Removing snow can be a tedious, but extremely important job. We understand that it's the last thing you want to do on a cold winter Canadian night, however for the longevity of your aircraft, it is a necessary evil!
Why should I remove snow from my airplane?
Weight and wing loading
A cubic foot of snow can weigh anywhere between 15 to 30 pounds; over the wingspan of your aircraft, it can easily add up over time if left to collect. This can lead to prolonged periods of unnecessary stress on airframe components that weren't designed to take continuous loads like that!
Here's a safe technique to remove snow
The safest technique that we utilize is to remove as much of the snow from the airframe as possible without pushing the snow over the airframe. We safely remove as much as possible by hand until there is a thin layer of snow that can easily be pushed off using a soft microfibre mop attachment on an extension pole for ease of reach. Try your best to avoid using a brush similar to the one you use on your car, they are extremely abrasive and will leave swirls!
This technique is safe because it prevents the heavy weight of the snow being compressed and dragged across your paint.
Conclusion
We are aware that our technique above takes a little more time and care to execute, but in the long run it is much better for the health of your paint job and airframe to take the time to do it right.
A step further would be to ceramic coat your aircraft, as this not only protects the paint from possible abrasiveness from the snow, but it also helps to create a slippery surface that prevents surface adhesion, and makes it much easier for the snow to slide off.
Should you not be in the position to wrangle yourself away from the fireplace and out to the airport, Plane Perfect Detailing offers a solution for you. We will carefully remove snow, and ensure your aircraft is tied down securely to give you peace of mind.
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