Not only does Emirates have the world's biggest fleet of Airbus A380 aircraft, but the location of its hub airport is in one of the extreme localities of the world - a desert. This means its planes get covered in dust and require regular washing to remain sparkling clean. But, how do you even wash an Airbus A380? Let us find out.

The challenges of cleaning an A380

There are a few distinct challenges that Emirates faces when it comes to cleaning and washing its large fleet of Airbus A380 aircraft.

• The A380's surface area is enormous, and Emirates has 115 of them that it needs to keep in top shape. This means hundreds of man-hours to scourer the fuselage clean and over 11,300 liters of water.
• Dubai, Emirates' hub city, is located in a desert and thus does not have an unlimited source of fresh water. Saltwater isn't suitable because it will decrease the lifespan of the aircraft's materials (although newer aircraft are resistant to these effects). Plus, once the saltwater evaporates, you might be left with salt crystals and the plane will need cleaning again.
• Because an A380 is so big, even a small layer of particles on the surface can slowly build up and substantially affect the aerodynamics and fuel burn. This could cost the airline thousands of dollars.

How does Emirates clean its aircraft?

Emirates uses a process called an 'aircraft dry wash.' It works as follows:

A liquid cleaning agent is applied manually to the entire aircraft. This foam then hardens and becomes a somewhat sticky film over the surface. This film captures particles and dust in its bubbles. Workers then use a microfiber cloth to work over the plane and strip away the remaining chemicals. During the removal process, the microfiber cloth acts as a polisher. The aircraft is left clean and shiny.

It takes a team of 15 professionals around 12 hours to clean an A380 from top to bottom.

This process has the advantage of not using any water, thus saving over 11 million liters per year. Because of the technique used, the aircraft only needs to be cleaned three times every year (as opposed to five or more). Plus, it leads to potential fuel savings thanks to having no dirt or grime on the wings or in components.

Lastly, a considerable advantage is that maintenance on the aircraft can be completed in parallel to the process. Because the dry wash chemicals are applied and then left, workers can move on to inspect engines and overhaul systems without getting in the way. Plus, as there is no water, there is no danger of electrical systems getting wet.

There is another solution that is a bit unorthodox but would also solve this washing challenge. Emirates could just fly the aircraft to another region on the planet that has ample water and facilities to wash the plane; perhaps an area with a higher than average rainfall. However, this would cost plenty in wages and fuel burn just to fly the plane to another region.

You can watch a video of the cleaning technique here:

What do you think of this process? Would you like to clean an A380? Let us know in the comments.

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