Careful when disinfecting aircraft
 

It seems that a student destroyed the panel of an aircraft in an attempt to disinfect it

The club fleet on which I instruct have had their interiors ruined by 'disinfectant' products and wipes. Just think what it does to your skin!!!

The media has been full of the correct advice on cleaning for covid 19: that is SOAP and WATER and this is repeated over and over. There are lots of hand gels etc on the market that do have some convenience; at shop or business entrance etc and throughout hospitals. No one has claimed that chemical treatments are more effective than soap and water and in some cases, unless stated, it is warned that they may be less effective.

A damp cloth soaked in diluted washing up liquid is all that is needed and can be kept in the aeroplane together with a spray bottle just as simply as any gel or similar, and will do no damage.

My guess is they used sodium hypochlorite (household bleach).

Instead of telling concerned people "not to fly", the flight school should have established cleaning and disinfection protocols before reopening. And those could have included substances which are appropriate for the purpose and would not damage the aircraft. Airline aircraft also have their cockpits disinfected frequently these days - and I haven't seen any ruined panels as a result of this.

Of course, if there's such a protocol in place, it has been made known to everyone but nonetheless someone knowingly deviated from it - this is entirely their fault and they should be the one to pay for restoration.

Surprise, surprise ...
My hangar neighbour did Covid-clean his G1000 ...
He is now awaiting two new display units ...

Fl1ingfrog, washing up liquid is detergent not soap. The benefit of soap for getting rid of covid 19 is in the fat it contains which binds to the virus so it can be washed down the drain. Washing up liquid, while maybe better than nothing, won't do that but if you want a simple wipe then isopropyl alcohol should do just fine.

Easy to be wise after the event....

Soap and water probably not ideal for the panel nor other areas where water ingress might be a risk

In hospitals we use 2 antiviral wipes. One for work surfaces including glass and another for electronic equipment including screens and monitors. Easily obtained on the net. Pity nobody asked

err no. soap and detergents disrupts the lipid coat around the RNA. Once denuded the RNA is deactivated. soap, detergent etc all work. Beware of isoproplyl alcohol on plastics and paint finishes as well as upholstery. you dont need it. And you arent washing anything down the drain I hope, you are deactivating it. Washing down the drain suggests buckets of water or a hose, and where is the drain.....

The world seems to have an endless supply of fools.

The gliding club provides a couple of buckets with some water & soap, plus clothes. That's what we clean gliders with between different pilots. The incoming pilot does the cleaning

Radgirl of course provides expert advice; whether you have 'washing up soap' or 'washing up detergent' can be a name dependant on what part of the world you are, They act the same whether detergent or soap on the Covid-19 virus. Hopefully clubs are in the main ensuring that training eradicates stupid acts like soaking the instrument panel with lots of water is both wrong and unnecessary. The cloth, for those who need to be told, need only be damp with soap/detergent water which can then be used on all parts of the aircraft interior and exterior: around doors, inspection panels and dipstics etc. and is also cheap and always available.

Washing up liquid contains salt............ do not use on aircraft.

Tap water contains salt, up to about 5% and so very similar to that of most domestic hand washing up liquids. The aim is to simply wipe the aircraft surfaces with a damp cloth so let us not be silly

I've never known anyone refuse to use tap water to wash an aeroplane. I can't recollect any aircraft manuals advising against using tap water on metal aeroplanes either (willing to be proved wrong on this).

The Cessna POH is specific that tap water is recommended for washing the exterior. For the interior ( plastic trim, instrument panel, headliner, control knobs) a damp cloth is recommended, and includes the statementThat statement seems to have been proven correct. The POH includes care of upholstery, leather, windscreen etc

A better title would have been "Careful with Disinfecting Antiques"

Fair play...it's meant tongue in cheek...but there is a serious point in there somewhere :)

I've been using kitchen bleach spray on panels, and soapy water for everything else. Multiple applications, no issues so far apart from slightly damp seats, but that's no big deal. And yes, I did do extensive homework before starting to.

G

So the student did something to the plane which was in conflict with the instructions provided in the flight manual. For Cessnas, Section 8 contains care and cleaning instructions. Like any other operation of the aircraft, the pilot is expected to do what the flight manual says to do! (By the way, among the products under the "Never Use" category in that section, is alcohol.

So the student, while having care and control of the aircraft, failed to follow specific flight manual information on how to care for it, and it was damaged as a result. It seems clear to me who's responsibility this is, as the instructions were available! We don't make up our own operating techniques, and making up our own care techniques is obviously a poor idea too!

Several car makers warn against using chemical cleaners on plastic. Apparently they can degrade or embrittle the plastic with serious results should it be covering an airbag.

Why kitchen bleach spray? What's wrong with a cloth wrung out in soapy water?

"the pilot is expected to do what the flight manual says to do!"
No aircraft flight manual I've seen mentions hygiene procedures even for known infectious diseases, for this one you're on your own.
But it's spread seems more from air breathed in than surface contact.