Ride-along, Runway/Taxiway Snow Removal - Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) 12 March 2014

See aspects of the snow removal process at Toronto Pearson (YYZ) airport, including the various machines and techniques, plus views of parts of the airport that are normally seen when looking out the window of the plane. Vehicles that appear in the video include: Vammas 5500, Oshkosh Sweeper, Oshkosh Blower, Boshung Blower, Boshung Plow & Sweeper & more... There are a few planes that appear in the video, too, both big and small. De-icing fluid Ethylene glycol makes an appearance, too!

[@douglaskirk2543]

INTERESTING, I didn't know how that was done. Now I know. Thank you for this video. Look forward to more.

[@midnightrider7648]

I do this same thing for cle hopkins. We use a different make of vehicle, but basically the same setup. I heard this operator mention the same things we do; plow with the wind, be careful of spillover, don't drag it back over into cleared areas etc. Good job.

[@godbluffvdgg]

Thanks for the video...Cool to see the scope of it. It is a huge undertaking! :)..I'm 50 something and I live right down the street from PHL (philly airport) I also served 4 years in the USAF and NEVER saw the flightline plowed....I know guys that do it too...:)...I had to go to youtube to see it...

[@robban883]

those Vammas machines have travelled a little bit because they are buildt in Finland but they are good machines and are used in Finland too

[@MYOB1234]

Those Finns must know a thing or two about snow... enough for us Canadians to want their equipment. I have the impression that our Canadian snow industry has more focus on Winter recreational equipment. Thanks for watching!

[@tomasagren1]

Soon winter season is here in Stockholm, Sweden. Pretty much the same thinking, and we have zero tolerance of snow at Arlanda. One snow christal in the air and we are out with full machinery. Three runways and according taxi and aprons, occasionally plenty of snowfall, and never closed the airport due to snow.

[@smaze1782]

Very unique and cool video. Thanks for sharing.

[@thegreenskeep1]

i always wondered about this. Thanks for the video!

[@FaustFotographyLLC]

Great video. I wish i could get access to the MSP(Minneapolis/St Paul) runway clearing crew and do a ride along with them and see how they do it. But we haven't had much snow here in MN yet like you guys did in the video.

[@prokev941]

You probably won’t see this comment as you made your comment 6 years ago. I am part of MSP field maintenance and run the equipment that you would like to do a ride along with. We use Oshkosh equipment. Much better that what they use here. That’s why MSP is number 1 in the world for snow removal.

[@FaustFotographyLLC]

@@prokev941 ah nice nice. Ive always wanted to but im security is strict out there. Closest ive been to the runway/seeing the planes is at the MSP Aircraft Viewing Area to get photos.

[@sigururmagnusson7878]

Great job. I'm doing the same thing at Keflavik Airport Iceland.

[@sjmachrihanish]

Fascinating. Who designed those vehicles, Gerry Anderson?!! At LHR where I work the snow team consists of a part time retiree with a sack of grit and a snow shovel. At least that is what you could believe every time the place falls apart after just 1 inch of snow.

[@MortenOlesen]

Fabtastic video! Thanks for sharing!

[@massimobozzi1]

Nice video Mark!

[@littleblitz8239]

Some people get all the good jobs. Pretty cool. Now I know where I can run my Nova.

[@jaywattley335]

Airports have the best toys

[@ralan5527]

I am thankful that we fly out of San Diego.

[@ganesh9848]

great job mark...

[@soxredsox]

what about the lights on the runway? does the plow not do anything to them?

[@MYOB1234]

They lights along the centre are actually below grade, the plows slide over top of them

[@soxredsox]

+Mark Weusten ah i see thanks!

[@soxredsox]

+Mark Weusten i have a flight out of boston tomorrow at 1 pm and theres snow coming i hope they can clean it and get my flight going :(

[@phillipbonner5215]

The lights are recessed so the plow goes over them

[@Chann_Winson]

The light are sunk below ground level and heated. So any snow pushed into them will melt and and get drained.

[@ClutchTFS]

Pretty amazing! always looks so different in the winter, Pearson is my closest major airport, its very nice!

[@12RCARR]

That's pretty cool never seen them do that before

[@adamdecker4932]

How was the plow not breaking the light bulbs on the runway

[@sergiopalominosaltamirano7143]

Muy bueno el video Mark. Saludos

[@intuitiveobservations459]

how much snow must accumulate before you go to plow? How long does it take to go over everything? I can imagine during snowfall, the snow would accumulate faster than you can remove it. In which case, the runways would have to be closed?

[@tikitime4349]

How long does it typically take to clean off a runway ? Hope you have good heaters in those machines!

[@rbrtlws46]

good job AY

[@pizzasubs]

Know that this all depends on actually hard hard it is snowing at the time, but I bet it can be a bummer sometime where you guys make a full pass then like 5 or som minutes later, the snow coming down has covered the runways/taxiways so quickly that it makes it look like you really never made a pass, what do you guys do fo this, do you just go back and forth, over and over til it either the snow eases up enough or it just stops snowing completly????

[@PrograError]

it still need operating... dude...

[@paultrigger3798]

Quite the operation.

[@marcosolive]

deve ser complicado morar em um lugar desses!

