Ceramic Coating at Olbia Costa Smeralda (LIEO)
Multi-year ceramic protection for paint and brightwork during the off-season or between charter blocks
Ceramic Coating at Olbia Costa Smeralda is a three-to-six-day hangar service for super-midsize through ultra-long-range business jets whose operators want durable protection after a repaint or complete detail. The aircraft arrives at one of the handling agents present at the airport—Eccelsa Aviation, AviaVIP, or Sky Services—where we decontaminate and correct the paint, apply two ceramic layers to all painted surfaces, seal brightwork and windows, then cure the coating under controlled conditions before handing back a documented maintenance event with warranty and care instructions.
05/23 · 2745 m
AIP and airport data37 ft
3 km
Olbia town centre3 on the airport
independent, no affiliationEccelsa Aviation General Aviation Terminal (opened 2009, ~4,000 m², aircraft-side wing sheltering up to B737/A320)
What does ceramic coating achieve that polish alone cannot?
Polish improves gloss and fills minor scratches, but it wears away with every wash and offers no chemical resistance. A ceramic coating bonds to the corrected paint at the molecular level, creating a hydrophobic surface that sheds water, resists de-icing fluid, and stands up to UV radiation season after season. Contaminants—industrial fallout, insect strikes, exhaust soot—sit on top of the coating rather than etching into the clear coat, so each wash takes less time and requires gentler chemistry.
We apply two full coats to the fuselage, wings, empennage, nacelles, and winglets after paint correction removes oxidation and swirl marks. Brightwork—leading edges, gear doors, hinges—receives the same treatment, and windows get a separate hydrophobic layer that improves visibility in rain and reduces ice adhesion. The result is a finish that looks freshly detailed for two to three years, with maintenance intervals that stretch from weekly to fortnightly in active service.
What changes at Olbia Costa Smeralda between summer and the rest of the year?
Olbia sits at 37 feet elevation three kilometres from the town centre, with a single 2,745-metre runway serving almost entirely seasonal Costa Smeralda tourism. July and August see three to four thousand movements a month; the rest of the calendar is quiet. The airport is slot-coordinated year-round, but summer peak brings PPR filing for general aviation, Avgas waits that can reach ninety minutes, and Olbia Ground extending its hours from 06:00 to 22:00 UTC between 1 June and 30 September. Eccelsa Aviation operates the only FBO on the field—a Geasar-controlled terminal with an aircraft-side wing sheltering stands up to B737 or A320 size—and its standard hours run 07:00 to 22:00 local, with paid extensions available on request.
For a three-to-six-day ceramic project, autumn through spring offers open hangar availability, predictable ground-crew schedules, and no competition for ramp space. Summer slots are possible but require advance coordination and typically cost more. If your aircraft finishes a charter season in Sardinia or transits through on the way to winter maintenance, the off-peak window is ideal for ceramic work without disrupting high-utilisation months.
How do we document the ceramic coating for the tech log?
Every ceramic project closes with a maintenance-event package: time-stamped photographs showing paint condition before correction, the application process on each major surface, and the final cured finish under calibrated lighting. We record product batch numbers, ambient temperature and humidity during cure, and the exact areas covered—fuselage panels, control surfaces, nacelle inlets, belly, gear bays, brightwork. That documentation goes into your tech log as a dated entry, satisfying auditors and insurers that the coating is a traceable maintenance activity rather than cosmetic guesswork.
The package includes a warranty document stating coverage duration, a maintenance schedule showing recommended wash intervals and approved chemistry, and high-resolution images stored on USB for your records. If the aircraft changes hands or enters a management company, the new operator inherits a clear picture of what was done, when, and what the coating requires going forward. We also note any paint defects discovered during correction—chips, crazing, delamination—so you have a baseline for future inspections.
What does the Mediterranean climate do to unprotected paint?
