One problem specific to the aircraft industry is the protection of leading surfaces against rain, dust and stone damage. The main surfaces in question are propellers and helicopter bladed, although leading edges of the mainplane and even the taiplane and fin are now being protected. On propellers de-icing mats are used to prevent icing up, and these are generally covered with a thin sheet of polyurethane. This protects the outer layer of nitrile rubber on the mat from stone and dust damage when landing or taking off and also against rain erosion during flight.
Helicopter blades can be made from either a special alumenium alloy or stainless steel, both of which at high speeds aer susceptible to damage, espectively in desert condition. One report indicates the the lift of the rotor blade increased from 40 to 1,000 hours after installation of protective polyurethane mats. This result in a very considerable saving in cost for replacement and also increases the operational life between changes.
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