Aircraft Washing and Applying Soap Considered
What is the best way to put soap on an aircraft that you are cleaning? There are several strategies for this, and there are different considerations.
Let's go ahead and talk about these for a few moments because not long ago I was asked by a gentleman in another country about how to set up his washing rig to clean large aircraft.
Now then, first he asked; "should I use a pressurized tank, or should I use pumps to pump the soap onto the wings and fuselage of the aircraft for cleaning?" Well, there are several different strategies.
And I'd like to talk about each one, and give you some of the pros and cons because this is an important decision making process that you need to consider to maintain efficiency in your aircraft washing.
1.
Hudson Hand Pump Sprayers 2.
SureFlo Pumps 3.
Dual Lance Wands 4.
Localized Back Pack Soap Tanks One of the easiest methods is to use a small pressurized hand pump sprayer.
This will allow you to get up close and personal with the aircraft and spray the soap exactly where you need it.
However, as you get working with bigger and bigger aircraft, you will need longer and longer fitting attachments to apply the soap, and the wind is more likely to blow the soap away from where you're working rather than onto the surface of the wings and fuselage.
The bigger the aircraft the less value this strategy will be.
Another strategy is to use a "dual lance wand" as this is a pressure washing gun which has a secondary line on it which feeds soap.
When you want the soap to feed you merely open up the air pressure on the line and since the soap is lighter than water it feeds so rather than water.
The only problem with this is that the soap tank is generally on your washing rig, and it takes time for every 50 feet of hose line for the soap to travel through the line.
Therefore if you are cleaning a rather large aircraft and you are 300 feet away from the aircraft you have to sit there for a minute and a half until the soap reaches you.
Yes, after a while you figure out how to estimate this as you are washing so as you finish one area you are waiting for the soap to come forth, but it is still aggravating and it slows you down.
Of course, once the soap is applied to the aircraft it comes out like a giant foam, and this helps it stick to the aircraft giving a good well time to do its job.
It is the preferable method.
How about using a pump to feed the soap? Sure, this is another strategy.
Simply use a SureFlo Pump with a wireless button on the gun, once the soap is primed in the soap line, all you do is press the button and the soap shoots onto the aircraft.
One of my favorite methods was to have a small backpack with a container on it, therefore the soap line would be right next to you and you don't have to wait for it to hit the gun, and then use a dual lance wand, where the soap line simply loops around from the gun onto your backpack and you shoot it out like a flamethrower.
Well, I sure hope this discussion has helped to decide how you wish to apply soap to the wings and fuselage of an aircraft as you are cleaning it.
Please consider all this and think on it.
Let's go ahead and talk about these for a few moments because not long ago I was asked by a gentleman in another country about how to set up his washing rig to clean large aircraft.
Now then, first he asked; "should I use a pressurized tank, or should I use pumps to pump the soap onto the wings and fuselage of the aircraft for cleaning?" Well, there are several different strategies.
And I'd like to talk about each one, and give you some of the pros and cons because this is an important decision making process that you need to consider to maintain efficiency in your aircraft washing.
1.
Hudson Hand Pump Sprayers 2.
SureFlo Pumps 3.
Dual Lance Wands 4.
Localized Back Pack Soap Tanks One of the easiest methods is to use a small pressurized hand pump sprayer.
This will allow you to get up close and personal with the aircraft and spray the soap exactly where you need it.
However, as you get working with bigger and bigger aircraft, you will need longer and longer fitting attachments to apply the soap, and the wind is more likely to blow the soap away from where you're working rather than onto the surface of the wings and fuselage.
The bigger the aircraft the less value this strategy will be.
Another strategy is to use a "dual lance wand" as this is a pressure washing gun which has a secondary line on it which feeds soap.
When you want the soap to feed you merely open up the air pressure on the line and since the soap is lighter than water it feeds so rather than water.
The only problem with this is that the soap tank is generally on your washing rig, and it takes time for every 50 feet of hose line for the soap to travel through the line.
Therefore if you are cleaning a rather large aircraft and you are 300 feet away from the aircraft you have to sit there for a minute and a half until the soap reaches you.
Yes, after a while you figure out how to estimate this as you are washing so as you finish one area you are waiting for the soap to come forth, but it is still aggravating and it slows you down.
Of course, once the soap is applied to the aircraft it comes out like a giant foam, and this helps it stick to the aircraft giving a good well time to do its job.
It is the preferable method.
How about using a pump to feed the soap? Sure, this is another strategy.
Simply use a SureFlo Pump with a wireless button on the gun, once the soap is primed in the soap line, all you do is press the button and the soap shoots onto the aircraft.
One of my favorite methods was to have a small backpack with a container on it, therefore the soap line would be right next to you and you don't have to wait for it to hit the gun, and then use a dual lance wand, where the soap line simply loops around from the gun onto your backpack and you shoot it out like a flamethrower.
Well, I sure hope this discussion has helped to decide how you wish to apply soap to the wings and fuselage of an aircraft as you are cleaning it.
Please consider all this and think on it.
Source...