Aircraft Corrosion – Aviation’s Unseen Risk

Anyone who has ever worked with cars (especially old ones) knows that corrosion can end a vehicle's lifespan - rust on the body or panels can damage the structural integrity and affect performance. Aircraft also face this problem. The metals used in aircraft are prone to corrosion under environmental conditions. If external maintenance is ignored, it not only damages the fuselage but may also affect the avionics system, leading to component aging, increased maintenance costs, and even catastrophic failures.

Veronica Andrianovait, the Chief Commercial Officer of Nordic Dino Robotics, emphasized: "Timely maintenance and prevention of corrosion are crucial. Ensuring the safety and reliability of aircraft is the core principle of the aviation industry, and the only standard for airworthiness is excellence."

Causes and types of corrosion

When metals come into contact with water and oxygen, they undergo natural oxidation, forming stable compounds such as oxides or hydroxides. This continuous process seriously threatens the durability and airworthiness of aircraft. Andrianovait pointed out that the de-icing fluid and salt used at Nordic's winter airports remain on the fuselage, corroding the paint and exposing the metal; the continuous salt fog environment in coastal areas also exacerbates corrosion.

There are various types of aircraft corrosion: Different metals exposed to electrolytes such as salt water can cause galvanic corrosion (common in mixed metal components); aluminum alloys can develop pitting corrosion (forming small holes on the surface) when exposed to chloride compounds; water accumulation in sealed spaces such as joints can cause crevice corrosion; and repeated mechanical movement areas may experience fretting corrosion.

Core of prevention: Active prevention and regular cleaning

Once corrosion occurs, it spreads rapidly. A customer of Nordic Dino once encountered such a case: Salted fish cargo was stored in the luggage compartment for a long time, and only 6 months later, the compartment corroded and damaged the aircraft structure, highlighting the importance of preventive measures.

Key measures for preventing corrosion include:

Focusing on monitoring high-risk corrosion areas, such as fuselage skins, wing and tail surfaces, landing gear, engine components, and fastener connection points;

Regular cleaning of aircraft - Boeing recommends conducting crack and corrosion inspections quarterly, and most airlines will schedule cleaning at the same time, but too infrequent cleaning will increase the risk of corrosion, leading to extended downtime and flight disruptions;

Using professional service solutions, airlines can now entrust teams with professional technical expertise and robotic cleaning equipment to provide on-site services. This solution can increase cleaning efficiency by 2-3 times while maintaining the same workload and cleaning fluid consumption, without requiring additional investment in professional training and equipment.

Currently, airlines are increasingly emphasizing corrosion prevention, and taking proactive maintenance strategies has become the key to ensuring flight safety and reducing operating costs.