Jazz Aviation (Jazz) has repainted two regional aircraft with advanced, “green” coatings system by PPG Industries’ aerospace business. PPG says this chromate-free coatings system reduces environmental impact, lowers weight, and provides a smooth, glossy and highly durable finish. The two Jazz airplanes were repainted by Springer Aerospace, Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, with DESOTHANE(R) HD/CA 9000 basecoat/clearcoat, DESOPRIME(TM) CF/CA 7502 epoxy primer and DESOGEL(TM) EAP-9 metal pretreatment, all from PPG. “Jazz is excited to be able to pioneer these new PPG products in Canada,” says Richard Steer, vice president, maintenance and engineering, for Jazz. “We are a company that is committed to seeking innovative ways in which to reduce environmental impact as well as fuel cost and consumption. The new PPG products are lighter weight, more durable and longer lasting, which subsequently provides a ‘greener’ paint system that is more environmentally friendly and also reduces costs.”
According to Ron Nakamura, PPG general manager and business manager for aerospace in Canada, Jazz is the first airline in Canada to specify the complete green PPG system.
“Jazz jumped on the opportunity to be the first commercial operator in Canada to have aircraft painted with the newest green coatings technology,” Nakamura said. “One aspect of going green is the chromate-free pretreatment and primer formulations of our coatings system, which require no special handling or waste disposal. A second aspect is that the PPG green coatings system reduces the weight of painted aircraft by more than 30 pounds, resulting in fuel savings and lower emissions. Third, because Desothane HD/CA 9000 basecoat/clearcoat features high durability, we expect the repaint cycle to be extended by several years, leading to additional cost savings and green benefits.”
The PPG coatings system consists of a heavily pigmented basecoat and a clear topcoat. Using Desothane HD/CA 9000 basecoat/clearcoat can reduce painting cycle process time by up to one full day because the fast-drying basecoat provides color in one coat, as compared with two or three coats in a typical system.
“One thing I really liked was the one-coat application,” said Jeff Springer, president of Springer Aerospace, who described the system as being user-friendly. “It was amazing how well the basecoat covered. We were all surprised. It covered better than any new type of paint that I’ve seen in a very long time.”
Springer also was pleased with the “very glossy finish” and the fact that the clearcoat is applied over external markings and placards, unlike traditional systems in which they are painted on last.
“They’re susceptible to wear-and-tear of the elements, and they wear off quickly,” he said. “With this system, you apply clear right over all of those. I’m hoping that will make them last as long as the paint.”
While operators or owners decide which type of paint system to use on their aircraft, Springer said he will mention the PPG coatings system when customers ask.
In addition to the benefits of the basecoat and clearcoat, PPG’s Nakamura said Desoprime CF/CA 7502 epoxy primer, used in conjunction with DesoGel EAP-9 pretreatment, offers excellent corrosion resistance, improves paint adhesion, and reduces “rivet rash.” DesoGel EAP-9 pretreatment also requires no rinsing.