Technical Manual · TM-001A

The 14 No-Touch Zones

Visual Reference Guide

Companion to TM-001. One full page per zone — what it looks like, where to find it, what NOT to do, and what to do instead. Print, laminate, and carry on every aircraft job. Photo slots are intentionally blank: RC and Terry will fill in field photos as we encounter each zone in the wild.

ClearFlight Detailing LLC · Revision 1.0 · May 2026

1

Pitot TubesWing leading edge or fuselage nose

2

Static PortsFlush ports on fuselage sides

3

Static WicksTrailing edges of wings & tail

4

AntennasTop & bottom of fuselage; tail

5

AOA & Stall Warning VanesWing leading edge or fuselage

6

APU & Engine Air InletsEngine cowling & tail-cone APU exhaust

7

Avionics Bay VentsLouvers under nose or tail

8

Propeller Blades & SpinnerFront of piston/turbo-prop aircraft

9

Engine Cowling Interior & Oil CoolerInside engine cowling

10

Brake Discs & Wheel WellsInside main wheels

11

Oleo StrutsLanding gear shock absorbers (chrome)

12

TKS & De-Ice Boot PanelsWing leading edge ice protection

13

Plexiglass / Acrylic WindowsAll cabin windows & windscreens

14

Magnesium & Composite SkinWing tips, tail cones, composite jets

Pitot Tubes

Forward-pointing tubes that read airspeed. Block one and the airspeed indicator dies.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: Close-up of an actual pitot tube on a customer aircraft, including the bright-red “Remove Before Flight” cover if installed. Wing-mounted (Cessna, Cirrus) preferred — show 1–2 aircraft variations.

What it is

A forward-facing tube (typically 4–8″ long, pencil-thin) that captures ram-air pressure. The pressure differential drives the airspeed indicator.

Where to find it

Wing leading edge (most pistons), fuselage nose (jets), or boom (some turboprops). Many aircraft have two for redundancy.

Why it’s sensitive

A blocked pitot reads zero or freezes the airspeed indication. This has caused fatal accidents (Air France 447 was a clogged pitot in icing).

DO NOT

Spray water, soap, or solvent at the opening
Wipe the opening with a rag (lint blocks the port)
Stick anything inside the tube
Apply ceramic, sealant, or wax to the tube

DO INSTEAD

Cover with bright-tape mask + 6″ streamer BEFORE wash
Hand-wipe exterior of the tube only, with mild soap and water on a damp microfiber
Verify mask is removed at hand-back & documented in photo

$3K–$10K

Replacement & calibration + AOG time. Heated pitots on jets are the high end.

Static Ports

Pencil-eraser-sized flush holes. Sense ambient pressure. If contaminated, altitude readings lie.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: Close-up of a real static port flush in fuselage skin, with the “DO NOT BLOCK” placard around it. Ideally on a piston single (Cessna 172/182 placement is iconic).

What it is

A flush, eraser-sized hole on the fuselage side(s). Senses outside ambient pressure for the altimeter and vertical-speed indicator.

Where to find it

Fuselage sides aft of the cockpit, often paired (one each side). Always inside or adjacent to a placard reading “STATIC PORT — DO NOT BLOCK.”

Why it’s sensitive

A wax film, dirt plug, or adhesive residue across the port distorts altitude indications. Aircraft have crashed because of taped-over static ports left from a wash.

DO NOT

Spray cleaner directly at the port
Apply wax, sealant, or ceramic across or near the port
Use ANY adhesive masking tape that leaves residue
Wipe across the port with a contaminated rag

DO INSTEAD

Mask only with aviation-grade low-tack tape (3M 2090) + bright streamer
Hand-wipe the surrounding fuselage with mild soap, working away from the port
Photo-document the port clean & uncovered at hand-back

$1K–$5K

Pitot-static system test & cert (24-month mandate); paint repair if etched. Liability if missed: significant.

Static Wicks

Pencil-thin whiskers on the trailing edges. Brittle. Easy to bend. Each one is its own line item to replace.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: A close-up of static wicks on the trailing edge of a real wing or stabilizer. Show 3–4 in a row, ideally on a turboprop or jet. Capture the thin black whisker shape and how they angle aft.

What it is

A pencil-thin (sometimes hairlike) carbon-loaded whisker that bleeds off accumulated static charge during flight, preventing radio interference.

Where to find it

Trailing edges of wings, ailerons, elevators, rudders, vertical stab. Often 6–12 per aircraft on jets/turboprops; fewer on piston singles.

