Aircraft ceramic coating is quoted per aircraft, not off a menu. Here are the real factors — size, condition, coating tier, and prep — that determine what a proper coating investment looks like.
Aircraft ceramic coating is not a commodity with a fixed sticker price. A Cessna 172 and a Gulfstream G650 are separated by an order of magnitude in surface area, complexity, and preparation requirements. Any shop quoting a single flat rate without seeing your aircraft is either overcharging small airframes or cutting corners on large ones. Empire quotes every aircraft individually after understanding its size, condition, and how you use it.
The single biggest cost driver is surface area. Coating a piston single is a fraction of the labor of coating a large-cabin jet. More surface means more preparation, more product, and more application and cure time. This is why costs scale roughly with aircraft class — piston, high-performance, turboprop, light jet, and large-cabin jet each occupy a different tier of effort.
Ceramic coating locks in whatever is beneath it, so paint must be corrected first. An aircraft with heavy oxidation, swirl marks, or exhaust etching requires multi-stage paint correction before coating — a significant portion of the total labor. A newer aircraft in excellent condition needs far less prep. Condition assessment is a major reason we quote after evaluating the aircraft.
We offer two tiers. Empire Shield uses System X Pro+ for roughly 2-year protection — a strong entry point or a fit for aircraft approaching a planned repaint. Empire Excellence uses Boeing-approved System X Max G+ for up to 10-year protection — the best long-term value for owners and high-utilization operators. The tier you choose affects both product and warranty, and therefore cost.
One important note: if you own a Cirrus SR20 or SR22, ceramic coating is not an option at any price. Per Cirrus Service Advisory SA25-02, ceramic coating is completely banned on Cirrus composite airframes. We protect these aircraft with compliant wash, paint correction, and approved sealant services instead. Any shop that quotes you a ceramic price for a Cirrus does not understand the aircraft.
The right way to evaluate ceramic coating is total cost of ownership. A properly coated aircraft washes faster, needs less aggressive chemicals, holds gloss for years, and protects the paint system — deferring repaint cycles that can run into six figures on jets. For high-utilization aircraft, a quality coating frequently pays for itself well within its warranty period. We are happy to walk you through the math for your specific aircraft.
Questions
Because an accurate quote depends on your aircraft's size, paint condition, and the coating tier you choose. We provide a firm quote after a brief assessment so there are no surprises — no aircraft is quoted off a generic menu.
For most owners and all high-utilization operators, Empire Excellence (System X Max G+) delivers the best value because it protects longer and defers re-application. Empire Shield is a smart choice for aircraft nearing a repaint or owners wanting to try coating first.
Over time, yes. It reduces wash labor and chemical use, preserves gloss and paint, and helps defer expensive repaint cycles. For frequently flown aircraft, those savings typically outweigh the coating investment within its warranty period.
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