Corrosion: A word that causes shudders and fear. However, it’s a word that is often misconstrued, demonized and frequently exaggerated.
Corrosion happens when water reacts to metal producing a chemical reaction that degrades the metal, ultimately creating weakness. Clearly, this is something you do not want on an aircraft. However, because aircraft are metal and fly in the sky where there is moisture, they will have corrosion. Remember – there are two types of aircraft in the world: those with corrosion and those that have corrosion but have not discovered it yet.
If you own an aircraft, at some point in its life, it will have corrosion.
During the Pre-Purchase Inspection of an aircraft transaction, the word corrosion is usually mentioned. This often results in a knee-jerk reaction by a buyer to become more nervous about the aircraft. But let’s take a step back and look at the different types of corrosion to avoid overreacting and possibly walking away from really great aircraft.
The majority of corrosion is easily removable. It’s usually just on the surface and can be quickly and simply cleaned up by the maintenance facility. This is the most frequent and common type and something with zero cause for concern.
Where corrosion becomes problematic is when it is deep inside the aircraft, creating structural weakness. At this point, the metal sometimes needs to be reinforced or replaced.
With either of these solutions, the problem is not safety – a replacement part or a reinforced area will be just as safe as the original aircraft. The problem comes with perception. It is perceived that the corrosion is deep inside and therefore may not have been fully removed. This can be a valid concern but one that must be addressed on a case by case basis.
If you find this deep level of corrosion, this is the time to have full and open discussions with your operator, aircraft broker, and maintenance facility. Maybe the corrosion is such that you should step away from the transaction and look elsewhere. Or maybe the solution can be easily solved, and sometimes there may even be financial incentive to stay with the transaction. Either way, your team will assist you with the full scope allowing you to make the decision you feel most comfortable with.
Do not let the word corrosion scare you. We’ve been involved with inspections on 6 month old aircraft with under 60 hours where corrosion was found. It is a part of aircraft ownership. When it comes up in your ownership or transaction process, discuss it with your broker and team to know how to handle your specific situation.
Articles are written from real world experience by Colibri Aircraft’s individuals. If you have any questions or comments about the topic of this blog, please feel free to contact us at enquiries@colibriaircraft.com