Why it’s sensitive

Brittle. A bent or broken wick is a logbook entry to fix. Solvents and oily contaminants ruin their conductivity even if visually intact.

DO NOT

Pull, bend, or flex any wick — intentional or accidental
Wipe with solvent, polish, or wax
Pressure-wash trailing edges
Bag them, tape them, or rest a ladder on them

DO INSTEAD

Hand-clean the surrounding skin with damp microfiber, working away from the wicks
Count wicks pre-job and post-job; document in photo
Flag any visibly damaged wick to the owner BEFORE starting work

$150–$400 each

Per wick. Replace one and you’ve eaten the entire detail margin.

Antennas (Com / Nav / Transponder / GPS / ELT)

Blades, whips, and patches on top & bottom of the fuselage. Many per aircraft. Each is irreplaceable AOG.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: Three photos — (1) a fiberglass blade antenna on top fuselage, (2) a flexible whip GPS antenna, (3) a flush ELT patch antenna on the spine. Capture from the side to show profile clearly.

What it is

Communication, navigation, transponder, GPS, ELT, and weather-data antennas. Most are fiberglass or composite blades; some are flexible whips, some are flush patches.

Where to find them

Top and bottom of the fuselage; tail; sometimes wing roots. Average aircraft has 6–14 antennas. Don’t miss the ones you can’t see while standing.

Why it’s sensitive

Pressure cracks the fiberglass radome. Solvents craze the gel coat. A small crack admits moisture → antenna failure in flight → ATC can’t see you. Replacement requires rigging & logbook.

DO NOT

Pressure-wash any antenna (even “low” pressure)
Apply solvents, ceramic coatings, or strong polishes without owner approval
Use abrasive pads on faded fiberglass blades
Climb on, lean against, or rest tools on antennas

DO INSTEAD

Hand-wipe with mild soap + water on damp microfiber
For UV-faded blades, apply 303 Aerospace Protectant only with owner approval
Inventory all antennas during pre-job walk-around & photograph each

$800–$15K each

Comms blade is cheap; GPS & weather radar antennas are top of range. Plus avionics shop labor & AOG.

AOA & Stall Warning Vanes

A small movable tab. If it stops moving, the stall warning fails. A wash can paralyze it.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: The actual AOA vane on a Cessna 172 (most common reference) or the small flag-shaped stall warning tab on a Piper. Show the vane sticking out of the wing leading edge slot, and the placard if present.

What it is

A small free-pivoting vane (or a thin reed-like flag on lighter aircraft) that responds to airflow direction. Drives the stall warning horn or AOA indicator.

Where to find it

Wing leading edge (most common) or fuselage forward of the cockpit. Often visually marked with a placard reading “DO NOT OBSTRUCT.”

Why it’s sensitive

Soap, wax, or ice in the pivot freezes the vane. A stuck vane = no stall warning. The owner’s mechanic needs to clean these — not us.

DO NOT

Touch the vane with a finger, rag, or applicator
Spray water, soap, or any cleaner directly at the vane
Mask over the vane (the mask itself blocks pivot)
Apply wax, sealant, or polish anywhere within 6″

DO INSTEAD

Skip the area entirely. Hand the cleaning of this zone back to the customer’s mechanic.
Photo-document the vane is free & pivoting at hand-back

$2K–$8K

Sensor replacement + system check + grounded aircraft until repaired.

APU & Engine Air Inlets

Forward-facing intakes. Water inside damages bearings, seals, and turbine blades.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: A turboprop or jet engine intake from straight ahead, showing the spinner / fan inside. Also a separate close-up of an APU exhaust on a bizjet tail cone.

What it is

The forward-facing air inlets on engine cowlings, plus the APU intake/exhaust ports near the tail cone of larger aircraft.

Where to find it

Front of every engine nacelle. APU is typically at the very tail (BizJet) or in tail compartment.

Why it’s sensitive

Water ingestion damages compressor seals, accessory bearings, and electronic engine controls. APU water entry can corrode generator windings — expensive surprise on next start.

DO NOT

Spray water or cleaner INTO any intake
Pressure-wash the inlet face or cowl interior
Apply ceramic, sealant, or wax inside the inlet lip
Stand on the cowl using the inlet for grip

DO INSTEAD

Cover with breathable plug ONLY if the customer authorizes — verify removal at hand-back
Hand-wipe inlet exterior with damp microfiber, working OUT of the inlet
Visually inspect inlet interior at hand-back for any cleaning residue or applicator bits

$15K–$200K+

Engine borescope, hot-section inspection, or full engine teardown depending on damage severity.

