Aircraft Painting

NAYA · Post by **NAYA** » Wed Sep 01, 2004 7:35 pm

Where is the best place to have an aircraft painted as far as the quality of work. As well if quality can be sacraficed a little who will do the work a little cheaper? Or is the difference so nominal you may as well get the better paint job?

N

Snowgoose · Post by **Snowgoose** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 5:39 am

Best paint job hands down would be in Goderich, On at Sky Harbour. But you are going to have to pay for it. For a bit more of a bargain but still a good paint job try the guys in Tillsonburg. Forget the name but they used to work for Sky Harbour. Last time I heard they were painting all of Found's new airplanes.

3Green · Post by **3Green** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 7:18 am

Flying Colours in CYPQ. Their quality can't be beat. No idea on cost though.

cedarjet · Post by **cedarjet** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 9:29 am

I second the flying colours in YPQ. Great looking c/s roll outta there.

N2 · Post by N2 » Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:17 am

If you truly want a great job done then I suggest Corporate Aircraft Restorations in YOO. Look at the work that comes out of that place and you will definitely be impressed! While not cheap they do probably some of the best work out there.

PS: I have had an aircraft painted by Flying Colours and a couple of years later all the seams started to peel. I had another painter look at it and he claims it's from the stripper not being cleaned out of the seams properly. Not to happy with the longevity of their paint job and now you can see how thinly they sprayed the paint on. Cheap job if you ask me.

Mitch Cronin · Post by **Mitch Cronin** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:35 am

Sky Harbour paint jobs have been renowned for many years. The cost is said to be somewhat restrictive, but the quality is legendary.

Arrow · Post by **Arrow** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:47 am

Out west Harv Air at YXD has been doing quality work for years. Also a place in Westaskewin, called Vintage Air I think, I've heard some good things about.

DA900 · Post by **DA900** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 3:57 pm

I have to agree with Arrow. Trev at Harv Air is one of the best, but of course it comes with a cost.

Snowgoose · Post by **Snowgoose** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 8:10 am

Forgot to mention the one to stay away from. Don't go near Penta Aviation in YVR. They painted a Lear for a company I used to work for and the pain peeled on the first flight. Plus they had pressurization problems after the paint job as well. It went in for a C or D check and was nothing but a nightmare afterwards. Took 3 months to sort all the bugs out.

mikegtzg · Post by **mikegtzg** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 8:12 pm

One of the guys local here had his Cessna 150 done last year at Harv Air. It really came out nice. Apparently the price was right too. He just flew it there and returned.
If you have the place and a good relationship with a mechanic. Disassemble it yourself and have a good automobile or industrial paint shop spray it.

slowstream · Post by **slowstream** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 8:24 pm

Harv Air I would agree would have been the best ...........10 years ago but it seems their work has been slipping of late, not wearing very well.

Check out a place called Clines in CYQF (Red Deer), a family run business with many years experience from SPAR.

corn-shoot · Post by **corn-shoot** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 8:49 pm

slowstream wrote: Check out a place called Clines in CYQF (Red Deer), a family run business with many years experience from SPAR.

It's actually Clynes...but you are indeed correct it is a decent establishment. Great folks from what I know. Did some work with a plane that came outta there way back when.

Don't forget bare polished is a good look too

Gixxer · Post by **Gixxer** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 1:15 am

If you have the place and a good relationship with a mechanic. Disassemble it yourself and have a good automobile or industrial paint shop spray it.

This is not entirly the worst idea in the world. One of the best paint jobs I've ever seen was done by a automotive painter. Having said that don't take it to a shop that does cars. Cars, for the most part, are made from steel and require different prep. Big rigs (trucks), however, generally have aluminum cabs and trailers and these are the guys to take your plane to. You had to have seen the job they did on the 172, the pearl white was unbelievable and it lasted 5 years before a renter put it into a wheat field

NAYA · Post by **NAYA** » Sat Sep 04, 2004 4:10 pm

Thanks for all the great ideas. It's funny really, for every good reputation a company earns there is always a horror story to bring it down. Industrial paint is totally out of the question, but thanks for the post. Hard decision, other than you posts, I'm looking at where big Canadian and US based Companies get there paint done. For instance, I got this one through a private message, did you know all of Flight Options' aircraft are painted in YPQ ant Flying Colours? Anyways thanks again for the post and I will inform all of where I go and better yet how it turns out.

N

OW · Post by OW » Sun Sep 05, 2004 11:44 am

Harv Air in CYXD has been applying ENDURA (an Edmonton product) to aircraft almost as long as it has been available.

ENDURA is a very high opacity low solids paint which translates to good colour ,low weight. It is one of the best paints available for aircraft or marine applications.

Harv Air has the experience required to apply this paint properly to your aircraft.

Trevor has customers from Alaska to Texas who will tell you where you should go for quality.

Buying quality is like buying hay.
If you want good clean fresh hay, you have to pay the price,
but if you canbe satisfied with hay that has already been through the cow...
That comes a little cheaper!

Schlem · Post by **Schlem** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 7:01 pm

Here's one of Flying Colour's jobs... done at the end of last year...

Excellent work!

Arrow · Post by **Arrow** » Sun Sep 05, 2004 7:37 pm

Ahh, July in Baker Lake.