About De-Ice Equipment
Aviation experts will tell you even the thinnest layer of ice, sleet, snow, or frost built up on an airplane’s wings, propellers, antennas, and other components can hamper airflow and cause significant problems, including reducing lift performance and increasing drag. Inclement weather impacting gate, taxi, runway, and other airport surfaces can also disrupt operations or entirely close them down if not properly addressed. For such situations, there’s de-icing, anti-icing, snow removal, and other equipment to help tackle the job of removing ice and snow and preventing additional buildup from forming again prior to takeoff.
JBT Aerotech Tempest De-Icer
De-Icing Equipment At Work
The most common de-icing process involves trained workers using specialized equipment to spray high-pressure applications of de-icing fluid (sometimes referred to as “Type I” fluid) to an aircraft’s wings, tail, and other areas to remove built-up ice and snow. The fluid is usually a mixture of propylene glycol, water, or other chemicals that’s applied while hot. It’s also often colored orange to indicate where it’s already been sprayed. For runway, taxi, and other surfaces, plows and other machines push snow away and apply liquid and solid de-icing/anti-icing chemicals.
To prevent ice from forming again after de-icing is complete, anti-icing fluid (sometimes referred to as “Type IV” fluid) that’s often green in color is sprayed on aircraft surfaces. This liquid is thicker and can stick to surfaces during takeoff, but it only lasts for a certain period after takeoff. Thus, aircraft often incorporate other systems to keep ice from forming during flight. Some of these include bleeding air systems that direct hot air from the engine(s), electrically heated windshields, weeping wings that leak anti-icing fluid across the wings’ leading edges to form a protective layer, and automatic and manual pneumatic de-ice boots.
Types Of De-Icing Equipment
Depending on the size of the airport, different de-icing and anti-icing equipment may be available. Smaller airports, for example, may only require a tank-based system, while larger ones handling bigger aircraft will generally have machines that can accommodate taller aircraft, such as a truck with a boom and an enclosed or open bucket. The JBT Aerotech Tempest, for example, offers a working height of roughly 13.7 metres (45 feet) and is equipped with an 8,330-litre (2,200-gallon) tank.
Other components and features of de-icing and anti-icing equipment include high-pressure spray nozzles, diesel and electric motors, and warm air blowers. You’ll also find machines that come with telematics and diagnostic systems, single-operator drive systems, and support for one-engine operation that helps save fuel and reduces maintenance costs.
Find The Right De-Icing Equipment
You’ll find an ever-changing variety of new and used de-ice equipment for sale every day on AviationTrader.com.au.
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