Aircraft paint is a protective system, not a cosmetic one
It is easy to treat livery as appearance. It is not. The coating system on an airframe is the primary barrier between aluminium, composite structure and an atmosphere actively trying to corrode it, and in the Gulf, that atmosphere is unusually aggressive.
Once a coating begins to fail, degradation is not linear. Chalking and crazing let moisture reach primer. Filiform corrosion tracks under the paint film from chips and fastener heads, spreading well beyond the visible damage. By the time it is obvious from the apron, the repair scope has usually grown considerably.
There is a commercial dimension too. Tired, mismatched or poorly repaired paint reads immediately to a buyer, a lessee or a charter client as an aircraft that has not been looked after, and it prices accordingly.
Refinishing carried out under cover, to a defined process
Dolphin Air carries out aircraft refinishing and painting within our facility at Sharjah International Airport. Work is performed under cover, in controlled conditions, not on an open apron where dust, wind and temperature swings dictate the finish quality.
Scope is agreed before work begins: full strip and re-coat, partial refinish, corrosion rectification, or targeted touch-up and detail work. Surface preparation is treated as the critical stage it is, because coating durability is determined there rather than in the topcoat.
Service capability
Full exterior strip
Removal of existing coating systems back to a sound, correctly prepared substrate.
Corrosion control
Identification, rectification and protective treatment of corrosion found during strip and prep.
Surface preparation
Cleaning, etch and primer application, the stage that determines how long the finish lasts.
Livery application
Full scheme application, including registration marks, detail striping and operator branding.
Touch-up & repair
Targeted rectification of damaged areas without committing to a full aircraft repaint.
Controlled environment
Work performed under cover rather than exposed to apron dust, wind and thermal swings.
Service details
Specifics vary by airframe, scope and current facility activity. We confirm the detail against your requirement on enquiry.
Service scope
Full strip and re-coat, partial refinish, corrosion rectification, touch-up and detail work
Environment
Carried out under cover in controlled conditions
Aircraft types
Business jets, turboprops and narrow-body commercial aircraft
Included
Surface preparation, priming, topcoat, registration marks and livery detail
Scheduling
Slot and duration confirmed against scope and current hangar occupancy
Combined inputs
Can be scheduled alongside storage or base maintenance at the same facility
Frequently asked
Duration depends on airframe size, the condition of the existing coating, the complexity of the livery and how much corrosion is found once the aircraft is stripped. We provide a realistic schedule once the scope is agreed. We would rather quote an honest duration than an optimistic one that slips.
Yes. Targeted touch-up, panel-level rectification, corrosion treatment and registration or livery updates are all handled without committing to a complete aircraft repaint.
Stripping frequently reveals corrosion that was invisible under the old coating. We document what is found, discuss it with you and agree the rectification scope before proceeding. Nothing gets painted over.
Yes, and it commonly is. Because hangar storage, refinishing and base maintenance run from the same facility, an aircraft can arrive into storage, take a paint input, and return to storage without leaving the site.
Other services at our facility
Aircraft Parking & Storage
Secure covered hangar storage and supervised outdoor parking for based and transient aircraft.
B737 & A320 Base Maintenance
Scheduled base maintenance for Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 family aircraft, under cover at Sharjah International Airport – SAIF Zone.
Aviation Shops & Commercial Spaces for Rent
Workshops, offices and storage units for lease inside the SAIF Zone aviation cluster.
Discuss your aircraft or facility requirement
Speak directly with our operations team about hangar availability, base maintenance, or commercial space at Sharjah International Airport.