How to clean and maintain espresso coffee maker AL-EX15-200E-31

Effectivity: Challenger 300/350/3500 aircraft

ATA: 25

By: Georgi Georgiev  – Technical Services

Great coffee starts with a clean machine.  

To keep your onboard Aerolux AL-EX15-200E espresso coffee maker in top brewing condition, it must be cleaned regularly to prevent contamination. 

Here, we’ve outlined recommended cleaning intervals from the Component Maintenance Manual (CMM):  

• Daily - required if unit operated during the flight. 

• Every 3 months (minimum) - descaling procedure shall be performed. 

• Every 6 months (minimum) - sanitizing procedures shall be performed.  

• 3 to 6 months - minor maintenance scheduled. 

• 12 to 18 months - major maintenance scheduled.  

In addition to the CMM, two documents are available on the Bombardier Customer Portal: “Instruction Card AL-EX15-200E-31 - Control Panel Layout” and “Operators Manual - Espresso Coffee Maker - AL-EX15-200E-31.” Bombardier recommends keeping these documents handy for quick reference.  

It is important to descale the unit regularly – at minimum every three months or 1,000 cups of coffee.  

The hardness degree in the water, most commonly expressed as milligrams of calcium per liter (mg/l), will  affect the descaling frequency and the taste of food and other beverages prepared with hot water. It is also responsible for scale deposits and for many unscheduled equipment repairs.  

The use of a water filter cartridge reduces the hardness and provides better tasting water for hot drinks, along with less scale build-up in the espresso machine.  

Hardness level in common bottled water brands:  

Voss: <5    mg/l 

Aquafina:          <5    mg/l 

Dasani:   <5    mg/l 

Smartwater: 10    mg/l 

Fiji: 18    mg/l  

Eska: 25    mg/l 

Naya: 48    mg/l 

Evian: 80    mg/l 

Vittel:            202    mg/l 

Source: Nutrition facts information publicly available  

It is important to know that the level of hardness may vary significantly between brands.  

Aerolux recommends using water with a hardness level between 0 – 20 mg/l.  

The DESCALE message on the LCD is displayed automatically after 600 cycles or 1,000 run hours, whichever is shorter. 

However, descaling and sanitizing task frequencies may be adjusted to meet actual in-service requirements; either greater or less frequent depending on the serviceability and hygiene quality of the unit. 

As a reminder, the capsule cage, the O-ring, the spring and the jet cram shall be removed during the descaling.  

Quick tips to keep your espresso machine clean and working well: 

• Rinse the unit before and after each daily use. Run coffee maker and select large cup without a coffee capsule fitted. 

• Upon completion of each coffee cycle, remove and dispose of the used capsule. This action prevents the possibility of the system becoming blocked with coffee grounds. 

• Always clean the steam nozzle by running hot water after use and replace as required. 

WARNING:  

• Contaminated capsule holders and cages can be a health hazard. Make sure capsule holder is 

serviceable and clean before and after each flight. 

• Contaminated steam pipes and frother can be a health hazard. Make sure steam pipe and 

frother are clean before and after each flight. 

• Failure to observe the cleaning instructions in the CMM could result in unscheduled removals and may cause damage to the unit.