LOT Polish Airlines (Polskie Linie Lotnicze LOT) has chosen a new chrome-free aerospace primer coatings system by PPG  for corrosion resistance because it is eco-friendly and a preferred PPG topcoat for superior gloss and shine to repaint three Embraer E175 jets and a 737-400 airplane.

High-solids DESOPRIME 7065 chrome-free polyurethane primer applied over Desoprime CFWP 7530 chrome-free wash primer pretreatment are designed to work together to inhibit corrosion. The LOT Polish Airlines aircraft also are being painted with high-solids DESOTHANE HS 8800 buffable topcoat by PPG that has outstanding color and gloss retention, so they should maintain their appearance for years.

According to Ralf Maubach, PPG sales manager, aerospace, Central and Eastern Europe, LOT Polish Airlines is the first European airline to use the PPG primer and topcoat system to paint complete aircraft.

“LOT Polish Airlines likes the high gloss of Desothane HS 8800 topcoat, which they had used previously for their 85th anniversary livery and to repaint other aircraft,” Maubach said. “We introduced them to the new PPG primer system because it is eco-friendly while affording exceptional corrosion resistance.”

LOT Aircraft Maintenance Services (LOTAMS) repainted the 737-400 airplane and the first E175 jet at its Warsaw facility, where it will repaint the additional two E175 jets.

“LOTAMS is a maintenance base that, thanks to its developed infrastructure and highly qualified staff, for the first time in Europe has painted aircraft using a new, chrome-free primer system manufactured by PPG,” said Wojciech Stradowski, acting workshop maintenance manager, LOTAMS. “This new, innovative painting ordered by LOT Polish Airlines is not only environmentally friendly, but also contributes to the efficiency and safety of paint shop workers. We are proud that the high quality of our work made LOT and PPG choose our company to perform this task.”

The complete PPG coatings system comprising wash primer pretreatment, polyurethane primer and topcoat is qualified to SAE International’s Aerospace Material Specification 3095. The coatings system has levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) more than 60 percent lower than a standard system and reduced weight because coverage is achieved with less material. Desoprime CFWP 7530 wash primer has good washability and promotes excellent adhesion for chrome-free Desoprime 7065 primer, which has resistance to fingerprints.