As Airbus and Qatar Airways continue a legal battle over deteriorating paint on the airline’s A350s, Boeing has requested an exemption from the FAA to implement an improved paint system to address a similar issue on the 787.
Boeing stresses the paint revision is not related to any safety of flight issue but specifically addresses the aesthetics of the 787. The new paint combination, which has been internally tested by Boeing, has been developed to solve a peeling issue on the exposed upper surfaces of the wings and horizontal stabilizers.
As an interim fix, Boeing has recommended the use of speed tape over affected areas. However, as the upper wing surfaces are easily visible from the cabin, photographs of the peeling surface and tapes have circulated widely on social media prompting what Boeing says is an adverse public safety perception.
The paint make-up on the composite-built 787 and A350 differs from those used on aluminum-skinned airliners by utilizing a selective strippable system. This consists of a barrier layer that prevents the stripper from attacking the layers below it and the composite, which remain completely intact. As well as making the time-consuming process of sanding down the aircraft unnecessary, the strippable layer also saves reapplying the basic primer and the exterior primer.
However, over time Boeing has found that ultraviolet (UV) light acts on the stripper to delaminate the intermediate coating from the exterior primer, causing the white topcoat to peel. The fix sought by Boeing is to incorporate a black UV-blocking paint layer between the exterior primer and the topcoat.
In follow-on related action to the paint exemption, first reported by Reuters, Boeing has also asked for approval for adding cap seals over some wing skin fastener nuts to prevent them from becoming an ignition source in the fuel tank.
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