Is It Time to Upgrade Your Aircraft Deicing Equipment?
It’s that time of the year again: the Holidays. This year, slightly over 50% of American adults plan to travel for the holidays. The total count? About 130 million travelers this year. While it is impossible to know exactly how many people will be flying this Christmas season, numbers since Thanksgiving are either on par or exceeding pre-COVID numbers. Last year, 123 million planned to travel, so this year marks a 6% increase in expected travel.
Not all, but a good amount of these travelers will be flying. It happens every year, so this year is nothing new, but holiday travel coincides with winter weather, which can make things a little dicey. Airplane de-icing and anti-icing are the lifeblood of the airline community in the winter months. Without de-icing, timeframes get wrecked, holdover times go through the roof, sorties go in the trash can, and safety of flight.
Ground de-icing and anti-icing have not changed much over the past few decades, mostly because there hasn’t been a demand for change. High-volume, low-pressure air combined with warm anti-icing and de-icing fluids still works as well today as it did yesteryear. But let’s take a look at the industry and see if there have been any tech advances that you need to know about.
First Things First: What Is the Difference Between Anti-Icing and De-Icing?
First off, let’s qualify this question. We are talking about ground-based systems that are used to get rid of accumulated ice and snow built up on parked aircraft before flight (de-icing), along with pre-treatment of aircraft (anti-icing).
De-icing uses fluids that are designated Type I-IV, which are made of either ethylene or propylene glycol. De-icing trucks are kept plugged in with heating elements, keeping the Type I between 140°-150° F. The fluid is sprayed at high pressure to make sure all contaminates are blasted clear of the surfaces. De-icing trucks are also sometimes equipped with high-volume, low-pressure air pumps to blast loose snow off of the surfaces, although this is not required. One of the reasons for the blower is to reduce glycol usage and reduce costs (air is much cheaper than de-icing fluid).
Anti-icing units are a different approach altogether. Anti-icing is a pretreatment that is applied in anticipation of icing events to prevent ice from sticking. According to the FAA Advisory Circular (A/C) 120-60A, anti-icing is applied to clean aircraft that are not already contaminated, and the fluid goes on unheated.
The most common fluids used are:
(1) SAE Type I fluid.
(2) Concentrates or mixtures of water and SAE Type I fluid.
(3) Concentrates or mixtures of water and SAE Type II fluid.
(4) Concentrates of SAE Type III fluid.
(5) Concentrates or mixtures of water and SAE Type IV fluid.
To summarize, anti-icing is intended to prevent icing and is applied to a clean airframe, while de-icing is the process of removing existing contaminants from a “dirty” airframe.
Analyzing the Current Aircraft Anti-Icing and De-Icing Landscape
In probably fifty years or so, not much has changed in the anti-icing and de-icing markets. Propylene glycol is still the substance of choice to decontaminate a dirty airplane and save it for flight. It is usually mounted on a large truck with a few hundred-gallon capacity and a boom with a basket for the crewmember tasked with applying the agent.
So, with this in mind, it doesn’t seem like there is too much room for change. One of the biggest game changers has simply been putting enclosed cabs with remote-controlled nozzles on the boom instead of an open basket, although open baskets are still the most common configuration.
For smaller, lower-budget operations, there are a number of tow-behind trailers that can be used. They vary from simple trailers with spray nozzles and a pump to trailers that replicate trucks with a telescoping boom for a little less money and upkeep. But again, not much has changed with the de-icing and anti-icing tech over the years. Why change something that works?
What Are the Biggest Challenges?
GSE in general (with the exception of aircraft tugs) tends to be fairly static because it doesn’t really need to change. A few minor changes may help here or there, but for the most part, GSE stays static, although there is room for advances, particularly in the EV space.
However, most operators are interested in tech advances other than GSE. GSE doesn’t get much time in the spotlight unless it holds up a sortie because the GSE was down for the count, and nobody wants to be there. So, GSE stays the same.
