Aviation Painter

JOB SUMMARY

The General Aviation Painter I is responsible for preparing, coating, and finishing aircraft antenna surfaces to meet industry, customer, and regulatory standards. This role performs surface preparation, masking, priming, basecoat application, and topcoat finishing on general aviation aircraft antennas and other components. This role mixes materials, operates spray equipment, and applies coatings using approved techniques to achieve consistent color, gloss, and uniformity. The General Aviation Painter conducts inspections, corrects finish defects, maintains clean and safe work environments, and ensures all work adheres to environmental, customer and company quality requirements. This position supports production schedules and contributes to delivering high quality aircraft finishes with durability, appearance, and precision.

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT REQUIREMENTS

• High school diploma or GED

• Minimum 5 years of professional experience in Class A, high gloss, or aviation grade painting

• Knowledge of film builds, dry times, flash times, and environmental controls critical to Class A results

• Ability to gain knowledge, understand, and abide by company:

o Safety Rules and Procedures

o Quality Processes and Procedures

o Assembly Processes, Procedures, and Work Instructions

o Core Values

• Capable of working in a fast-paced manufacturing environment.

• Excellent communication skills

• Highly dependable, motivated, and self-driven with excellent attendance and

punctuality.

SPECIFIC JOB FUNCTIONS

The following are some of the principal job functions under the direction of Supervisor and Team Lead:

Initial Substrate Inspection

• Inspect metal, plastic, composite, or wood parts for dents, scratches, distortions, or manufacturing defects.

• Identify low spots, high spots, weld marks, or surface contamination.

Body Filler & Repair Work

• Mix and apply body filler, glazing putty, or repair compounds according to manufacturer instructions.

• Shape, spread, and contour fillers to restore original geometry.

• Repair small dents, dings, and other surface imperfections.

• Sand filler to achieve a smooth, feathered surface.

Surface Preparation

• Clean parts using solvents, degreasers, or air blow offs.

• Sand, scuff, or abrade surfaces to ensure proper adhesion.

• Mask or tape components to protect areas not being painted.

• Inspect parts for dents, scratches, or contamination prior to painting.

Paint Mixing & Setup

• Mix base coat materials in accordance with SOPs.

• Adjust viscosity, color, or additives as required.

• Set up and maintain spray guns and pressure pots.

• Document process in Paint Mix Log in accordance with SOP.

Base Coat Application

• Apply primer touchups if necessary.

• Spray base coats using manual spray methods.

• Ensure even coverage, correct film thickness, and consistent color.

• Follow process specifications, paint thickness targets, and SOP requirements.

Final Surface Inspection Before Topcoat

• Conduct meticulous inspections for dirt, nibs, orange peel, solvent pop, or surface texture issues.

• Perform aircraft‑grade sanding, micro‑sanding, and polishing to correct any pre‑topcoat defects.

• Verify parts are within flash time and ready for topcoat.

Topcoat Application

• Apply premium polyurethane topcoats with uniform finish, gloss, depth, and smoothness.

• Achieve Class A finishes with uniform gloss, depth, texture, and color consistency.

• Blend and repair small areas while maintaining seamless transitions.

• Manage spray overlaps, gun distance, and fan pattern for final finish quality.

• Prevent common defects like runs, sags, orange peel, tiger striping, or dry spray.

• Maintain extremely tight tolerances on finish thickness.

Equipment Operation & Maintenance

• Operate spray booths, curing ovens, and conveyors.

• Conduct daily equipment checks (filters, spray gun cleaning, booth airflow)

• Troubleshoot equipment issues such as clogged fluid nozzles, air caps, or inconsistent spray patterns.

• Fine tune spray gun settings (atomization, pattern, fluid flow) for final finish

• Perform preventive maintenance actions as required.

Quality Control

• Inspect painted parts for coverage, defects, and uniformity.

• Ensure all coatings meet Class A finish criteria, OEM standards, and customer specifications.

• Follow quality internal QC guidelines.

• Support final QA sign off and acceptance inspections.

Training

• Provide guidance and training to the paint team to enhance their technical skills and overall development.

Safety & Compliance

• Use PPE such as respirators, gloves, and paint suits.

• Properly dispose of hazardous waste (filters, rags, containers)

• Maintain clean spray booth and paint-area housekeeping.

• Adherence to FOD (Foreign Object Debris) prevention and clean room style practices.

PHYSICAL JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Lift up to 25 pounds with no restrictions

• Healthy wrist-arm motion – will be using hand tools

• Able to work with acetones, thinners, epoxies, solders and sealants and other manufacturing materials without allergic reactions

• Good hand/eye coordination

• Approved by an MD for general respirator use; respirator must be worn during spraying.

• Prolong periods of standing and painting.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

This job operates in a manufacturing environment. The employee is occasionally exposed to a variety of extreme conditions. The noise level in the work environment can be loud.

R.A. Miller Industries, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, height, weight, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws.