircraft do we service?

Aircraft Oxidation Removal is scoped for every aircraft class the booking form takes, from piston singles to airliners in VIP configuration.

PistonCirrus SR22, Baron 58
TurbopropKing Air 350, TBM 960
Light JetPhenom 300, CJ4
MidsizeLearjet 75, Hawker 900XP
Super-MidChallenger 350, Citation Longitude
HeavyGlobal 7500, Gulfstream G650
HelicopterAW139, Bell 429
Airliner / VIPBBJ, ACJ320

Questions about aircraft oxidation removal

How do I know if it is oxidation or just dirt?: Wash a small area first. If the paint still looks flat, milky or chalky when clean, and a white cloth rubbed on it picks up colour, that is oxidation, not dirt. Ramp exposure, sun and salt air accelerate it. Caught at the chalky stage, aircraft oxidation removal by machine polishing costs a fraction of a repaint. Hangar vs ramp: what outdoor storage does to an aircraft
Can heavy oxidation always be polished out?: Not always, and we will tell you honestly. Aircraft paint has a finite thickness, and the depth gauge tells us how much life is left. If correction would cut through, we say so before touching the airframe; sometimes the right answer is managing oxidation until a repaint rather than polishing. A test panel is agreed with you before any machine work on the airframe.
How long does aircraft oxidation removal last?: Sealed and hangared, the result of aircraft oxidation removal lasts one to two years before a maintenance polish. Ramp-kept aircraft in high-UV or coastal environments need attention every year. A ceramic coating over the freshly corrected paint extends it furthest, and the gloss readings logged before and after the work give the next polish a baseline in the record. Aircraft ceramic coating

Guides on aircraft oxidation removal

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Where we work: the DMV, Florida and Las Vegas so far, and available to service aircraft in all 50 US states. See where we work or call (877) 844-8220.