Sardinian summer combines intense UV, salt-laden air from the Tyrrhenian, and apron temperatures that can cold-soak an aircraft one night and bake it the next morning. UV degrades clear coat over months, turning gloss to chalk; salt pulls moisture into the paint film, accelerating oxidation; and thermal cycling expands and contracts the substrate, opening microcracks that trap contaminants. An unprotected jet parked through July and August will show measurable gloss loss by September, and two seasons will leave leading edges and the cheat line visibly duller than the rest of the fuselage.
Ceramic coating interrupts that cycle. The hydrophobic layer prevents salt and pollutants from bonding to the paint, UV inhibitors in the ceramic formulation slow photodegradation, and the hard surface resists the abrasion of dry-wash or rinseless cleaning between full washes. Operators who coat immediately after a repaint preserve that factory finish for the warranty period and beyond, avoiding the expense of correction and repolish every eighteen months.
How do we schedule ceramic coating between charter legs or a fleet rotation?
Three to six days in the hangar means the aircraft is off the flight schedule, so most operators book ceramic work during a natural gap: the end of a summer charter series, a scheduled phase inspection, or a positioning leg that leaves the jet in Europe for a week. We coordinate directly with your flight-department manager or chief pilot to lock a hangar slot, confirm handler airside-pass and escort arrangements, and align our start time with the last revenue departure. If the aircraft arrives with an AOG squawk or a deferred item, we pause ceramic work until maintenance signs off the tech log, then resume without rushing the cure.
For fleets, staggered coating schedules keep at least one aircraft available while another is in the hangar. A pair of Globals or Challengers can rotate through Olbia across four weeks in October, each receiving ceramic protection without leaving the operation short of lift. We provide a day-by-day timeline before the project starts, so dispatch knows exactly when the aircraft will be back on the ramp with a fresh GPU and ready for the next leg.
What do handlers at Olbia expect when a third-party detailing crew is on the apron?
Handling agents at the airport—Eccelsa, AviaVIP, Sky Services—are accustomed to third-party maintenance and appearance providers working under their supervision. They expect advance notice of hangar access, a list of personnel requiring airside passes, proof of liability insurance, and a daily schedule showing when the aircraft will be moved, when external power is needed, and when waste-water or chemical disposal is required. We submit that package a week before arrival, copy the handler on every update, and check in with ground crew each morning so they know which stand or hangar bay we occupy and when we expect to finish.
During the ceramic cure, the aircraft stays on GPU in the hangar with doors closed and climate control running; the handler meters power usage and invoices accordingly. If we need to reposition the jet for lighting or access, we request a tug and wing-walkers rather than starting engines or using a tow-bar without supervision. Waste from paint correction—compound residue, used microfibre, masking tape—goes into handler-provided bins, not left on the apron. That discipline keeps the relationship smooth and ensures the handler will accommodate your next visit without friction.
Questions operators ask about Ceramic Coating at Olbia Costa Smeralda
How long does ceramic coating last on a business jet?
Two to three years with correct maintenance, depending on flight hours and wash frequency. A properly applied two-layer ceramic coating will maintain hydrophobic properties and gloss protection for twenty-four to thirty-six months in active service. High-utilisation aircraft that wash weekly may see the coating thin slightly faster on leading edges and the belly, while jets that fly fewer than two hundred hours a year and wash monthly can stretch the interval toward three years. We provide a maintenance schedule and recommend reapplication when water no longer beads consistently across the fuselage.
Can ceramic coating be applied over existing wax or sealant?
No; we must strip all previous products during the decontamination and correction phase. Ceramic bonds only to bare, corrected paint. Any wax, polymer sealant, or silicone residue will prevent proper adhesion and cause the coating to fail within weeks. We use a chemical decontamination process and clay-bar treatment to remove every trace of old product, then correct the paint with a multi-stage compound and polish before applying the ceramic. If the aircraft has been detailed recently, expect the prep phase to take an extra day.
What happens if the aircraft needs to fly before the ceramic fully cures?
The coating is touch-dry in hours but requires forty-eight hours of controlled climate to reach full hardness. We can release the aircraft after twenty-four hours if an AOG or urgent charter arises, but the coating will not achieve maximum durability or hydrophobic performance until it completes the full cure cycle. Rain, de-icing fluid, or a wash during that window can leave water spots or reduce gloss. Whenever possible, we schedule the project so the aircraft remains in the hangar for two full days after the final ceramic layer, then hand it back fully cured and ready for normal operations.
