Aircraft maintenance combines sanding, drilling composites, metalwork, and cleaning within vast hangars that share air with offices and sensitive equipment. Dust control protects staff, airframes, and prevents foreign object debris issues.

Segment by task and zone

Define sanding bays, welding areas, and clean assembly zones with curtains or mobile screens. Plan airflow so contaminants are drawn away from operatives and critical surfaces, not across them.

Capture at source

• Use shrouded sanders with matched extraction; check skirt condition and hose connections.
• Apply point extraction for drilling composites; use fume arms for welding and brazing.
• Choose slower, steadier cuts to reduce plume intensity and improve capture.

Air control in large volumes

Large hangars benefit from localised zones of control. Position air cleaners to create directional flow towards a discharge point and avoid recirculation across aircraft surfaces. A unit such as the MAXVAC Dustblocker Pro 80 can supplement airborne particulate control within defined work zones.

Housekeeping and FOD prevention

• Adopt vacuum-only cleaning for floors, stands, and tooling; avoid sweeping and compressed air.
• Schedule clean-downs per shift and between tasks; verify before moving aircraft.
• Seal waste immediately; control transfer routes to keep clean zones clean.
• Use particulate monitoring in sensitive areas to verify controls.

Practical takeaways

• Divide the hangar into controlled zones with defined airflow.
• Capture sanding and drilling dust at source with well-maintained extraction.
• Use local air cleaning to pull dust away from aircraft surfaces.
• Run a vacuum-first FOD and housekeeping regime with checks.

Consistent source capture, zoned airflow, and disciplined cleaning reduce exposure, protect airframes, and support COSHH-aligned controls in demanding hangar environments.