How to Develop a Mooney Aircraft Paint Scheme
Keeping your plane in top shape means more time flying and less time in the shop. For Mooney owners, that means time spent taking advantage of the high-powered engine, efficient propellers, and beautiful skies.
Whether you’ve had your Mooney for years or you’re a new Mooney owner, addressing corrosion and updating your airplane’s paint job is key to extending the life of your aircraft. On average, general aviation aircraft need to be painted every 10 years or so, depending on how it is used, stored, and maintained. With regular usage, inside hanger storage, and good paint touch-up maintenance, some paint jobs can last as long as 15 years or more. On the other hand, with more frequent use, outside storage, or less touch-up paint maintenance, corrosion can begin to appear in as little as 5-7 years.
Not sure where to begin with your Mooney paint job? Keep reading for tips on how to develop your perfect Mooney aircraft paint scheme that can become a reality at ArtCraft.
How to Choose a Paint Scheme for Your Mooney
Find Examples of Paint Jobs You Like
As passionate aviation enthusiasts ourselves, we can get lost in researching the latest trends, checking out photos that help restore vintage planes to their original glory, and narrowing down the options. We believe this is a crucial part of the aircraft paint scheme development process!
Aircraft paint jobs are not cheap, and they are designed to last at least seven years or more. This means we don’t want you to simply like your paint job; we want you to love it!
Determine Your Requirements
It’s YOUR Mooney aircraft, and you need to be happy with the paint job. Is it a creative masterpiece you are looking to develop? Do you want it to look as close to factory standards as possible? Are you looking to put a fun twist on the design to have it reflect you or your business?
Outlining what you want to achieve will help you communicate with the ArtCraft Paint team and our partners at Flight Lines, so we can develop a Mooney aircraft paint scheme that fits the bill.
Dream With a Designer
Some Mooney pilots come to us with a sketch and idea ready for our ArtCraft team to bring to life, while other aircraft owners need help bringing their aircraft design to life.
When you connect with one of our aircraft paint scheme designers, you’ll be asked a series of questions that will help you refine and lock in a design you love.
Once you approve a design, the team at ArtCraft Paint begins the aircraft painting process.
What Goes Into Painting a Mooney
- Incoming Inspection: When your Mooney comes into ArtCraft Paint, we start with an incoming inspection. This thorough inspection allows us to document its current condition and identify anything that should be addressed (such as dings and dents that will impact overall appearance) before your plane is painted.
- Stripping: After the plane is inspected, it moves on to paint stripping. One key difference between ArtCraft and other aviation painters is that we cover all seams to prevent the chemical stripper from entering your plane’s seams.
This extra step helps prevent corrosion in the future and can help extend the life of your Mooney’s paint job. After the paint is stripped, our team inspects your plane again to see if anything else needs to be addressed.
- Flight Control Removal and Painting: Our team removes all flight controls as part of the stripping and painting process. Your Mooney is primed with anti-corrosive paint, which helps keep your plane looking great for longer. After your plane is painted, you can opt to add a ceramic coating, which helps make your Mooney shine and protects it from sun damage, pollution, extreme temperatures, and moisture.
- Final Inspection: When your Mooney is painted and ready for pick-up, our team walks through each piece of the plane with you to show how issues found in the inspections have been addressed and ensure everything meets your expectations.
Once the final inspection report is signed, you’ll be ready to take the skies in your freshly painted (and eye-catching) Mooney.
Ready to Consider Painting Your Mooney?
ArtCraft has been painting Mooneys for more than 25 years. Check out some of our previous airplane paint jobs in our portfolio. Request a quote today to start designing your dream Mooney aircraft!