Brightwork Polish at Naples Capodichino (LIRN)

Why does brightwork oxidise faster in Naples?

The Tyrrhenian coast combines salt air, industrial haze and intense ultraviolet exposure. Bare aluminium on leading edges and inlet rings develops a chalky film within weeks; spinners and exhausts show tarnish even faster if the aircraft sits on the ramp between charter blocks. Humidity accelerates the process overnight, especially during the warmer months when dew settles on cold-soaked metal after descent.

Polishing removes the oxide layer and restores reflectivity, but the protection lies in the sealant we apply immediately after buffing. The hydrophobic film slows moisture contact and pushes the next polish interval out to eight or ten weeks instead of four. For fleets working Mediterranean routes—Olbia, Ibiza, Mykonos, Nice—a standing twice-yearly or quarterly polish at Naples keeps the metal bright without pulling the aircraft off revenue legs for emergency cosmetic work.

What changes at Naples Capodichino?

Naples Capodichino sits at 294 feet elevation with a single runway—06/24, 2628 metres—and operates from 03:30 to 22:30 local; the airport closes overnight except for delayed inbound flights. Slot coordination applies to all movements, so brightwork turnarounds are planned around your PPR window and the handler's stand assignment. Four handling agents work general aviation: Sky Services, AviaVIP, Alisud and Fly Service. AviaVIP's FBO hours run 04:00 to 21:00 UTC, which means early-morning or late-evening arrivals may require coordination with one of the other handlers if you want the aircraft repositioned for detailing immediately after chocks.

The coastal location means wind and salt carry across the apron. We mask avionics, pitot tubes and static ports before any compound touches the fuselage, and we avoid working in strong scirocco winds that lift dust off the taxiway. If your slot puts you on stand during midday in July or August, we start the polish early or wait until late afternoon when the metal cools; sealant cures poorly on sun-baked aluminium.

How long does a brightwork polish take at LIRN?

Duration depends on how much bare metal your aircraft carries and its current condition. A super-midsize jet with polished leading edges, inlet rings and a few trim pieces usually takes one full day if the metal is maintained on a regular cycle. An ultra-long-range airframe with extensive nacelle brightwork, exhaust fairings and window surrounds can stretch to two days, and if the surfaces have been neglected—heavy oxidation, staining from exhaust soot, corrosion bloom—we may need three days to cut, polish and seal properly.

We schedule around your next departure slot. If you have a twenty-four-hour layover, we begin as soon as the handler releases the aircraft and finish before your pre-flight inspection. Shorter turnarounds—six or eight hours—suit light touch-up work: spinner polish, exhaust cleaning, leading-edge spot treatment. For a complete brightwork detail we prefer forty-eight hours on stand, which allows time for compound stages, inspection under raking light and a second sealant coat if the metal is porous.

Can you polish brightwork between charter legs in Naples?

Yes, provided the gap between flights gives us access and daylight. A typical inlet-ring and spinner polish takes four to six hours; leading edges add another four if they run the full span of the wing. We coordinate with your handler to position the aircraft as soon as the previous passengers disembark, and we work around catering, fuelling and any cabin resets your crew schedules.

The airport's curfew—closed 22:30 to 03:30 local—means overnight polishing is not possible, but the long summer daylight and the 03:30 opening give us an early start if your next departure is late morning or afternoon. For fleets running sequential Mediterranean legs, a standing instruction with your handler ensures we are called whenever the aircraft has a Naples layover longer than eight hours. That way the brightwork stays ahead of oxidation without blocking revenue days.

What surfaces do you polish on a business jet?

We focus on every piece of exposed bare metal: wing and horizontal-stabiliser leading edges, engine inlet rings, spinners, exhaust outlets, thrust-reverser cascades if fitted, and any polished trim around windows, cheat lines or belly fairings. Each surface is cleaned to remove oils and carbon deposits, then cut with progressively finer compounds until the aluminium shows a mirror reflection. Window surrounds and small trim pieces are masked and polished by hand to avoid marring the paint or composite beside them.

After polishing we apply a sealant film that bonds to the metal and repels moisture. The coating is invisible but hydrophobic; water beads and rolls off rather than sitting in contact with the aluminium. On nacelles and leading edges, which see the highest airflow and the most salt or bug strike, the sealant can extend the interval between polishes from six weeks to three or four months, depending on utilisation and routes flown.

Do you include brightwork polish in a complete detail at Naples?

Brightwork polish is always part of a complete detail: the exterior cannot be called finished if the leading edges are chalky or the spinners show tarnish. We schedule the polish early in the detail sequence—usually on day two, after the initial wash and decontamination—so that any compound overspray or masking residue is removed during the final wash and single-stage polish. The sealant goes on last, after paint correction, so that the entire airframe receives protection in one session.

For aircraft on a recurring programme, we assess brightwork condition at every visit and recommend a full re-polish two to four times a year, or whenever oxidation becomes visible. Between those intervals a quick wipe and sealant top-up during a rinseless wash keeps the metal looking sharp. If you operate a mixed fleet through Naples—some aircraft polished quarterly, others only once a year—we track each tail in the tech log and advise your flight-department manager when the next brightwork session is due.