FedEx Express says it is reducing fuel consumption in its aircraft with a new fuselage cleaning procedure.
In the Eco-Shine moist cleaning method, cleaning crews use brooms with micro-fibre rags to apply an anti-static cleaning solution. The same procedure is used to wipe off the solution.
“Following the cleaning, the surface of the fuselage is smoother, making the aircraft more aerodynamic, which in turn reduces fuel consumption,” said Alain Chaillé, vice president, operations, Southern Europe for FedEx.
”Because no water is being sprayed onto the tarmac, crews can clean the planes where they park, which eliminates the need to move them to a separate area and allows us to perform cleaning and maintenance at the same time.”
The system is being used for the 13 aircraft serving Europe from its Roissy-Charles De Gaulle hub.
The cleaning fluid is biodegradable, non-toxic and non-flammable. The process uses 100 times less water than with conventional aircraft fuselage cleaning methods.
