Aircraft cleaning

[bukidlfyer]

Lately, I have noticed airliners that seem to have "patches" or sections of fuselage cleaner or shinier than the rest. This seems apparent on really dirty aircraft where in a small square section, at what seems to be a random place on the fuselage, appear newly painted or newly cleaned.

Is this some cleaning process or a maintenance procedure, perhaps? I would imagine that if the plane was cleaned, but not completed due to a scheduled flight, the clean patch would not look as perfectly square or sectioned. Likewise it seems to appear on random places such as a few rows of windows on the rear of the aircraft, or from a door to a few window rows after, etc.

Any enlightenment on this? Just a curiosity.

[ampclamp]

could be a repair with new paint.maybe a section cleaned for some NDT process or other inspection.
Most companies wash their aircraft for appearances and economy.

[PEOPLESX]

Somethimes the areas around the entrances are a little bit brighter than the rest, this due to the bellows of the gangways, they cover this part and the residual aircraft gets dirty by the soot.

Other possibility's would be (as already posted) some maintenance work / inspections ect.

greetings from Munich



PS: my English-skills aren't the best an i try do get better, so if you think i did "major" mistakes in my explanation -> let me know :ok:

[Albert Square]

Your English is very good PEOPLESX.

[Alber Ratman]

Boeing aircraft have structural NDT inspections that require the paint to be removed. Also repairs get painted and aircraft paint does deteriorate with the effects of time/enviroment, losing the original wet look.. You don't repaint a complete aircraft because damage has been repaired..:E