Owais Crawford
Denver International Airport (DEN) has been recognised for its outstanding snow and ice removal operations and ability to maintain airport operations during challenging winter conditions. The airport has nearly 600 trained snow removal personnel and two different types of melters – 10 melters that melt 600 tons of snow per hour, and one that melts 150 tons an hour. DEN also uses a product called Apex, which is similar to magnesium chloride, to treat landside pavement.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of trained snow removal personnel | 600 |
| Snow removal operations | "Airside" (runways, taxiways, and ramp areas) and "landside" (Peña Boulevard, parking lots, and additional roads) |
| Snow-fighting team | Winner of the Balchen/Post award for outstanding snow and ice removal operations |
| Snow melting capacity | 10 melters that melt 600 tons of snow per hour, and one that melts 150 tons an hour |
| Pavement treatment | Apex, a product similar to magnesium chloride |
| Pavement treatment when temperatures dip below zero | Sand |
| Runway and taxiway surface treatment | Potassium acetate |
What You'll Learn
Snow and ice removal operations
Denver International Airport (DEN) has been recognised for its outstanding snow and ice removal operations and ability to maintain airport operations during challenging winter conditions.
The airport has nearly 600 trained snow removal personnel. The airport's operations team monitors several snow forecasts and, based on the forecasted weather, determines the anticipated level of operational and staffing levels. The airport also continuously performs preventative maintenance on equipment and monitors needed repairs.
Aircraft deicing is handled by airlines or their contractors, not the airport.
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Deicing aircraft
Denver International Airport (DEN) has been recognised for its outstanding snow and ice removal operations and ability to maintain airport operations during challenging winter conditions.
DEN has nearly 600 trained snow removal personnel and the airport's operations team monitors several snow forecasts. Based on the forecasted weather, the airport determines the anticipated level of operational and staffing levels. The airport also continuously performs preventative maintenance on equipment and monitors needed repairs.
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Snow melting
Denver International Airport (DEN) has been recognised for its outstanding snow and ice removal operations, and its ability to maintain airport operations during challenging winter conditions.
The airport has two different types of snow melters – 10 melters that can melt 600 tons of snow per hour, and one that melts 150 tons an hour. The snow that is cleared from the ramp areas, near aircraft gates, is melted since it’s not feasible to store all that snow in piles.
The airport uses a product called Apex, which is similar to magnesium chloride, to treat landside pavement. When temperatures dip below zero, the use of chemicals is discontinued and sand is used to help with traction. Potassium acetate is used to treat runway and taxiway surfaces.
The airport is responsible for clearing runways, taxiways and other surfaces. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for safely spacing out arriving and departing aircraft, and the airlines are responsible for managing their schedules and ground handling operations, including deicing aircraft.
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Preventative maintenance
Denver International Airport (DEN) has been recognised for its outstanding snow and ice removal operations and ability to maintain airport operations during challenging winter conditions. The airport has nearly 600 trained snow removal personnel, who are responsible for clearing runways, taxiways and other surfaces.
DEN has two types of snow melters, which can melt 600 tons of snow per hour, and one that melts 150 tons an hour. The airport also uses a product called Apex, which is similar to magnesium chloride, to treat landside pavement. When temperatures drop below zero, the use of chemicals is discontinued and sand is used to help with traction. Potassium acetate is used to treat runway and taxiway surfaces.
The airport continuously performs preventative maintenance on equipment and monitors needed repairs. This includes deicing, which is handled by airlines or their contractors, not the airport. Deicing removes snow and ice from aircraft for safety, as snow and ice can change the shape of the aircraft and disrupt airflow across the surface, hindering the ability to create lift.
The airport's operations team monitors several snow forecasts and, based on the forecasted weather, determines the anticipated level of operational and staffing levels.
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Staffing levels
Denver International Airport (DEN) has a team of nearly 600 trained snow removal personnel. The airport's operations team monitors several snow forecasts and, based on the forecast, determines the anticipated level of operational and staffing levels. The airport has snow removal operations "airside" (runways, taxiways, and ramp areas) and "landside" (Peña Boulevard, parking lots, and additional roads).
DEN has two types of melters – 10 melters that melt 600 tons of snow per hour, and one that melts 150 tons an hour. The airport uses a product called Apex, which is similar to magnesium chloride, to treat landside pavement. When temperatures dip below zero, the use of chemicals is discontinued and sand is used to help with traction. Potassium acetate is used to treat runway and taxiway surfaces.
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Frequently asked questions
Denver Airport has a snow-fighting team that is responsible for clearing runways, taxiways and other surfaces. The airport also has snow removal operations 'airside' and 'landside'.
The airport has two different types of melters – 10 melters that melt 600 tons of snow per hour, and one that melts 150 tons an hour. The airport also uses a product called Apex, which is similar to magnesium chloride, to treat landside pavement.
The airport's operations team monitors several snow forecasts and, based on the forecasted weather, determines the anticipated level of operational and staffing levels. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is also responsible for safely spacing out arriving and departing aircraft.
