Customized Paint Protection Film Coverage

Good morning All,

My name is Jeff Krueger. I own a company in Minneapolis that creates and installs the highest quality paint protection film kits in the U.S.

This is not a solicitation ! I have a question for Cirrus owners.

Would you be interested in a high end, paint protection film option that covers all vulnerable areas of your aircraft with complete panel coverage and wrapped edges that make it almost completely invisible ? We’ve been approached to do this and we’re trying to see what the community opinion is.

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Hi Jeff.

I keep our 2007 G3 SR22 covered with a paint protection kit. I consider it a low-cost way of keeping the plane as clean and free of paint chips as practical.

Jeff, I’d be mostly interested if you could come up with a solution that would prevent the clear-coat on the leading edge from eroding and having to be repainted every year.

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Thanks for the input Chris.

Jeff,

We own a paint shop I am interested in your products.
As you likely know there is already a paint protectant film on the Cirrus. I am interested to know how your products are different? How is it better etc? I love innovation and better products so I am excited to see what you have. Thank you!

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Jaime,

Thanks for reaching out ! Just wanted to get you a quick note that I got your message and that I’ll get you a detailed email explaining everything Monday morning.

Again, Thanks for reaching out and have a great weekend.

Good morning Jaime,

Hope you had a great weekend.

So let me give you the basics on what and how my company does what it does. We are in the business of helping retail auto dealers start, grow and maintain large scale, in house, paint protection film sales and installation programs.
That includes everything from finding, hiring and training PPF installers to custom designing complete vehicle kits, to training the dealership how to present and sell the product to their customers. I’ve attached a wire drawing of the type of kit designs we produce.

I think the opportunity for my company, after seeing the basic pieces Cirrus installs on it’s aircraft, would be to create and hopefully sell, much more extensive coverage to Cirrus owners that significantly improves the protection and aesthetics beyond what is currently available. Again, in line with the full panel coverage you see in the attached wire drawing. Once the design is complete, Cirrus owners could pick and choose which panels would be important for them to cover.

You asked how our products are different. The level of coverage is a big one. Again, per the wire drawing, we design kits to cover even the most complex shapes while wrapping edges to maximize coverage and aesthetics. We have different thicknesses of film that allow for better protection in high impact areas like connection point for tow bars. And lastly, just our involvement. When we bring on a client, we don’t just send out a box of film and say good luck. We get involved in every part of the clients business that pertains to PPF to ensure their success.

We’re located in Minnetonka MN. but have the capability to do what we do anywhere. Once a program is up and running, the majority of the ongoing support can be done via the internet, phone, etc.

So, that’s the short version, let me know what you’re thinking for next steps if there are some.

Regards,

Jeff Krueger
Drive Group LLC.
C-414-690-6785

Jeff@drivegrp.com

Jeff:
I think you have a great idea here. As a consumer using hundreds of these planes my observation of the current protection is as follows:

  1. Over time the color of the clear plastic turns yellow in some planes.
  2. In all of them at some point the protection peels or falls off.
  3. On a light colored airplane, the edge of the protective plastic gets “dirt” trapped that cannot be cleaned without risking lifting the plastic.
  4. The coverage of more areas is needed as you pointed out.
  5. The border between the TKS panels and the wing paint gets its clear coat beat up way to soon. (1-2 years)

A product that addresses all of the above issues would be very useful.

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Thanks for the input Brian.

Jeff, I’m sure we’d all be interested, but you need to stick your product on an actual airplane and fly it through some mod/heavy precip first. You’ll probably learn some valuable lessons… 200+mph raindrops are not easy on anything you stick on.

Once you flight test it, you’ll probably do real well if you can sell some precut packages that cover the usual suspects (wheel pants, struts, lights, nose gear strut, wingtips, etc)

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Thanks Dan.

Anyone know what company Cirrus is currently using? My G6 has a lot of clear film on the wheel fairings. My G3 had it too albeit less coverage.

I just had my matte grey car fully covered with XPEL stealth. Impressive product.

Jeff, do you have a matte product or gloss only?

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I have both matte and gloss.

Hey Jeff, do you have a magic elixir for removing the old protective tape from a Cirrus?
I will pay you in gold.
This took me 5 hours:

A heat gun…

Are we talking coins or ingots? :upside_down_face:

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Oh, things were hot. Including me.
image

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Hair dryer hot, not paint stripper hot. The paint will come up with it. Especially if the paint is repair paint.

I’ve achieved good results with a heat gun followed by Goo Gone, but it does need to get warm for the film to release (as Dan says, not paint stripper hot), the remaining adhesive residue will succumb to the Goo Gone with a light soak and a rag.

Yeah, I did a hair dryer and goo gone. All eventually peeled up until the leading edges who didn’t want to be evicted after 15 years. Then it was fingernail time.
Paint turned out perfect and I will have pros apply the new tape. Have the wing roots to go once my fingernails grow out a bit!

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:rofl:

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