How Philadelphia airport tackles plane deicing

AccuWeather's Ali Reid shares how the Philadelphia International Airport handles winter weather to ensure safe and timely departures.

Transcript

00:00Whether it's a light dusting or full-on blizzard here in Philadelphia, crews are ready to battle the elements.

00:05We know that ice, snow and slush can impact travel times, but the key to keeping things moving is the de-icing process.

00:13We have an important task, a role that we play in ensuring that the aircrafts take flight safely.

00:20Work at Philadelphia International Airport begins even before the first snowflake of the season falls.

00:25Crews train staff and pre-treat surfaces to minimize ice buildup.

00:29But when planes need to take off in winter conditions, de-icing becomes the top priority.

00:35All our de-icers are trained per the aircraft requirements.

00:38They are trained to make sure that when they are de-icing these aircrafts,

00:42no aircraft leave our facility with contamination still adhering to it.

00:46Crews must ensure that no ice or snow remains on an aircraft, as even a thin layer can impact lift and compromise safety.

00:54Specialized de-icing trucks equipped with high-powered nozzles spray a heated fluid mixture onto the plane's surface,

01:01melting away any frozen contaminants on contact.

01:04The process is meticulous.

01:06We will de-ice the aircraft using Type 1 fluid.

01:10That will wash all the contamination off, snow, ice, freezing rain and stuff to that nature off the aircraft.

01:18And then we'll come right behind it with a protective coat, a Type 4,

01:22which will allow the aircraft a certain amount of time on the ground before they take flight.

01:27Depending on the severity of the weather, it takes an average of 6 to 12 minutes to de-ice a plane.

01:32With thousands of flights coming in and out of Philadelphia each winter,

01:36de-icing plays a crucial role in keeping passengers' safe and travel schedules on track.

01:41And in order for that to happen, they're tracking forecasts around the clock.

01:45We usually watch it a few days in advance and make sure we're seeing what everybody else is seeing,

01:51and then we'll start preparing as such then.

01:54It takes nearly 100 crew members, manpower personnel, to really pull this off,

01:58sometimes daily depending on the weather.

02:00And with over 40 million square feet of runways and taxiways to manage,

02:04plus nearly 12 million square feet of roadways and parking lots,

02:08keeping everything operational is no small task.

02:12But the crews here make sure every takeoff is as safe as possible,

02:16no matter what Mother Nature brings.

02:18For AccuWeather, I'm Allie Reid.