Aircraft Painter

What does this role do at a high level?

Aircraft surface painting and touch up. To layout, mark and perform the more complicated painting assignments

on new delivery and customer-owned aircraft, to meet Quality Control inspection and customer acceptance

What does a typical day look like?

• Do a preliminary masking around the area to be worked to protect the aircraft from sanding debris.

• Sand/blend/feather area to be painted; clean and treat with Alodine/bondrite if necessary.

• Get inspected and get the OK to prime and paint.

• Prior to spraying any primer/paint, I will do further masking of the aircraft and surrounding aircraft/parts,

to protect from overspray.

• Spray corrosion preventative primer (has to set for two hours before anything other priming/painting can

be done).

• After spraying corrosion preventative primer, I clean the paint gun that was used, clean up the work area,

find out the paint that will need to be used for the final coat. If paint code/color is not called out in specs,

then I will have to use the color match camera to get the best possible match to the existing color. When

using color match camera, I have to buff and clean an area of the aircraft prior to taking pictures. If all that

is done and I still have time before the corrosion primer is cured, then I try to find something else to work

on while waiting for the two hour cure time.

• When corrosion primer is cured after two hours, I usually need to spray 2-3 coats of surfacer primer

(about 30 minutes between each coat, where I will do further cleaning, another job that can be worked,

or some training).

• After all coats of surfacer primer have been applied, I clean the paint gun and do any other cleaning that

may be necessary.

• When surfacer primer is cured, I sand/ blend to contour and do any other preparation sanding that needs

to be done for final topcoat.

• After all sanding and preparation is done, I clean the surface and surrounding area and check/replace any

masking tape/paper/plastic necessary before spraying final topcoat. I also check the area around the aircraft and protect with plastic any aircraft that may be in jeopardy of having overspray land on them.

Although I have done this earlier on, aircraft get moved around and worked on and sometimes needs

more plastic laid over them. If possible, I try to build a tent around the area that I’ll be working, which can

help to alleviate the need to mask off other aircraft.

• After all sanding, cleaning, and masking is done, I get the topcoat paint ready and spray 2-3 coats. (there is

usually a 30-45 minute wait time between coats, in which I will try to find something else to do, such as

maybe spray/touch up another part that uses the same paint; or clean, or just work on another job all

together when possible).

• After paint is fully cured (at least 24 hours later when possible), I pull back the masking around the

painted area, and sand the blend lines out, as well as any dirt/imperfections that are in the paint. After

sanding, I do a final buffing of the area to bring the paint to a smooth finish.

• When that is all done, I demask everything and do a final cleanup of the area.

What is the work environment like (Culture, team size, facility, dress)?

Team environment, roughly 50 personnel total, ~20 per shift, Hangar facility, normal dress attire for working on

aircraft

What are the top essential “must haves” on a resume for this role?

Previous on aircraft experience, at least one year, in a variety of spray painting and rework assignments. Must be

able to obtain and maintain an airport security badge through the local airport authority

What are the top 3 skill sets a candidate will need?

1. Aircraft experience

2. Blending/mixing of paint

3. Respirator qualified

Job Types: Full-time, Contract

Schedule:

• 8 hour shift

Experience:

• Aircraft Painting: 1 year (Preferred)

Work Location: In person