Aircraft: COVID-19 Disinfectant Recommendations

Photo by Senior Airman Sean Madden

Protecting yourself, your aircraft and everyone around you in a COVID-19 environment is important.

In this new normal dealing with COVID-19, it’s important to remind you of the approved cleaning solution for all aircraft to get rid of chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear (CBRN) hazards including biohazard contamination.

To address corrosion control and cleaning of aircraft, avionics and electronics, follow the good word in TM 1-1500-344-23, Cleaning and Corrosion Control (Aug 14).

Volume 2 of the series addresses aircraft.
Chapter 2 addresses cleaning, and Para 2-3.2 discusses immediate cleaning, including actual or suspected CBRN contaminants and biohazards.
Appendix B contains supplemental requirement for Army aircraft.

Appendix/page B-28 includes the cleaning solution authorized for use on Army aircraft. It’s called CALLA 1452 RTU, NSN 6840-01-600-4177, and it conforms to SAE AMS 1453. It comes in a 5-gal container which requires dilution.

Follow instructions for proper dilution

Here’s the rub. Because of COVID-19, there’s been a run on the CALLA disinfectant and now it’s in short supply. That’s created a need for alternative cleaners and disinfectants to protect Army aircrews from COVID-19 contamination.

The Utility Helicopter Project Office (UHPO) tasked the Systems Readiness Directorate (SRD) to provide alternative cleaners and disinfectants for use on Army aircraft in addition to CALLA 1452. Alternatives are temporary only. Using them is authorized until 2 Oct 20 and shall not exceed a six-month period total. Permanent and longer-term approval for some of the alternatives is underway by SRD.

Alternative Cleaners and Disinfectants

Substitute cleaners and disinfectants that can be used in place of CALLA are:

AERODIS 7127, ZIP Chem
VITAL OXIDE, Vital Solutions, LLC
D-125, Microgen
RTU Aviation Cleaner, ZEP Industries, (pH is greater than 10.5)
NETBIOKEM DSAM, PSA Callington, Australian product, (pH greater than 10.0)
KI-OSE wipes, PSA Callington, Australian product

When using these newly authorized disinfectants and cleaners, follow these precautions:

Rinse and dry the aircraft thoroughly after using cleaning products.
Maintain all cleaners at a pH level between 7.5 and 10, based on TM 1-1500-344-23-2 (Aug 14).
SRD recommends confirming with product manufacturers regarding the effectiveness of the disinfectants against COVID-19.

All units should contact their local aviation engineering directorate (AED) subject-matter expert to generate a maintenance engineering call (MEC) to authorize use of the alternatives. Use only authorized cleaners and disinfectants. Commercial products like Clorox® wipes, Lysol® wipes and CavaCide™ wipes should never be used because they contain an active ingredient that’s highly corrosive and can damage surfaces.

Additional CALLA 1452 Information

Other NSNs for CALLA were assigned in March 2020, but the supply system will need time to get the stock in. A box with six bottles of premixed CALLA 1452 RTU, with proper dilution, comes with NSN 6840-01-561-3126. The bottles are ready to use, without mixing. Order a 24/10 ml (0.25 oz) cartridge of CALLA 1452 RTU using NSN 6840-01-687-1371

If you need help with COVID-19 issues, call the AMCOM environmental hotline at (256) 313-1711, or email:

usarmy.amcom-environmental@army.mil

You can also contact the AMCOM corrosion program office (CPO) at (256) 313-0209 or visit them online at:

https://amcomcorrosion.army.mil