Exterior Dry Wash & Protect · waterless
Waterless exterior wash for private jets
Our standard exterior is a waterless dry wash with an aircraft wash-wax. It cleans, leaves a layer of protection behind, and keeps us inside the runoff rules every airport around Tampa Bay enforces.
Why waterless
Tampa International's washing directive allows dry washing at the FBOs at any time and keeps wet washing to designated wash bays. Albert Whitted's rules let aircraft be dry washed without the City's approval. At PIE, Pinellas County can fine up to $10,000 a day when anything other than stormwater reaches a drain. A dry wash puts nothing on the ramp, and no water anywhere near a pitot tube, static port or angle-of-attack vane.
How we do it
- A walk around the aircraft for loose objects first, cones out if the ramp needs them
- An LED inspection for exhaust soot, bug residue and belly grime before anything touches the paint
- One small section at a time: top surfaces first from padded ladders and poles, then the sides, then the lower surfaces, belly last
- Wash-wax misted onto the section and onto a folded plush towel, wiped in straight lines with light pressure, then buffed with a second clean towel
- Heavy soil gets the label's dwell time and a second pass, never a scrub pad; exhaust soot gets the approved degreaser, then protection
- Leading edges softened with product and lifted with a soft towel
- Windows and windshields on their own acrylic cleaner and their own towels
- A final pass under the LED at a low angle for streaks, then seams and rivet lines wiped around, never into, sensors and vents
- A walk for loose objects, a towel and tool count, and after photos from the same angles as the before set
What we use
A waterless wash-and-protect whose manufacturer states it meets Boeing D6-17487 and SAE AMS 1526 and 1530, used as labeled. If your approved-materials list names something else, your list wins. Safety Data Sheets for everything on the truck are available on request.
Prices
| Aircraft size | Exterior dry wash | Belly & gear degrease |
|---|---|---|
| Turboprop & very light jetPC-12, TBM, Phenom 100 | $1,550 | $450 |
| Light jetCJ3, Phenom 300, Learjet 45 | $2,450 | $600 |
| Midsize jetLearjet 60, Citation XLS, Hawker 800 | $3,150 | $800 |
| Super-midsize jetChallenger 350, Citation X, G280 | $3,950 | $1,000 |
| Large-cabin jetChallenger 650, Falcon 2000, G450 | $6,250 | $1,350 |
| Ultra-long-range jetG650, Global 7500, Falcon 7X | $9,000 | $1,800 |
| Single-engine helicopterBell 407, H125, EC130 | $1,250 | $350 |
| Twin-engine helicopterH135, H145, AW109 | $1,850 | $450 |
Response fees are flat and printed: under 24 hours $1,500, same day or AOG $3,000, an after-hours start $750. Call-out minimum $1,500. We don't discount. Full rate card.
Questions we get
Is a waterless wash safe for aircraft paint?
With the right product and technique, yes. We use a wash-wax made for aircraft, work one small section at a time with plush towels and light pressure, and change towels constantly. Heavy soot and grime get the approved degreaser and a proper dwell time first, never a scrub pad.
Do you ever use water?
Only in the airport's designated wash area, arranged in advance, with phosphate-free aviation detergent. On the ramp, dry washing is what the airports allow.
Does the exterior price include the belly?
The dry wash covers the whole aircraft, belly included. Heavy exhaust streaks and gear-area grime are a separate belly and gear-area degrease.
Price your aircraft in a minute.
A written price and a confirmed window within two hours, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.