Aircraft Rating Scale 1-10
Exterior
Ten
Aircraft is new.
Nine
Paint is new. Airframe and paint are in excellent condition with no scratches or dents.
Eight
Paint and airframe are in near new condition. Minor scratches (shallow, short and less than 1 or 2 per square foot) are detectable only on close inspection (inspecting aircraft while standing at less than an arm’s length from it). Paint on often used fasteners and screws may be chipped.
Seven
Paint has high gloss. Small number (fewer than three or four per square foot) of scratches are apparent, mostly on leading edges due to abrasion. Close inspection reveals only a few small dents or chips (less than one or two per square foot). Windows are clear with no crazing or discolouring.
Six
Paint is shiny. Several small scratches, chips or dents (four to six per square foot) can be found, mostly around high-use areas (fuel caps, doors, and struts). Some crazing or small stress cracks (fewer than two or three hairline cracks per square foot) are visible in plastic and fibreglass structures. Several windows may be milky at edges.
Five
Paint is sound (no corrosion apparent). Sight oxidation can easily be polished out, leaving paint shiny again. Two or three small areas (rounded corner of cowling, part of leading edge) of crazing can be found in paint. Paint on leading edges is rough from abrasion. Touched up or repaired areas may be seen on close inspection. Small number (three or four per square foot) of short cracks can be found in fibreglass wingtips and cowlings due to normal wear or hangar rash. Cowling seals are faded. Many (less than half) windows have milky edges. Several windows may be crazed or lightly scratched. Aircraft looks attractive to most people during walkaround.
Four
Paint is generally sound. Small areas require special attention (touch up or repair by trained individual) due to oxidation, peeling, chipping, corrosion or crazing. Paint is dull in many (less than half) areas. Most windows are crazed and scratched.
Three
Paint is not shiny and has peeled in many areas. Most leading edges and upper surfaces are crazed and oxidized. Moderate number (five or six per square foot) of chips, cracks or dents can be found. All window surfaces are scratched. Even after touch-up and polishing, aircraft still looks unsightly.
Two
Aircraft looks terrible. Paint is badly oxidized, peeled and blemished. It is well beyond the touch-up and polish stage. Corrosion, dents and cracks require extensive work.
One
Exterior is so full or corrosion, heavy dents or tears that it will not pass an annual without repairs.
Interior
Ten
Aircraft is new.
Nine
Interior is new. There are no scratches, cracks, crazing or other evidence of use.
Eight
Interior is in near new condition. Any smell, dirt or matting can be removed by simple cleaning. Some evidence of use can be found only on close inspection.
Seven
Small amount of wear is apparent. Small, shallow scratches and/or stains (one or two per seat) can be found on seats, carpet or woodwork. Stain remover and shampoo removes almost all stains. Headliner is clean with no stains. There are no nicks in woodwork.
Six
Headliner may have a couple of dirty spots that can be removed almost completely with cleaning. Matting in highuse does not vacuum out completely. Steaming or shampooing improves interior considerably, but a couple of small, limited areas (doorway, beneath rudder pedals) remain looking worn or stained. No frayed or torn fabric is apparent. Leather, vinyl or woodwork has no cracks, but small scratches or creases (four to six per sat) are obvious. Seats and drawers operate smoothly. Scratches in scuff plates around doorways are obvious. Interior still looks attractive when cleaned thoroughly.
Five
High use areas (doorway, beneath rudder pedals) still look worn (fibers appear shorter than surrounding carpet) after thorough shampooing. Headliner may have several stains but is not torn. Minor (2 or 3 instances per seat) fraying, staining, or cracking is apparent on less than half the seats. Small nicks are visible in woodwork. About one–third of the seats and drawers do not operate smoothly. Interior can be made to look clean, but it lacks sparkle in many areas.
Four
Scratches, stains and frayed fabric are seen on most seats. More than half of the leather or vinyl seats may have small cracks. Carpet is matted along aisle. Carpet also has numerous stains, snags or other irregularities. Interior has two or three tears. About half of the seats and drawers do not operate smoothly. Wood laminates may be peeling slightly. Several cracks in scuff plates around doorways are obvious. Interior cannot be made to look clean or smell fresh.
Three
Tears, snags and stains are clearly visible in many areas. Several cigarette
burns can be found. Most seats and drawers do not operate smoothly. Interior looks and smells dirty even after cleaning.
Two
Cracks, stains, tears and snags are the norm. Many seats have exposed foam. Interior is dirty and foul-smelling even after thorough cleaning.
One
Interior is so dirty and worn that most people would be hesitant about sitting down for fear of damaging clothing.