EAA Sport Aviation - September 2009

Large scratches require expertise and lots of labor to repair properly, but it can be done.

Jeff Simon

Consider the simple act of washing bugs off a windshield. I’ve witnessed countless aircraft owners spraying household furniture polish on as a cleaner and rubbing the bugs and grime with a rag until the windshield is clear. The damage they’re causing every time they go through this procedure is cumulative and will inevitably lead to early replacement of the windshield.

The first mistake is starting the cleaning process with any chemicals at all. Spray the windshield with lots of water and let it flush the contaminants from the surface. The goal is to remove as much dirt and bug residue as possible without touching the surface of the plastic. Allow the water to soak in to any remaining bugs and other spots before using your bare hand to lightly rub off any remaining dirt (be sure to remove any rings or other jewelry first). Dry the surface with a soft, clean cloth. Finally, use a cleaner or a polish specifically designed for use on aircraft windows. Using non-avia-tion products on aircraft plastic is a needless risk. Although it’s commonly used, aerosol furniture polish can contain chemicals that are harmful to aircraft plastics. Furniture polishes can also build up and produce smears on windows and windshields that are hard to remove. They were simply not developed for use outdoors and on plastic surfaces.

Aviation-specific products are available for both cleaning and polishing plastic windows and windshields. The simplest ones consist of only acrylic-safe cleaners and anti-static compounds. Examples of these types of cleaners are Novus No. 1 Plastic Clean and Shine and Aviation Laboratories’ Aircraft Glass Cleaner. Following the simple water-cleaning procedure detailed above, these cleaners can be applied to help remove any residue.

In addition to cleaners, there are combination cleaner/pol-ishes and straight polishes. Many of these products also con-

tain sealers and UV protectants specifically designed for plastics. These are generally non-abrasive products that contain special compounds that “fill” very small scratches. AeroShell Flight Jacket Plexicoat, LP Aero Plastics’ Acrylic Polish and Sealant, Aviation Laboratories’ Clear View, and “210” Plastic Cleaner and Polish are examples of these types of products.

The type of polishing cloth you use makes a big difference. The ideal cloth is nonabrasive, absorbent, and lint-free. AeroShell’s Flight Jacket line of products includes both anti-static pads and microfiber cloths that do an excellent job. However, you should be extremely careful when using any type of reusable cloth, since it can retain abrasive particles from previous uses. If you are not entirely sure the cloth