Avionics Bay Vents

Tiny louvers under the nose or in the tail. Cool the radios. Water inside fries them.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: Under-nose photo showing the avionics bay louvered vent (Cessna, Piper, Cirrus all have them visible). Bonus: a tail-cone NACA scoop on a turboprop or light jet.

What it is

Small slotted or louvered openings that ventilate the avionics bay so the radios don’t cook themselves on a 100°F ramp.

Where to find it

Under the nose (most pistons & turboprops), behind the tail cone, or in side panels near the radio rack. Often labeled “COOLING.”

Why it’s sensitive

Water sprayed into a vent can short avionics components and corrode connector pins. Sometimes failures don’t show up until the next IFR flight in IMC. Owner remembers you.

DO NOT

Spray water within 3 feet of any avionics vent
Mask vents with adhesive (residue chokes airflow)
Apply ceramic coatings near vent openings

DO INSTEAD

Hand-wipe vent louvers with dry, soft microfiber to remove dust only
If vent is greasy, use damp (not wet) microfiber with mild soap, applied AWAY from the vent
Document vent state at pre- and post-job photo set

$5K–$50K

Avionics shop diagnostic + replacement of damaged components. Modern glass-cockpit failures escalate quickly.

Propeller Blades & Spinner

Balanced & tracked. Removal is mechanic-only. Erosion tape is sacred. Polish only with the grain.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: A close-up of a 2- or 3-blade prop with visible polished spinner and the leading-edge erosion tape (typically thin black or grey strip). Show one blade tip-to-root with the leading edge clearly visible.

What it is

Aluminum or composite blades attached to a hub, covered by an aluminum or composite spinner. Balanced and tracked to thousandths of an inch.

Where to find it

Front of every piston, turboprop, and many helicopters. Spinner houses the prop hub.

Why it’s sensitive

A nicked blade can develop a crack & fail. Imbalanced spinner causes vibration that destroys the engine mount over time. Erosion tape, once removed, has to be re-bonded by a mechanic.

DO NOT

Remove the spinner
Polish blades with abrasive compound or rotary buffer
Pull, peel, or scrape leading-edge erosion tape
Use steel wool, Scotchbrite, or any abrasive on blades

DO INSTEAD

Polish blades with aviation-approved blade polish (e.g., Nuvite Grade FX) by hand, ALONG the grain only
Hand-wash spinner with mild aviation soap; final-polish with non-abrasive aluminum polish if owner authorizes
Inspect erosion tape edges — flag any peeling to the owner BEFORE work

$3K–$30K

Prop overhaul on a piston single is $3K–$5K. A turbine prop can run $25K+. Plus AOG.

Engine Cowling Interior & Oil Cooler

Hot, oil-stained, magnesium-rich. Off-limits without owner direction and a separate scope.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: An engine cowling opened on a piston aircraft showing the crowded engine bay and the oil cooler — with the “DO NOT TOUCH” intent clear. Bonus: the oil-cooler honeycomb close-up.

What it is

The interior of the engine cowling: the engine itself, accessory case, oil cooler, fuel injection lines, ignition harness, and exhaust. Some pistons & light helicopters have magnesium components.

Where to find it

Under the engine cowl. Some aircraft have OEM language explicitly forbidding cleaning of this area without a logbook entry.

Why it’s sensitive

Wrong solvent on magnesium = sandwich corrosion. Cleaner in the wrong place = loose connector failure in flight. The oil cooler honeycomb is fragile fins.

DO NOT

Open the engine cowl on a customer’s aircraft without owner direction
Pressure-wash the engine bay or oil cooler
Use caustic / alkaline degreasers on any engine component
Touch ignition harnesses, fuel injection lines, or sensors

DO INSTEAD

Engine bay care is a separate, opt-in service quoted in writing
Cooled engine + approved degreaser only (Samsol T-1 or Stoddard PD-680 per spec)
Done with mechanic supervision & owner’s explicit signoff per TM-001 §10

$10K–$60K

Sandwich-corrosion repair, oil cooler replacement, accessory replacement, plus AOG.

Brake Discs & Wheel Wells

Steel discs in the main wheels. Any oil, wax, or polymer on them = brake failure.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: Wheel/brake assembly on a piston single (Cessna 172/182 or Cirrus). Show the rotor/disc visible inside the wheel. Bonus: a turboprop or jet wheel with the multi-disc carbon brake stack.

