Non-adherence to the correct aircraft wash-ing/cleaning and painting procedures regularly generate safety events. This article will illustrate, through real in-service occurrences, that even activities performed primarily to improve the appearance of the aircraft and better display the airline logo may affect the safety of operations. The lessons learnt from these events are common: washing or painting an aircraft must be done according to the published procedures and using the correct equipment. These are specified in the Aircraft Maintenance Manual (AMM), Structure Repair Manual (SRM) and Tool and Equipment Manual (TEM).
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