AccuWeather's Ali Reid shares how the Philadelphia International Airport handles winter weather to ensure safe and timely departures.
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00:00Whether it's a light dusting or full-on blizzard here in Philadelphia, crews are ready to battle the elements.
00:05We know that ice, snow and slush can impact travel times, but the key to keeping things moving is the de-icing process.
00:13We have an important task, a role that we play in ensuring that the aircrafts take flight safely.
00:20Work at Philadelphia International Airport begins even before the first snowflake of the season falls.
00:25Crews train staff and pre-treat surfaces to minimize ice buildup.
00:29But when planes need to take off in winter conditions, de-icing becomes the top priority.
00:35All our de-icers are trained per the aircraft requirements.
00:38They are trained to make sure that when they are de-icing these aircrafts,
00:42no aircraft leave our facility with contamination still adhering to it.
00:46Crews must ensure that no ice or snow remains on an aircraft, as even a thin layer can impact lift and compromise safety.
00:54Specialized de-icing trucks equipped with high-powered nozzles spray a heated fluid mixture onto the plane's surface,
01:01melting away any frozen contaminants on contact.
01:04The process is meticulous.
01:06We will de-ice the aircraft using Type 1 fluid.
01:10That will wash all the contamination off, snow, ice, freezing rain and stuff to that nature off the aircraft.
01:18And then we'll come right behind it with a protective coat, a Type 4,
01:22which will allow the aircraft a certain amount of time on the ground before they take flight.
01:27Depending on the severity of the weather, it takes an average of 6 to 12 minutes to de-ice a plane.
01:32With thousands of flights coming in and out of Philadelphia each winter,
01:36de-icing plays a crucial role in keeping passengers' safe and travel schedules on track.
01:41And in order for that to happen, they're tracking forecasts around the clock.
01:45We usually watch it a few days in advance and make sure we're seeing what everybody else is seeing,
01:51and then we'll start preparing as such then.
01:54It takes nearly 100 crew members, manpower personnel, to really pull this off,
01:58sometimes daily depending on the weather.
02:00And with over 40 million square feet of runways and taxiways to manage,
02:04plus nearly 12 million square feet of roadways and parking lots,
02:08keeping everything operational is no small task.
02:12But the crews here make sure every takeoff is as safe as possible,
02:16no matter what Mother Nature brings.
02:18For AccuWeather, I'm Allie Reid.