DENVER — Fall hasn’t officially started yet, but at Denver International Airport, crews are already preparing for winter.
Senior Vice President of Maintenance Kyle Lester and DEN maintenance unveiled 48 new pieces of snowplowing equipment Tuesday, promising even quicker turnarounds for snow removal this winter.
“I tell all the teams, as soon as it hits July 1st, we’ve crossed into winter operations,” Lester said. “That’s not a popular statement, but I’ve got to start focusing on planning efforts and getting ready for snow.”
Unlike typical road plowing, Lester said airplane runways have to be completely dry for planes to take off and land.
The new multi-function units can plow, sweep, and blow snow off a runway, allowing for full clearings in less than 15 minutes. Lester said Federal Aviation Administration requirements are for 30-minute clearings.
“They're cool big equipment,” Lester said. “Everybody wants to be part of it. It's a powerful tool, but when you get in them, they feel like driving your car, they're so advanced now.”
Lester said the airport has also upgraded its forecasting capabilities, citing a February snow squall last year that led to hundreds of delays.
“We spent the summer trying to increase our accuracy on forecasting and figure out how to be better prepared for risks like un-forecasted weather,” he said.
Crews have also started yearly training for snow-clearing operations, which includes class time as well as hands-on training on the airfield.
With limited visibility, he said it’s vital everyone knows their role before a big storm hits.
“Those events can be very extreme,” he said. “So we need our operators confident and ready to go.”