Aviation Detailing Services Explained
A complete breakdown of every aviation detailing service, what it includes, and how to position it.
Braxton
Founder, CoreOP
Published 2026-04-25, updated 2026-04-28
Exterior wash
Exterior wash is the foundation service. A proper aviation exterior wash includes pre rinse, two bucket method, drying with airline grade microfiber, and a final inspection for streaks or water spots. Pricing typically runs $300 to $3,000 depending on aircraft size. Exterior wash is often the entry point for a longer relationship. Use it to demonstrate professionalism and document the aircraft so future quotes go out faster. The wash is also the diagnostic. The detailer learns the condition of the paint, brightwork, and surface contamination during the wash. This information feeds into future quotes for higher value services. Operators who treat exterior wash as just a cleaning miss the relationship building opportunity. Operators who use the wash to assess and document the aircraft typically see follow up quotes for paint correction, brightwork, or ceramic coating within the first six months of the relationship.
Brightwork polishing
Brightwork is the polished aluminum trim, leading edges, and engine cowlings on many aircraft. Brightwork oxidizes quickly and requires regular polishing to maintain a mirror finish. Brightwork polishing is the most labor intensive aviation detailing service. A heavily oxidized leading edge can take two crew members eight hours to restore. Quote brightwork as its own line item. Pricing runs $200 to $2,000 per aircraft depending on scope and condition. The brightwork frequency conversation matters more than the brightwork price. Aircraft based in coastal environments need quarterly brightwork at minimum. Aircraft in dry climates can extend to six months between sessions. Aircraft flown frequently accumulate exhaust staining that requires more frequent attention. Operators who help clients understand the right frequency for their environment build longer relationships than operators who simply quote per service request.
Paint correction
Paint correction removes swirl marks, scratches, and oxidation from clear coat. Aviation paint correction uses lighter cutting compounds than automotive because aircraft clear coats are typically thinner. Correction is a multi stage process: assessment, machine polish with cutting compound, finishing polish, and sealant or coating application. Full paint correction on a midsize jet runs $4,000 to $10,000 and is usually a precursor to ceramic coating. The correction service requires the most technical skill of any aviation detailing service. The depth of correction has to be calibrated against the clear coat thickness, which varies by aircraft age, paint history, and prior correction work. Operators who attempt aggressive correction on thin clear coats can cause permanent damage that requires repaint to fix. Always test in an inconspicuous area, always document the assessment, and always price correction with margin for the unexpected.
Interior detail
Interior detail covers vacuum, surface wipe down, leather treatment, carpet cleaning, and avionics panel cleaning. Aviation interiors require specific products: pH neutral leather cleaners, anti static screen cleaners, and low moisture extraction for carpet. Pricing runs $400 to $4,000 for a full interior detail depending on aircraft size and condition. Charter operators often request interior detail as a separate service between exterior services. The interior is where charter operators evaluate the cleanliness standard. A pristine exterior with a substandard interior signals the operator does not understand charter expectations. The interior is also where the most rework risk lives. A streak on a glass panel, a fingerprint on a screen, or a crease in a headrest cover is noticed and remembered. Build a checklist driven interior process and inspect every zone before sign off. The discipline costs minutes per job and prevents hours of rework over the course of a year.
Leather treatment
Aviation leather is thinner and more sensitive than automotive leather. Conditioning frequency matters. Most aviation leather should be conditioned every three to four months in dry climates and every six months in humid ones. Use only pH neutral conditioners specifically formulated for aviation or fine furniture leather. Pricing runs $150 to $800 for a full cabin leather treatment. The conditioning frequency conversation is one of the easiest upsells in aviation detailing. Most aircraft owners have no idea how often their leather needs treatment. They tend to assume once a year is sufficient, which is far too infrequent for aircraft based in dry climates. A simple conversation explaining the frequency turns a one off interior detail into a recurring leather treatment service. Build this into every initial interior detail conversation and the recurring revenue begins to build itself.
Glass and windshield treatment
Aircraft windshields and cabin windows require specific cleaners. Most aircraft windshields are acrylic or polycarbonate. Standard glass cleaner is too harsh and can craze the surface over time. Use only cleaners labeled safe for aircraft transparencies. Hydrophobic treatments improve visibility in rain and reduce maintenance time. Pricing runs $100 to $400 for full glass treatment. The hydrophobic treatment is one of the highest perceived value services on a per dollar basis. Pilots love the rain shedding effect because it directly improves visibility on rainy approaches. Mention hydrophobic glass treatment to any pilot client and the conversion rate is high. The treatment lasts roughly four to six months in heavy use, which builds another recurring revenue line item naturally.
Engine cleaning
Engine cleaning is a specialty service. The engine cowling exterior is part of standard exterior detail, but interior engine cleaning is a separate service that requires specific training and chemicals. Many detailers do not offer interior engine cleaning. The ones who do charge premium rates because the work requires technical knowledge and the liability is higher. Pricing runs $500 to $3,000 per engine. The premium reflects both the skill required and the risk profile. A mistake on an engine cleaning job can result in significant cost. Engine cleaning specialists usually start by training under existing engine cleaning specialists rather than learning from manuals. The investment in becoming an engine cleaning provider takes one to two years of work before the operator is comfortable taking jobs without supervision. The reward is one of the highest margin services in aviation detailing because the supply of qualified engine cleaning specialists is genuinely limited.
Hangar prep and pre flight detailing
Hangar prep is a quick service often booked the day before a flight. Light exterior wipe, interior touch up, glass clean, and sometimes a quick brightwork shine. Pricing typically runs $200 to $800 for a full hangar prep. This service builds recurring revenue because flight departments may book it before every trip. The frequency potential makes hangar prep the highest volume service in many aviation detailing operations. A flight department flying twenty trips a year that books hangar prep before every trip generates twenty service occasions per year per aircraft. Across a fleet of five aircraft that is one hundred jobs per year from a single relationship. The unit price is lower than a full detail, but the volume more than compensates and the operational simplicity makes hangar prep one of the easiest services to deliver consistently across a multi crew operation. The hangar prep service is also where many aviation detailing operations train new crew because the scope is well defined, the time pressure is manageable, and the quality standard is clear. New crew members rotate through hangar prep jobs in the first thirty days and develop the operational rhythm before progressing to full detail work.
Related reading
Run your aviation detailing operation on CoreOP
Plans start at $37 per month. Built specifically for aviation detailing operations.
More from this cluster