Fleet Care Program at Toulouse-Blagnac (LFBO)

What changes at Toulouse-Blagnac for appearance work?

Toulouse-Blagnac sits 499 feet above sea level, 6.7 kilometres west-northwest of Place du Capitole, and serves as the final-assembly and delivery centre for Airbus and ATR. Runway 14R/32L—3,503 metres—is the primary surface for flight-test and delivery traffic, which means ramp congestion around manufacturer movements and a steady flow of brand-new airframes leaving the factory in primer or fresh livery.

For a fleet program, that environment translates to three things. First, apron coordination: your handler must confirm stand availability around test schedules and delivery slots, and our crew needs an airside escort every time. Second, water discipline: any exterior work that uses water—even rinseless wash—requires prior approval and designated wash-stand allocation; dry-wash methods or waterless decon may be specified by the airport or your handler depending on the season. Third, the weather: Toulouse enjoys a temperate oceanic climate with warm summers and mild winters, but spring pollen from the Garonne valley and summer dust from surrounding farmland settle on leading edges and belly panels faster than at a coastal field. A fleet program accounts for all of it by adjusting the exterior interval and the decon chemistry to what the aircraft actually encounters on the ramp here.

How does a twelve-month program differ from ad-hoc callouts at LFBO?

An ad-hoc wash is a one-time purchase: you call, we quote, the crew mobilises, the invoice follows. A fleet program inverts that. You commit to a calendar year, we allocate a dedicated crew to your tail numbers, and the monthly fee covers a pre-agreed service mix—typically two quick exterior turns, one full interior detail and one quarterly brightwork session per aircraft. If your schedule changes, the calendar flexes; if you go AOG and need an emergency cabin reset before a charter leg, that request moves to the front of the queue because you are already in the system.

Documentation changes, too. Every visit generates a timestamped photo set—exterior panels, cabin high-touch zones, galley, lavatory—and a service note that references the tech log if the crew observes anything unusual: a fluid stain on the belly, a loose static port cover, a frayed seatbelt. Those notes accumulate into an appearance history that your chief pilot or charter ops manager can review quarterly, and the images travel with the aircraft if you sell or re-register mid-contract.

Operationally, the difference is predictability. Your handler knows we arrive every third Tuesday; ground power and air-stair timing are pre-arranged; your flight crew is not fielding last-minute quotes or waiting for a mobile unit to cross the apron. The aircraft is clean, the cabin smells neutral, and the next charter client boards without a word about the previous trip.

What does the service calendar include for a Toulouse-based fleet?

The calendar is built in three layers. Quick exterior turns—dry wash or rinseless, depending on airport water rules and season—happen between legs, usually while the aircraft is on stand awaiting the next departure. We clean the fuselage, wings, nacelles and tail; remove bug strike from leading edges; wipe down the windscreen and pitot covers; and photograph the result. Duration is sixty to ninety minutes if the aircraft is on GPU and the handler has confirmed apron access.

Monthly interior maintenance covers the cabin, cockpit, galley and lavatory: vacuum and spot-clean all OEM cabin materials (leather, Alcantara, wood veneer, carpet), wipe high-touch surfaces, clean and disinfect the lavatory, empty and sanitise waste bins, replenish galley consumables if you supply them, and treat any odour sources—spoiled catering, spilled coffee, pet accidents. We do not remove seats or panels; this is maintenance-level cleaning, not a full strip-and-shampoo.

Seasonal decon and brightwork happen quarterly: a full exterior wash with decon chemistry to remove exhaust residue, insect protein and pollen; a single-stage polish on the cheat line and belly if oxidation is visible; and a metal-polish pass on nacelle rings, gear-bay brightwork and any exposed aluminium. If your aircraft winters at Toulouse and you operate through frost season, we add anti-ice fluid residue removal and a hydrophobic sealant refresh to the leading edges and windscreen in the spring service.

How do you coordinate with the handling agent at Toulouse-Blagnac?

Handling agents present at the airport issue the airside pass, provide the escort, confirm stand availability and arrange GPU if the aircraft will be cold-soaked during the service. We do not work directly with the handler as a client; your flight department or charter ops team nominates the handler, and we coordinate through them for every visit. The process is: you send us the flight schedule for the month, we propose service dates that align with overnight stops or longer turnarounds, you confirm with the handler, the handler sends us the stand number and escort contact, we arrive at the agreed time with our own water (if rinseless is approved) or dry-wash equipment.

If the handler requires a method statement or insurance certificate before issuing the airside pass, we provide both during the program setup. If airport rules prohibit water use on a given stand or during a particular season, we switch to dry-wash chemistry and log the method change in the service note. The handler is not responsible for our work; they are responsible for access, safety and ramp discipline, and we follow their instructions on stand boundaries, waste disposal and departure timing if the aircraft has a slot or PPR window.

What happens if an aircraft goes AOG or the schedule changes mid-month?

AOG requests and schedule changes are written into the program. If your aircraft goes unserviceable and you need the cabin reset before a replacement part arrives—removing catering waste, airing out a stale interior, cleaning up after a maintenance crew—you call the 24/7 contact number, we confirm availability with the handler, and a crew mobilises within the timeframe the airport and handler allow. That callout does not consume your monthly service allocation; it is covered under the AOG clause.

If your flight schedule shifts and the planned quick turn no longer aligns with a Toulouse stop, we move the service to the next available date at LFBO or, if your aircraft will be at a different field within our network, we coordinate with a partner crew and maintain the calendar continuity. The monthly fee does not change unless you add tail numbers or request services outside the agreed scope—a full cabin strip-and-shampoo, a paint correction that requires a hangar, or a biohazard decon after a medical event.

Every change is logged. If we miss a scheduled service because the aircraft diverted or the handler could not provide stand access, that service rolls forward and the program is extended by one visit at the end of the twelve months. You do not lose what you have paid for; the calendar adjusts, and the appearance standard remains consistent across the fleet.

Who should consider a fleet program at Toulouse-Blagnac?

The program makes sense for three groups. Corporate flight departments with one or more aircraft based at LFBO and a predictable monthly cycle: if your Falcon or Global spends fifteen nights a month on the Toulouse ramp and flies a mix of short European legs and occasional transatlantic trips, the fleet program ensures the cabin is always charter-ready and the exterior is maintained between seasonal details. Charter operators using Toulouse as a positioning base or a regular turnaround point: your clients expect a clean aircraft, your crew expects a predictable service window, and your ops manager expects one invoice per month instead of a dozen ad-hoc quotes. FBOs or handling agents managing appearance for client aircraft: if you offer concierge services to transient owners and want a reliable third-party detailing partner on call, the fleet program provides that structure without requiring you to staff your own wash crew.

The program does not suit aircraft that visit Toulouse once or twice a year, or operators who prefer to handle all appearance work in-house at their home base. It is built for repetition, proximity and the operational rhythm of a fleet that returns to the same ramp every month and needs the same standard every time.