Airport Heating Solutions – The Scandinavian Way
Helsinki Airport has the right idea; Finland’s main international gateway uses sub-surface heating to clear dangerous ice and snow from aeroplane parking bays.
Automated heating allows vehicles to safely access the parking stand at the front of the plane in freezing conditions.
The image above shows the ‘push-back area’ for the plane has been heated. This part of the airport is difficult to access by snow plough; it runs under the plane’s nose and requires an agile solution to clear dangerous ice and snow.
A sub-surface heating system is melting the surface frost and snow, allowing ground staff and their vehicles to move the plane into position.
Heat Mat has a number of products for this type of application… including hot asphalt cables and driveway heating cables. Both of these specialist cables are suitable for heating a small, distinct area for a specific purpose by the terminal building or many other parts of an airport in winter.
Our top five automated airport heating solutions to assist ground crew, improve safety and keep flights on schedule:
- Heating the push back area for planes to allow the vehicles to easily reverse the planes out
- Heating walkway areas and steps where passengers need access
- Heating beneath safety markings on the runway, taxiway and at other points so that the markings remain visible (even after being snow ploughed, the road markings are not always obvious)
- Some airports use recessed lighting that is flush with the roadway. If these get covered with snow they cannot be seen, so we can supply heating to go around these lights to ensure that they are always visible whatever the conditions.
- In driving snow the signs indicating which routes to take can easily become encased in snow. Heating these signs can ensure that they are never obscured by snow or ice.