Complete Detail at Naples Capodichino (LIRN)

Why does Naples Capodichino suit a multi-day Complete Detail?

The airport sits six kilometres north of the city centre—close enough that positioning here costs nothing in ferry time, far enough from salt air that we can work outdoors when the weather allows. A slot-coordinated field with handling agents experienced in business aviation means your crew files the PPR, we coordinate with the handler, and the aircraft comes off the stand into our care without the friction you'd find at a pure-commercial airport.

Two to five days gives us time to decontaminate paint that has spent a season crossing the Mediterranean, correct oxidation on the cheat line and belly, polish every piece of brightwork, and bring the cabin back to delivery standard. We photograph before we start and after we finish; the report goes into the aircraft file or straight to the buyer's surveyor. For a pre-buy or a sale, that documentation is half the reason you book the service.

What changes at Naples Capodichino?

Naples Capodichino operates 03:30 to 22:30 local, with a curfew closure until 03:30 the following morning except for delayed flights. The single runway—06/24, 2628 metres—handles everything from regional turboprops to widebody airliners, so ground movements follow ATC and handler coordination rather than a simple taxi call. Elevation is 294 feet; performance is never an issue, but the coastal location means paint picks up salt, dust and industrial particulate from both the bay and the city.

Four handling agents are present at the airport: Sky Services, Argos VIP Private Handling (AviaVIP), Alisud (GH Napoli), and Fly Service; Signature offers trip-support arrangements without a full FBO presence. We work with whichever handler you've chosen; they tow the aircraft to the wash stand or hangar, provide GPU if you're cold-soaked, and manage airside escort for our team. Because the field is slot-coordinated, your departure time is fixed once the slot is confirmed, which means we schedule the final inspection and sign-off at least two hours before you need to start engines.

What does the coastal climate do to the aircraft?

Naples sits on the Tyrrhenian Sea, and every aircraft that overnights here wakes up with a film of salt and humidity on the paint. If the jet has been flying Mediterranean legs all summer—Ibiza, Olbia, Mykonos, back to Naples—the leading edges, nacelles and belly carry months of bonded contamination that a ramp wash will not shift. Decontamination with a clay bar or chemical process pulls that layer off before we polish; without it, you're simply shining dirt.

Inside, the cabin has been breathing recirculated air through a hot season, and every soft surface holds passenger transfer, galley spills and lavatory use. We strip seats, side-ledges and carpet, disinfect to hospital standard, then treat leather and veneer to OEM specification. The result is an interior that smells of nothing and photographs like new—exactly what a buyer's surveyor expects to see, and exactly what your passengers deserve if you're keeping the aircraft.

How do you handle brightwork and external details during a Complete Detail?

Brightwork—exhaust surrounds, landing-light bezels, door handles, windscreen frames—oxidises faster in salt air than it does inland. We polish every piece by hand, using graduated compounds matched to the metal and the degree of oxidation. If the exhaust surround has turned grey, we start coarse and work fine; if it still carries some shine, we go straight to the finishing polish. The goal is a mirror finish that lasts six months, not a quick buff that looks good until the next rain.

We treat the same way with the rest of the external details: static ports masked and inspected, pitot covers fitted during any overnight break, no-touch avionics bays if we're working near antennas or sensor fairings. The belly and gear bays are degreased, washed and documented; buyers' surveyors check those areas first, and a clean belly tells them the aircraft has been looked after.

What does the photographic report include?

Before we lay a hand on the aircraft, we shoot the exterior in natural light from six angles, the cabin from forward to aft, the flight deck, and any area that shows wear or damage. After we finish, we shoot the same sequence again. The report is delivered as a digital file—date-stamped, organised by section—and it goes into the tech log or your aircraft file. If you're preparing for a pre-buy inspection, the surveyor sees exactly what was done and to what standard. If you're selling, the buyer's team sees proof that the aircraft has been detailed to a reference level, not simply washed on the ramp.

We also note anything that needs attention beyond our scope: a chipped leading edge, a cracked lens, a cabin panel that should be reglued. You're paying for two to five days of our time; we make sure you know everything we found.

How do you schedule a Complete Detail between legs?

Chief pilots booking this service usually have a gap in the schedule—a week between the end of summer charter and a positioning flight to the UK, or five days before a delivery acceptance in Naples. We need the aircraft off the flight line for the full duration, ideally in a hangar if the weather forecast is uncertain or if you want temperature-controlled curing for the cabin treatments. If hangar space is unavailable, we work outdoors and tow the aircraft under cover only for the interior stages or overnight.

You file the PPR with your slot request, confirm the handler, and tell us the expected arrival time. We meet the aircraft on the stand, conduct the initial inspection and photo session, then move into the wash and decontamination phase. The handler provides GPU and towing; we provide everything else. Two days before your departure slot, we give you a progress call; the morning of departure, we complete the final inspection, hand over the photo report, and sign the tech log. The aircraft is back on the line, polished, disinfected and documented, ready for the next leg or the surveyor's visit.