Narrator: Over the course of a 20- to 30-year life span, commercial planes are completely repainted as often as every seven to 10 years, depending on the size, accumulated flight time, and the climate of the plane's route. On top of that, for larger planes, the process can take two weeks, meaning airlines take a financial hit every time a plane in their fleet needs a touch-up. After covering windows and other sensitive areas to avoid damage, workers sand down logos by hand and apply a heavy paint thinner that melts the paint away overnight. That's why a greenish-yellow compound containing zinc chromate is sprayed to cover the plane's bare aluminum body. Additionally, planes are typically painted light shades, like white or gray, to reflect heat from the sun.

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