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76 APPENDIX H Minnesota Best Practice Guide to Airport Snow Removal Keeping your airport safe, open, and accessible this winter Airport snow removal is a critical winter operation in Minnesota. To ensure effective and efficient snow removal, airports should create and implement a plan and train staff that will play a role in carrying it outâbefore the snow flies. Creating a snow plan Your pre-season planning should begin with developing or updating your snow removal planâa step-by-step document outlining how winter operations will proceed. This plan should include timelines, plowing guidelines and techniques, equipment and materials to be used, contact information, procedures for closing runways, and staff assignments and responsibilities. It should also identify a snow disposal site on the airport, state how team members will be notified when a snow event occurs, and name the member(s) of the removal team who can make decisions, reduce response time, and maximize the availability of runways and taxiways. FAA Advisory Circular 150/5200-30C, Airport Winter Safety and Operations, provides guidance to prepare for the winter snow removal season. (Advisory circulars can be found on the FAA website at www.faa.gov.) Consider the following when developing a snow removal plan: ⢠Are we materially prepared and adequately budgeted for the new winter season? ⢠Where will we store the snow? ⢠Who will close the runway and issue the NOTAM? What are the closure procedures for the runway and other paved areas used by airplanes? ⢠Did we address all unique airport site conditions? ⢠Are we adequately staffed with qualified personnel? ⢠Do we have a continuous training program and do we document our training activities? ⢠Do we have good weather forecasting methods that give us accurate and timely information? ⢠What processes are needed to revise the steps we take for continuously monitoring the runway(s)? ⢠How do we ensure markings, signs, and lighting systems are legible and visible after clearing operations? Are touchdown markings addressed in our procedures? ⢠What are our procedures in case of airfield accidents involving snow clearing crews, airplanes, or other airport vehicles? ⢠What is our plan for identifying the need for post-season improvements? A snow removal plan should also include a map of the airport that shows required access for both planes and automobiles; a prioritized list of areas to be cleared of snow, and in what order; and a map showing boundaries and hold lines for airplane operating areas. Be sure to make copies of the plan for all snow removal staff. Preparing for snow Many airports have formal or informal agreements with the local city or county for snow removal. Bring maintenance staff to the airport to discuss snow removal and the airportâs plan before the weather changes so they are well informed about airport and runway boundaries, safe operating procedures, and imaginary surfaces. Once your plan is developed but before it snows: ⢠Train personnel in equipment operations; communication techniques and terminology; markings, lighting, and signs; and the airport layout. ⢠Make practice runs with the equipment in typical operational scenarios before allowing access to the movement areas. ⢠When training staff, remind them that the visibility from inside their truck may be very different than the visibility from the air or from a landing plane. In addition, the noise level inside a snowplow may be high, so instruct operators in using the radio effectively in non-optimal conditions. ⢠Plan for snow storage when developing airport improvement projects such as parking lots and aprons. ⢠Write into your leases the areas that the airport will clear and the areas that each hangar tenant is expected to clear around private and public hangars. ⢠Meet with local pilots, hangar tenants, airport users, and fixed-based operators (FBOs) as well as emergency aircraft operators that use the airport (e.g., medical helicopters) to discuss your strategy for winter operations. Snow removal strategies Once the snow arrives, consider the following strategies for safely and efficiently removing it: ⢠Make radios readily available to plow operators and educate them on required and proper radio communications with pilots. Instruct plow operators to give aircraft the right-of-way at all times. ⢠Remind operators to allow for additional stopping distance near planes and wings that extend far beyond the plane.
77 ⢠Issue a NOTAM when more than one inch of snow will fall on the runway. Always check to make sure your NOTAMs are posted before plowing and are removed after the event. ⢠When removing snow around lights, tell pilots and airport users that operators are on the airfield. If you see an aircraft circling to land and the runway is usable, leave the runway while it lands and then return to your work. ⢠Remember that the sides and ends of the runway must be cleared of snow. Pilots need to see the runway lights from the air, and snow banks should be far enough back to provide plenty of wingtip clearance. Never pile snow off the ends of the runway; push it to the sides beyond the runway ends. Finally, remember to clear more than just the main runway or you leave pilots with no way to move off of it. Plow the main runway first, followed by the taxiways, aircraft loading areas, public roadways, secondary runways and taxiways, hangar taxi lanes, and vehicle parking areas. ⢠Plowing around lights and navigational aids is extremely important. Clear the sensors on the automated weather observing station and provide access to the beacon and other NAVAIDs for maintenance and visibility. Use caution, since lights are mounted to break away when hit and the force of snow being pushed by a plow can easily dislodge them. Check NAVAIDs and light couplings after plowing to ensure they were not damaged. ⢠Know the airport and its boundaries, particularly the location of taxiways and runways, since some signs may be covered with snow. ⢠Check NOTAMs to ensure the runway has been closed before moving onto it for plowing. ⢠Listen to the radio carefully and communicate your movements clearly. ⢠Read back any communications from pilots. ⢠Note required clearances indicated on snow removal maps. ⢠Maintain situational awareness. ⢠Admit it when youâre lost. ⢠Understand signs, lighting, and markings. ⢠Never assume anything. ⢠Take extra care due to low-visibility conditions during winter operations. Tips for plow drivers ⢠Know the airport and its boundaries, particularly the location of taxiways and runways, since some signs may be covered with snow. ⢠Check NOTAMs to ensure the runway has been closed before moving onto it for plowing. ⢠Listen to the radio carefully and communicate your movements clearly. ⢠Read back any communications from pilots. ⢠Note required clearances indicated on snow removal maps. ⢠Maintain situational awareness. ⢠Admit it when youâre lost. ⢠Understand signs, lighting, and markings. ⢠Never assume anything. ⢠Take extra care due to low-visibility conditions during winter operations. Source: AirTAP Briefings, Fall 2011, Center for Transportation Studies University of Minnesota. Used with permission.