What it is

Steel (piston) or carbon (jet/turboprop) brake discs inside the main landing-gear wheels. Brake pads grip the disc to slow the aircraft.

Where to find it

Inside main wheels (and nose wheel on some turboprops). Visible through the rim openings or with the wheel pant removed.

Why it’s sensitive

Any oil, polymer, ceramic spray, or silicone on the disc destroys the friction coefficient — brakes fade or fail outright. Particularly bad on short runways.

DO NOT

Spray ANY cleaner, polish, or wax near brake discs
Apply ceramic, sealant, or paint protection on or near wheel/disc area
Use silicone-based dressings on aircraft tires (NOT motor coach — aircraft only)

DO INSTEAD

Hand-wipe wheel hub exterior only with dry or water-only microfiber
If the customer wants the wheel pants polished, remove them first — clean them OFF the aircraft
Confirm no over-spray on disc or pad faces at hand-back

$2K–$25K

Brake replacement + cert + AOG. Carbon brakes on bizjets are top of range.

Oleo Struts (Landing Gear Shock)

Chromed cylinders. Grit on the chrome shreds the seal. There’s a specific procedure — and it’s not “polish.”

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: The chrome inner cylinder of a landing gear oleo strut on a piston single or turboprop. Capture the shiny chrome & the barrel seal at the top of the chrome — that seal is what we’re protecting.

What it is

A pneumatic-hydraulic shock absorber. The chromed inner cylinder slides through a seal at the bottom of the barrel during landing compression.

Where to find it

Every landing gear leg (nose & mains). Chrome surface is the visible cylinder between the barrel and the wheel.

Why it’s sensitive

Even a particle of grit dragged across the chrome will cut the seal on the next landing. The strut starts leaking hydraulic fluid, eventually flattens, and grounds the aircraft.

DO NOT

Use solvents, degreasers, or harsh cleaners on the chrome
Wipe with a dirty rag, paper towel, or contaminated microfiber
Apply ceramic, polish, or wax to the chrome surface
Buff with a rotary — ever

DO INSTEAD

OEM-spec procedure: clean rag lightly saturated with MIL-H-5606 hydraulic fluid, wipe ALONG the grain (vertical only)
Leaves a protective film that the seal is designed to ride against
Two passes max. New rag for the second pass.

$1K–$8K

Strut reseal + recharge per leg + AOG.

TKS & De-Ice Boot Panels

Micro-pored TKS panels & ozone-sensitive rubber boots on the leading edges. Wrong cleaner = hours of damage.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: A TKS leading-edge panel (very fine micro-perforated stainless — common on Cirrus SR22, Mooney Acclaim, some Cessna 414s). Separately: a rubber pneumatic de-ice boot on a King Air or PA-46.

What it is

TKS: a stainless leading-edge panel with thousands of micro-pores that bleed glycol fluid for ice protection. De-ice boots: a rubber strip on the leading edge that inflates to crack ice off.

Where to find it

Wing & horizontal-stab leading edges, plus vertical stab and prop boots on some aircraft.

Why it’s sensitive

TKS pores clog with wax / sealant / silicone — you can’t un-clog them in the field. Boots are ozone- and petroleum-sensitive rubber: petroleum solvents and silicone oils crack & harden the rubber.

DO NOT

Apply ceramic, sealant, wax, or polish to TKS panels — ever
Use petroleum solvents or alcohol-based cleaners on rubber boots
Use ArmorAll, Back-to-Black, or any silicone dressing on boots
Pressure-wash the leading edge — pushes contaminants into the pores

DO INSTEAD

TKS-compatible cleaner only (e.g., CAV TKS Wash Concentrate). Mild soap & water acceptable for routine cleanup.
Boots: ozone-protectant aviation cleaner only (e.g., Real Clean Boot Sealant or Age Master)
Hand application only. Soft microfiber.

$8K–$40K

TKS panel replacement (each) or full boot system re-bond. Plus down-season AOG.

Plexiglass / Acrylic Windows & Windshield

Aircraft windows are NOT glass. Ammonia, paper towels, & circular wipes craze them permanently.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: Cockpit windscreen on a piston single (Cessna 172/Cirrus) showing the curved acrylic. Bonus: a side cabin window on a turboprop showing the slight scratch-prone surface texture.

What it is

Stretched acrylic (most pistons), polycarbonate (Lexan), or laminated acrylic-polycarbonate sandwich (jets). NOT glass. Different chemistry from car windshields.

