Use Cases
Three Systems.
Three Detection Gaps.
One Platform.
Biofilm contamination in aerospace fluid systems is well-documented in the scientific literature and completely unaddressed by any existing regulatory standard. These are the three highest-priority use cases — each with a distinct detection gap, a specific economic or mission risk, and a clear Videtex workflow.
Aircraft Fuel Tank Inspection
The 7-Day Window That Standard Inspection Misses
Microbially influenced corrosion (MIC) in aircraft fuel tanks is the most economically significant biofilm-related failure mode in commercial aviation. The critical detection window is 7 days — before the biofilm matrix triggers irreversible aluminum alloy corrosion. Standard inspection cycles are structurally incapable of catching it in time.
100×
MIC acceleration at day 14 vs. day 1
Materials 2024, PMID 39063815
7 days
Critical detection window before irreversible damage
Materials 2024
$1.6B
Annual USAF aviation corrosion cost (MIC est. 20%)
USAF Corrosion Program Office
18–24 mo
Typical C-check interval — misses the 7-day window
FAA AC 43.13
The Detection Gap
Aircraft fuel tanks are inspected at C-check intervals — typically 18 to 24 months. A 2024 peer-reviewed study (Materials, PMID 39063815) established that MIC in aluminum alloy fuel tanks accelerates by two orders of magnitude on day 7 of biofilm colonization. The corrosion rate at day 14 is 100× the rate at day 1. By the time a C-check inspection occurs, the damage is structural, not cosmetic.
Why Current Methods Fall Short
White-light borescopy
Cannot detect early-stage biofilm — optically transparent under white light until mature EPS matrix forms
Culture sampling (ASTM D6469)
24–72 hour lab turnaround; detects planktonic organisms only, not sessile biofilm; sampling disturbs the biofilm
Visual inspection at C-check
By the time corrosion is visible, structural damage has already occurred
How Videtex Closes the Gap
405 nm UV excites flavin and NADH autofluorescence in the biofilm EPS matrix — making early-stage biofilm visible before it triggers MIC. The 3.9 mm probe fits standard fuel tank borescope access ports. No dye. No sample collection. Results in the same inspection event as white-light visual inspection.
Inspection Workflow
Insert 3.9 mm Videtex probe through existing fuel tank access port
Complete white-light visual inspection (365 nm structural FPI if required)
Switch to 405 nm in-situ — no probe removal required
Biofilm autofluorescence visible immediately; document with on-device recording
Export annotated PDF report for maintenance records
All Use Cases
Prioritized by
Commercial Readiness.
Ready to See It?
Schedule a Demonstration
for Your Specific System.
Our aerospace inspection team will demonstrate the correct probe configuration and detection workflow for your specific fluid system geometry.