300 Airport Drive   Coldwater, MI 49036    Branch County Memorial AirportĀ  "OEB"

Ph 517.278.6516    Fax 517.279.2363

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a cost for an in-person evaluation and quote to paint my airplane?

Although some shops do charge for a quote, Elite Air Service never does! We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your aircraft, to review the aircraft with our paint shop manager, discuss your options and prepare a written quote to rejuvenate your aircraft with an all new paint job or a repair to your old paint job, at no cost to you.

How much time in "repairs" is included in the paint quote?

Virtually every airplane we see has some previous repairs covered up with filler and/or paint. Stripping the aircraft reveals these prior issues and they need to be repaired again to have a professional paint job completed. Elite Air Service includes a time allocation for hidden repairs, which are almost always discovered during a strip and paint' Many paint shops do not include any time for repairs in the original quote, so these items become an additional expense to the aircraft owner.

What primer and paint will be installed on your aircraft?

There is a big difference in cost between low end paints and high end paints. Some shops use a low end primer also, figuring the customer never sees the primer anyway. Elite Air Service only installs high end corrosion proofing epoxy primer. The longevity of your paint relies completely on the quality of the primer installation. The shiny new paint may be adhered well to the primer, but if the low end primer does not have good adhesion properties to the airframe, the results will eventually be ugly. Make certain you are aware of the materials being installed on your aircraft! Elite Air Service routinely sends paint samples collected during aircraft repaint projects to scientific labs for adhesion and paint thickness testing. The quality and longevity of the finished product is of utmost importance to us!

Can your shop perform maintenance items and/or interior repairs/upgrades while the aircraft is down for paint?

Yes, Elite Air Service can help with that! Many times aircraft owners wish to coordinate maintenance items such as performing an annual, VG installation, exhaust repairs etc, or complete or partial interior repairs or refurbishments while their aircraft is down for paint work. Elite Air Service can easily accomplish these tasks and more. Our dedicated maintenance shop team or our dedicated interior team, can be completing projects on your aircraft simultaneously while our dedicated paint shop team is working on the paint project. This provides the aircraft owner with less downtime and a one stop source for all aircraft needs.

I want to change my stripe colors but do not need a complete paint job, can you do that?

No problem! The paint professionals at Elite Air Service can easily repaint your stripes to the color of your choice, this is a relatively easy and affordable project with minimal aircraft downtime. Depending on the scheme, many times Elite Air Service staff can alter or add to the stripe layout to make the aircraft more modern looking too!

I heard from a friend you offer free yearly paint touch up for 10 years!

YES! Elite Air Service offers a program to our customers who have had a complete strip and paint of their aircraft that provides free paint touch up every year for 10 years! We know of no other paint shop in the USA standing behind their work like this! Ask the guys at Elite Air Service how you can qualify to take advantage of this FREE touch up program. This program IS transferable to a new owner if you sell your aircraft.

Do you have other questions? Give Elite Air Service a call at 517-278-6516 to have them answered with no hassle, or if you want to schedule an evaluation appointment or simply stop by at your convenience, either way, we look forward to meeting you! You may want to plan your trip to Elite Air Service and meet their experienced team of friendly, knowledgeable and helpful aircraft technicians. Together we can review your aircraft and talk about your options. You can even enjoy a meal at the Prop Blast Cafe, located at the FOB in the front of the Elite Air Service maintenance building.