Empire Aircraft Detailing
Restores faded, chalky, or oxidized paint on aircraft exterior surfaces through multi-stage polishing and correction. Removes UV damage and restores gloss ahead of ceramic coating or as a standalone service. On-site at San Jose International (SJC) and Bay Area airports including San Carlos, Livermore, Hayward, Concord, and Napa.
Our Process
Oxidation is the chalky, faded haze that develops when UV and environmental exposure break down the surface of aircraft paint. Left untreated it dulls the finish, traps contamination, and eventually leads to permanent paint failure. Aircraft parked outdoors in the Bay Area sun are especially prone to it.
Removing oxidation is a machine-polishing process that mechanically clears the degraded surface layer to reveal healthy paint beneath. We assess paint depth first, then work through cutting and refining stages with aviation-safe compounds to restore clarity and gloss without removing more material than necessary.
Oxidation removal is valuable both as a standalone restoration and as the essential first step before ceramic coating. Because coating locks paint in its current state, oxidized paint must be corrected first so the coating bonds to a healthy, glossy surface rather than sealing in the damage.
Composite surfaces require different technique than aluminum. For Cirrus SR20/SR22 aircraft we perform manufacturer-appropriate correction and never apply ceramic coating, in strict compliance with Service Advisory SA25-02. Our approach restores the finish while protecting your warranty.
Service Tiers
A single-stage machine polish to remove light oxidation and haze and restore gloss on aircraft in reasonable condition.
Request Quote →Multi-stage cutting and refining to remove moderate to heavy oxidation and chalking, restoring clarity to neglected or sun-damaged paint. Recommended before ceramic coating.
Request Quote →For Operators
Restores faded fleet paint to a uniform, glossy finish.
Corrects UV damage before it becomes permanent paint failure.
Essential prep pass before fleet ceramic coating.
Scheduled around utilization to limit downtime.
Oxidation removal is available for all aircraft types. The severity of oxidation determines whether a single-stage enhancement or full multi-stage correction is required. We provide a paint assessment before beginning any work.
Questions
Oxidation is caused by UV and environmental exposure breaking down the surface of the paint, producing a chalky, faded haze. Aircraft parked outdoors are especially prone to it.
In most cases, yes. Multi-stage machine polishing clears the degraded surface layer to reveal healthy paint beneath. Severity determines whether a single-stage or multi-stage approach is needed.
Yes. Ceramic coating seals the paint in its current state, so oxidation must be removed first so the coating bonds to a healthy, glossy surface rather than sealing in the damage.
Yes. We perform manufacturer-appropriate oxidation correction on Cirrus composite airframes and never apply ceramic coating, in compliance with Service Advisory SA25-02.
Build your service package online or call us to discuss your aircraft's specific needs.