Does ceramic coating protect against de-icing fluid and Type IV holdover?
Yes; the coating resists glycol-based fluids and simplifies post-flight cleaning. Type I and Type IV fluids will not etch or dull a cured ceramic surface the way they can damage unprotected clear coat. The hydrophobic layer allows fluid to sheet off during takeoff, and any residue rinses away with water rather than requiring solvent or heavy scrubbing. Operators flying winter schedules in northern Europe report fewer fluid stains on the belly and nacelles, and post-de-icing washes take half the time they did before ceramic application.
Can we apply ceramic coating to the cabin windows and windscreen?
We coat cabin windows with a hydrophobic layer; windscreens require manufacturer approval and are usually excluded. Cabin windows receive the same hydrophobic treatment as paint, improving water shedding and reducing mineral deposits from rain or wash water. Flight-deck windscreens are a different matter: most OEMs prohibit aftermarket coatings on heated panels due to concerns about thermal conductivity and optical distortion. We check the aircraft maintenance manual and consult your chief pilot before touching the windscreen; if the manual is silent or prohibits coatings, we mask and exclude that area entirely.
What is included in the ceramic-coating maintenance plan?
A wash schedule, approved chemistry list, inspection intervals, and warranty terms. The plan specifies how often to wash the aircraft—typically every two weeks for active jets—and which products are safe for ceramic: pH-neutral shampoos, no abrasive compounds, no high-pressure wands on leading edges. It includes a six-month inspection checklist to assess coating condition, a list of scenarios that void the warranty (such as using automatic car washes or acidic cleaners), and contact details for reapplication or repair. We also provide a digital copy so your flight department can share it with line staff at any FBO.
Why does ceramic coating take three to six days instead of one?
Paint correction, two ceramic layers, and controlled curing each require dedicated time. Day one is decontamination and surface prep; day two is paint correction across the entire airframe; day three is the first ceramic coat with a twelve-hour flash-off; day four is the second coat and brightwork application; days five and six are the full cure under stable temperature and humidity. Rushing any phase—especially cure—compromises bond strength and durability. Larger aircraft or those with heavy oxidation can push the timeline toward six days; a well-maintained super-midsize jet in good condition may finish in four.
Do you coat the belly and gear bays, or only the visible fuselage?
We coat the entire exterior, including belly panels and gear-bay doors, unless the operator requests otherwise. The belly and gear bays accumulate more contaminants—hydraulic mist, runway rubber, de-icing residue—than the upper fuselage, so ceramic protection there delivers the highest return. We mask static ports, pitot tubes, and drain holes, then apply the same two-layer process to belly panels, gear doors, and nacelle interiors. If budget or time is constrained, some operators choose to coat only the fuselage and wings, but we recommend full coverage for maximum long-term benefit.
Can ceramic coating be repaired if the paint is chipped after application?
Yes; we can spot-correct and recoat individual panels without redoing the entire aircraft. A stone strike or ground-equipment scrape that chips through to primer will also damage the ceramic layer in that area. We wet-sand the damaged panel, blend the repair into the surrounding paint, then reapply ceramic to match the rest of the fuselage. The repair takes a few hours and requires a short cure period, but it restores protection without the cost or downtime of a full recoat. We document every repair in the tech log and update the warranty file accordingly.
Is ceramic coating worth the cost if the aircraft is due for repaint in two years?
Yes; it preserves the current paint until repaint and is ideally applied immediately after the new finish. Coating now prevents further degradation, keeps the aircraft presentable for resale or charter, and reduces wash time and cost over the next twenty-four months. When the repaint happens, we recommend ceramic application as soon as the new clear coat cures—usually within thirty days—so the factory finish stays perfect from day one. Many operators budget ceramic as part of the repaint project, treating it as an insurance policy rather than an optional cosmetic step.