Method of protecting a part of a surface of an aircraft against contamination with insect residues and/or against icing, comprising the following steps:b) coating the part of the surface to be protected with a coating that can, within a period of ≦3 hours from take-off of the aircraft and in normal flying conditions, reduce the adhesion to the part of the surface to be protected until detachment occurs on the basis of (i) temperature change and/or (ii) UV radiation and/or (iii) addition of a decomposing component and/or (iv) difference in air humidity,b) exposing the part of the surface to be protected to (i) a temperature change and/or (ii) UV irradiation (iii) and/or addition of a decomposing component and/or (iv) a difference in air humidity, so that the coating together with any contaminants and/or icing thereon detaches.