Shiny Jets

Continued from Page 6

BB: What I run into a lot is that many detailing companies will not provide the quality job that will make their work last longer. For instance, they will compound the paint and then polish it, but when they were compounding, they did not remove all the oxidation. Aircraft paint deteriorates more than typical car paint. In six months, that paint will look chalky and ugly like it did before. Their compounds and polishes have fillers, so it looks really good in the beginning, but then the gloss wears off after a couple of washes, and it just looks old and chalky. Aircraft paint typically does not have a clear coat.

BAJUSA: What advice would you give to aircraft owners?

BB: I started Shiny Jets to start educating the industry. I have done interviews on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and other social media sites to educate people with tips and tricks that they can do themselves or how they can notice when their detailing person is not doing it properly. They will notice when the mechanic uses a cloth with metal shavings in it to wipe down the aircraft, and they will see how that scratches the paint. I set out to help the industry grow and get better results. I want to preserve aircraft for longer and make the cosmetic surfaces last longer. Unfortunately, the auto industry has surpassed aviation by leaps and bounds; so many of the methods you see out there are outdated and ineffective. They should listen to our podcast, watch our YouTube, and take our online courses for individual services. We have a full-fledge online course on how to build an aircraft detailing business. You can also come to one of our in-person trainings. Many people learn how to detail just by watching our content.

BAJUSA: What advice would you give to those who desire a career in aircraft detailing?

BB: I would say start learning how to detail cars. Work at a carwash. Even take a flight lesson to learn more about aircraft. It will give you a humbling experience. See if an aircraft detailing shop is willing to hire someone. You have to start off at the bottom, washing the bellies, etc. You have to start at the bottom so that you can move up in the company and offer that company a quality finished product. Safety is number one in aviation, and you need to show that company that you take it seriously.

BAJUSA: Are you hiring?

BB: Yes, we are. Contact us today.

BAJUSA: Is it better to hire a service or to do it yourself?

BB: I would say that it depends on the size of the aircraft. Many pilots do it themselves. I would recommend taking my ceramic coating course online. It might be cheaper to take the course and then tinker with your plane over the weekend and do it yourself. If it is a larger jet, you will want a team to work on it to get it done faster.

BAJUSA: How much does it cost to take one of your courses?

BB: Right now, our online course is $2,000. It takes about 10-12 hours to complete. You can take it at your leisure. Our in-person training is actually a hybrid course. They complete some of it at home online and then come to our headquarters. We cover light meals and lodging. We have shuttles that go to and from the airport where we detail planes for three days straight. They come in educated because they took the online course.

Continued on Page 8