Yes, planes do get washed. If the plane is bigger, they tend to use little cranes to get higher up. Hose with soap suds, followed by a shammy rag on a stick.
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Airlines report washing every two to six months - often in line with the A or B check maintenance schedule. AIrcraft can be washed with water and detergent, or dry washed. Wet washing usually involves high-pressure water jets and specialized detergents.
How dirty is the water on a plane? In 2004, the EPA randomly tested the water supply on 158 planes. Twenty tested positive for total coliform bacteria and/or E.coli—both indicators that other disease-causing pathogens could be present.
The spraying of airplanes as they land is a tradition known as the “water salute.” As explained by Wikipedia, it's performed for ceremonial purposes, such as the retirement of an airplane. When an airplane makes its final flight, it's honored with the water salute once it lands on the tarmac.
In the event of an emergency requiring a return to the departure airport, the aircraft circles nearby in order to consume fuel to get down to within the maximum structural landing weight limit, or, if the situation demands, simply land overweight without delay.
It's not uncommon to see planes being sprayed before takeoff. The spray is a heated mixture of glycol and water. It has a lower freezing temperature than just water.This breaks off ice already formed and prevents more from building up.
The cleaning crew will scrub the toilets, mop the floors, and make sure everything is clean and sanitized before passengers board the plane again. The cleaning crew will empty all the waste, scrub all the surfaces, and mop the floor. They'll also restock supplies such as toilet paper, hand soap, and paper towels.
Whereas larger airlines often hire dedicated cabin cleaners to tackle the aircraft between guests, “Generally on low-cost carriers, the flight attendants will have to clean the planes themselves,” says Catrina McGrail, a former flight attendant and creator of the 24 Hours Layover travel blog.
The deep cleanEvery airline has a different time frame for when a plane gets a deep clean. As the BBC reports, Singapore Airlines deep cleans its planes once a month, while Lufthansa gives its planes a deep cleaning after 500 hours of flying time. Interestingly, there aren't global standards for airplane cleanliness.
US Airways flight 1549, flight of a passenger airliner that made an emergency landing in the Hudson River on January 15, 2009, shortly after taking off from LaGuardia Airport in New York City. Five people were seriously injured, but there were no fatalities.
Airlines and airports are not obliged to provide passengers with free water. Andrew Adonis added that some operators sell bottled water in order to keep prices low. People need to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
According to an anonymous cabin crew member, travellers should not brush their teeth in a plane bathroom, using the water. The water on a plane all comes from the same water tank and it is not filtered, they told UK company, Sanctuary Bathrooms.
The surface tension of water makes hitting it the equivalent of hitting concrete. Planes, unless gently and perfectly pancaked into the water, tend to cartwheel and tear themselves apart. Once stopped you need to get out of a sinking plane.
Then once you are airborne, the air is very dry at high altitude. Some pilots take Camelbaks with them to quench their thirst, but Lee prefers an old-fashioned water bottle. He takes small sips to make sure he has enough to last a seven- or eight-hour flight.
Rain is just water, no matter the pressure. Modern aircraft can generate lift regardless of the heaviness of the rain. Planes can and will take off and land in the rain. The only real problem with heavy rainfall is the decrease in visibility for the pilots.