Santiago, Chile, 28 April 2016. LATAM Airlines Group is using new technology to paint LATAM aircraft that is 25% lighter than conventional methods, which the group expects will result in an average weight reduction of 20kg per aircraft.
The painting process for each aircraft requires multiple applications of paint and Clearcoat, a new technologically-advanced gloss coating which protects against extreme temperatures and aerodynamic wear. In total, repainting takes six days – the first two days to remove the original paintwork, followed by the application of multiple coats over four days. In terms of quantity, a Boeing 787 for example, requires 300 liters of paint and 150 liters of Clearcoat.
The new Clearcoat technology, used by LATAM, will also reduce each aircraft’s impact on the environment through the weight savings. It is estimated that the new technology will achieve a reduction in the group’s CO2 emissions of 3,900 tons per year.
