When it snows in Wyoming there is one place that is sure to get a lot of attention from those plows.

THE AIRPORT!

Your little county airstrip will be scraped clear for sure.

But in this case, I'm talking about the bigger airports like Cheyenne, Casper, and other locations where regional flights and emergency services are vital.

The Casper/Natrona County Regional Airport just posted an interesting look at how they do it.

Trust me, I've landed my little Cessna 172 there right after a big snowstorm. They keep those runways and taxiways cleaner than those rounds around town.

We’re not scared of winter at the Casper/Natrona County International Airport because efficient and effective snow removal procedures are in place to keep flights coming and going as usual.

At C/NCIA, our maintenance crew is responsible for clearing the snow on our 10,165-foot-long and 150-foot-wide primary runway, 8,600-foot-long and 150-foot-wide crosswind runway, taxiways, aircraft parking ramps, vehicle parking lots, and vehicle roadways.

Here’s how they do it in the heart of Wyoming.

It's not just regional flights that need those taxiways and runways cleared. Emergency responders and FedEx runs out of the area, as well as private planes of all shapes and sizes stopping on their way cross country for fuel.

It's not just about removing snow. Pavement can be slippery and the crew needs to test for it.

 

The Operations Department uses an instrument that attaches to the back of a vehicle and measures friction on the runway surface to help determine how effective aircraft brakes will be upon landing.

Hundreds of measurements are taken each runway pass, and the numerical friction reading is then entered into a database and provided to pilots so they are aware of current runway conditions.

In turn, this assists the Maintenance Department in determining what equipment they will need to clear the airfield surfaces.

They can't just drop salt or dirt to de-ice the runways and taxiways. That would create a problem.

Since aircraft are aluminum, salt cannot be used on runways, taxiways, or where aircraft park since salt is corrosive to aluminum.

Although sand could be used to increase friction, sand can get ingested into an aircraft engine and/or create pits in a propeller.

As a solution, the Airport uses a chemical called potassium acetate (liquid or pellet) for de-icing.

Potassium acetate is expensive, however, so it is something we don’t want to apply to the runway when we don’t need to.

Our team does an excellent job assessing conditions and making decisions for when to apply chemicals to the airfield.

You can read the airport's entire breakdown of this important operation at this link.

Wyoming's Best Pilots Astound At The Glendo Fly-In 2021

Gallery Credit: Glenn Woods

Wyoming Pilots Give Kids A Free Ride

Gallery Credit: Glenn Woods

More From Wake Up Wyoming