Maintenance and Inspection Procedures Manual
Type:
CT
Series:
CTLS
LSA
Page: 1-2
AF 04800001
Revision No. 3
Date: 14 Sep 2008
1.3 Care and cleaning of your CT
Care must be taken when cleaning modern aircraft built with composite materials. Many products have
been developed to clean a specific type of material and may be unsuitable or even damaging to others.
Using the wrong product may damage your aircraft or its structures. Affected parts may be plainly visible
or may be hidden from view. The type of damage can vary from the simply unsightly to the outright
dangerous. You must always read the instructions for your cleaning products before using them. If you
should have any questions about a product’s suitability please contact your local dealer.
Each structure has its own cleaning requirements.
The basic airframe and wing structure
Composite aircraft are typically constructed of a sandwich of a structural material (Fiberglass-Carbon
Fiber or Kevlar) over a foam core.
The Flight Design CTLS is made up of a Carbon fiber-foam-Carbon fiber and Kevlar laminate sandwich
which is filled with polyester filler, sanded and painted with two-part urethane paint. The foam core of the
wings is partially Rohacell foam which was chosen for its stiffness and resistance to fuel. The fuselage
core is Airex foam which allows the contours for the CTLS fuselage.
The Rohacell foam, while highly resistant to fuel, is not resistant to strong Alkali cleaners or even water
with very high alkali content. Therefore Flight Design requires that the cleaners used on the CTLS be PH
neutral. Cleaners, such as Fantastik®, Formula 409®, Carbonex® and Castrol Super Clean®, which are
otherwise good Alkali cleaning products, should not be used on the CTLS.
The use of this category cleaner can dissolve the foam core of the sandwich leaving a dented looking
area that must be repaired and re-painted. Please note that the wing spars of the CTLS are sealed in
epoxy and fiberglass and cannot be damaged in this manner.
The windshield and side windows
The windows of the CTLS are tinted, heat molded acrylic (also known as Plexiglas®). While durable, they
must be carefully cleaned to avoid scratching the surface. Never use an abrasive pad, abrasive pastes or
even dirty rags when cleaning the window surfaces. Always flush the window surface with water to
remove as much dust and dirt before using an aircraft window specific cleaner or a plastic cleaner
approved for cleaning acrylic windshields.
When polishing the windshield or side windows never polish in a circular motion, this creates a halo affect
when looking into the sun. Always use horizontal or vertical pattern.
The engine and engine compartment
The Rotax 912 maintenance manual recommends the use of a commercially available cold cleaning
agent. Some citrus based products have been found to be suitable. However, always read the
instructions for any product to be used, keeping in mind that it must be compatible with both the engine
components and the airframe structures.