Where to find it

Cockpit windscreen, all cabin windows, and cargo door windows on every aircraft.

Why it’s sensitive

Ammonia (Windex) crazes acrylic permanently. Paper towels embed wood fibers and scratch. Circular wiping creates micro-swirl marks visible in sun glare. Replacement of a Cessna windscreen is $1.5K–$5K plus labor.

DO NOT

Use Windex, Sprayway, or any ammonia-based glass cleaner
Use Rain-X, furniture polish, or auto glass cleaner
Wipe with paper towels (embed wood fiber)
Wipe in circles — ever

DO INSTEAD

Aviation-approved acrylic cleaner: PRIST PlexiClean, Brillianize, Plexus, Novus #1, or Pledge per OEM service letter
Premium 350+ gsm microfiber, two-towel system, dabbing & straight strokes
Spray on the towel, NEVER on the windscreen

$1.5K–$50K+

Cessna windscreen at low end; jet or pressurized aircraft windscreen at high end. Plus weeks AOG for many aircraft.

Magnesium & Composite Skin

Wing-tip fairings, tail cones, composite jets. Acid & alkaline cleaners pit them. Bug-removers can be acidic.

Schematic

Photo needed

Shot: A composite wing-tip fairing on a Cirrus SR22 or composite-bodied aircraft, plus a tail-cone composite section on a turboprop. Highlight the slight color/texture difference vs. painted aluminum skin.

What it is

Magnesium castings (older wheel pants, certain control-surface horns) and modern composite parts (wing-tip fairings, tail cones, full composite airframes like Cirrus, DA-40, light jets).

Where to find it

Wing-tip fairings, tail cones, vertical-stab tips, control-surface counterweights, composite-airframe panels. Slight texture / color difference vs aluminum — ask the owner if uncertain.

Why it’s sensitive

Acidic cleaners (citrus bug-removers, vinegar, Iron-X) pit magnesium and crack composite gel-coat. Caustic alkaline cleaners react with magnesium. Both produce permanent damage that’s expensive to refinish.

DO NOT

Use acidic bug-removers (citrus-based, vinegar, Iron-X)
Use caustic / alkaline cleaners (oven cleaner, Purple Power, Simple Green Pro HD undiluted)
Use abrasive pads, Scotchbrite, steel wool, or rotary buffer
Apply automotive ceramic coatings without OEM approval

DO INSTEAD

pH-neutral aviation soap (target 6.5–8.5) only
Soft microfiber, hand application
For waxing/sealing composites, use OEM-approved product (Xzilon 3 / Permagard PG-200)

$2K–$25K+

Composite repair, repaint, & gel-coat restoration. Magnesium part replacement on legacy aircraft.

Field workflow — what to do with this guide

Print & laminate. Each zone is its own page. Print double-sided on heavy stock and laminate the entire deck. One full deck rides in every service vehicle.
Walk the aircraft with the guide. On every new make/model, before any product or water touches the airframe, walk the perimeter with this guide and locate every zone present on the aircraft. Photograph each zone.
Mask & flag. For zones that need masking (pitot, static port, AOA vane, antennas if owner-requested), apply 3M 2090 low-tack tape with a 6″ bright streamer. The streamer ensures we never miss removing a mask.
Field photo capture. Each zone page has a blank photo slot. As we encounter real customer aircraft, RC and Terry photograph that zone in the wild and we slot the photo in. Over the next 6 months we expect to fill all 14 photo slots from real ClearFlight jobs.
Use the cost-strip in pricing. When a customer asks why we charge a premium, the cost-strip on each page is the answer: a single mistake on a windscreen, antenna, or strut costs more than the entire detail.
Update the deck any time we revise TM-001 or TM-002. Document control: “Rev 1.0 · May 2026.” Re-issue laminated decks on every revision.

For RC and Terry: The photo slots on pages 3–16 are intentionally placeholders. Each one tells you exactly which photo to take. As you work the next 10–15 jobs, capture these shots in good light, name them Zone-XX-Description.jpg, and drop them in the ClearFlight folder. Aaron will slot them into the HTML and re-issue the laminated deck.

Customer-facing version: A redacted version of this deck (without internal cost-strips) doubles as a sales asset. When pitching insurance brokers, fleet operators, and FBOs, this guide demonstrates the depth of our compliance posture and answers the unspoken question: “Do these guys actually know what they’re doing on aircraft?”