Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SCL, MCT, LGW and a variety of 1W lounges in between.
Programs: BA Mucci (Seigneur et Ingenieur des Appareils Volants (Gold)), QF (WP and LTG), AA EXP, GF Gold
Posts: 3,931
Paint and cost
You have to balance the cost of the paint, paint shop time, stripping and additional fuel burn against the corrosion, additional washing and polishing labour costs.
At European labour rates (please note spelling!) then it is usually cheaper to paint than to strip.
The fuel burn is a function of skin drag changes in the polished against unpolished and painted values as well as the mass penalty.
spottie.