With that said, one area that seems to be emerging is autonomous de-icing equipment. And this makes some sense; making de-icing autonomous can and will save thousands of man-hours in the cold climate hubs. Also, there is a strong possibility that autonomous de-icing units will operate more efficiently, with less waste, and take less time. Right now, these are still in their infancy, but it seems like a foregone conclusion that these are the wave of the future.
Understanding the Weaknesses & Limitations of Anti-Icing/De-Icing Technology
De-icing systems are extremely effective, which is why they have remained largely unchanged over the past few decades. When you consider that the peak travel coincides with the harshest flying weather season, it is truly remarkable how efficient and effective aircraft de-icing is, using de-icing trucks that remain functionally unchanged for decades.
So, to say it has weaknesses is a misunderstanding. All GSE has shortcomings or weaknesses, but most of them have been worked out to the point that either everybody has accepted them or nobody really sees the need to invest further into things that already work.
However, with staffing shortfalls that are affecting everyone everywhere, autonomous technology is a bridge to ease those burdens. As far as the process of de-icing and the components that make that work (heating elements, high-pressure pump, air pump, etc.), nothing has changed, and nothing will change. It really all comes down to the delivery mechanisms.
What Are the Obstacles To Advancing Technology in Aircraft Anti-Icing & De-Icing?
The most obvious direction that de-icing will change course is using EVs for the power unit. However, this is an obstacle because EVs have a history of losing substantial range during winter operations, as the batteries are inherently less efficient. This is a major problem since they only operate in the worst conditions for an electric vehicle.
BLUF: Is It Worth Upgrading, or Should You Just Keep What You Have as Long as You Can?
A lot of this question depends entirely on a few questions:
- The scope of operation
- How severe your average winter operations are
- Existing infrastructure
- Workforce in the local area
If this is a small operation like an FBO or a military unit in a location that has small snowfall totals, it is probably best to hold onto older gear as long as it is serviceable.
If your operations are severe and you have a high operations tempo, then modernization makes a lot of sense. Snowy Owl makes an autonomous unit that only requires one person to operate the whole unit, which can really help with staffing shortages.
If your airport or military installation has already upgraded for EV buses and work vehicles, then EV de-icing trucks might be a great option. Otherwise, the cost to upgrade electrical infrastructure is definitely prohibitive.
Finally, what does the local workforce look like? Can you find talent to work? Traditional de-icing units require 2-3 personnel, minimum. If you can handle finding the talent and have serviceable trucks, upgrading might not make much sense. Individual de-icing trucks are very expensive, so holding onto units that are in good working condition is a prudent financial move. But updating your equipment makes sense if your operation gets a lot of traffic every month in terms of de-icing.
Conversely, if you are a small operation and are operating a de-icing truck that you found surplus, you might be surprised to find out that replacing it with a smaller, new unit saves money in the long run. Plus, the initial outlay of funds to buy a tow-behind unit is substantially less than a self-propelled unit.
So, it really all comes down to what your scope of operations is, what your existing infrastructure looks like, and what your budget can support. Remember that old, aging equipment can end up being very costly with breakages and expensive repairs, so older isn’t always cheaper.
How Greenwood Aerospace Can Help
Aircraft deicing is sometimes an afterthought, but the truth is it's one of the most critical ground support functions at an airport. Without adequate de-icing, winter flight operations will grind to a halt at many of North America’s busiest hubs.
Part of the process is to prevent icing and remove extraneous materials for the control surfaces on the aircraft. Removing snow is a big part of this so that the aircraft can fly clean with clean surfaces.
Keeping GSE up and running, or acquiring new GSE, is paramount to a smooth and efficient operation. Here at Greenwood Aerospace, we are industry experts in the procurement of GSE, including all kinds of deicing and anti-icing ground equipment. Let's talk if you are hitting dead ends trying to acquire deicing equipment. We’ll use our extensive contacts in the industry to break through and get you what you need.
At Greenwood Aerospace, we provide aerospace, military, and government procurement solutions on a domestic and global scale. We are dedicated to delivering the support you need, minimizing downtime, and providing enduring solutions for all your aerospace and facility-related necessities.
Contact Greenwood Aerospace today to discuss your aerospace and aviation needs. Or, request a quote here, and we’ll get back to you shortly.
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