[@golee150]

Largest de icing facility in the world

[@Eggsr2bcrushed]

How does one become an "Airfield Inspector"? Seems like all they do is drive around doing nothing. Well guys, in my 50 years experience, there is no more snow on that runway...

[@ThomsonAirwaysFs]

The Airfield Inspector is actually a really responsible job. It's those guys who deem the taxiways and runway safe and open and pass on contamination reports to ATC and the pilots. At my airport it's the airfield inspectors who also coordinate all of the snow clearing teams. It may seem as if they are just driving around however there's way more to it!

[@xavierturner2541]

The possibility of loose h20 over froven h20. Remember

[@xavierturner2541]

Temperature check not fully heated shovels slivers increased pace quicker clean up and safer road ways easily if proven in real time tires ice draw backs salt slow downs and

[@raincoast2396]

That's why all airports are heavily polluted.

[@gerardboiston110]

Francais

[@exothermal.sprocket]

Camera man is making me nauseous.

[@JRAT777]

Stop zooming in! WTF

[@MrMauidiver]

At the intro sounds like a plea for global warming.

[@gherasimtibi]

i fuckin hate snow

[@boothillcemetery1874]

Sad sad sad, no wonder youre diverted traffic lands at our airport

[@kiinanilmio]

Same operations here in Finland, where the Vammas plow-sweepers are from. Search Helsinki snowhow.

[@FranksDIY]

I've flown out of pearson a lot of times in the winter and always wondered how they did it , Thank you for showing this . Quite interesting

[@znarcuss]

in montreal dorval pierre eliot trudau airport they are quick for clearing the snow and the runway !! it is awesome that someone is showing how it is done at the airport

[@minivanventuring]

Isnt this cool? Cant wait to see it here at the airport

[@phillipbonner5215]

What is that green deicing solution and where does it go when the snow melts??

[@MYOB1234]

He is the answer from www.torontopearson.com "What are you spraying on the planes when you deice them? We use two different kinds of glycol-based fluid in our deicing process-Type 1 and Type 4. The active ingredient-glycol-is critical, because when heated it holds onto that warmth, protecting the surface of the aircraft and melting away ice or snow. Type 1 fluid is a heated mixture of glycol and water. It’s easily identified by its orange colour. The heated mixture breaks the bond between frost, ice or snow and the wings of your aircraft, and the force that it is sprayed with knocks it off the plane. Type 4 anti-icing fluid is applied to stop new ice or snow from sticking to your wings, especially if it is currently snowing. This fluid is bright green and isn’t heated before being applied. Where does the used deicing fluid go after its sprayed on the plane? Each deicing pad is sloped from north to south, which allows the spent glycol spray to run directly into special drains which connect to any one of the CDF’s massive underground storage tanks. The tanks have a combined volume of 15 million litres. The contents of these tanks are measured, tested and recycled for use in other markets, all to keep any glycol run-off from impacting the natural environment."

[@robbwood7974]

Great video Mark, thanks letting me ride along!

[@MrZwapp]

Who is the employer for the runway clearing ? I'd like to apply for a job.

[@samgarofalo2461]

A few Million in equipment Much needed to get the job done PRONTO !!

[@AdrianJNyaoi]

Had landed and rake off from Pearson but never during winter. It just look different

[@passemouelapoc612]

Belle job les gars, vous êtes les meilleurs...

[@briankaut6075]

Have you ever taken out a taxiway sign?

[@nickdawn3985]

Interesting video, thank you for sharing.

[@benjaminmellingen5340]

Canada sure know how to plow

[@DZEyoyo123]

I used to remove snow off runways and taxiways at Miami International Airport.

[@Country_Boy08_31YeeYee]

DZEyoyo123 thought Florida doesnt get snow

[@BTB1337]

Houston got snow this year before New York and Boston @Jasonsenipor

[@carverdidit]

are you joking

[@markstengel7680]

Enjoyed🎅🎄👍

[@DannyPorsche]

What is this thing “snow”? I’m in Redondo Beach, California

[@erichodges861]

Nice work but lot of work cleaning and clear up

[@cjsull1]

sweet video, thanks for sharing. GO BRUINS !! :)

[@maxbify]

feel like it would be cheaper to just put heaters in the runway

[@zakotaa]

wow, these Vammas are badass. I wish they have it for regular Toronto roads as well

[@isamedina9803]

iausra2816 nancy bella ivan rvbuofnm jmo mkp

[@BillRittenhouse]

Wow this is so cool

[@johnmudra3779]

Amazing

[@mikejd35d23]

As someone who installs heated driveway systems you can't tell me that a heated runway system is more expensive than this whole operation. No more trucks, no more shutting down runways, no personnel in danger. Do you know what your snow budget is for the season?

[@alechudak2506]

Mike L A heat drive way is way to bad, cause once it's on it has to stay on. because concrete heats up the cools it expands and it can start to break like in fall with frosts. and a after a while ice weeding can cause huge cracks. and if it's like 10 or near 0 the melted water will just freeze up so there would be more ice.

[@stevec28363]

Think of the cost if an entire airfield was installed with a heated system. What would happened if it failed? Maybe a very small airport would be ok to do that but I can’t see any major airport installing any type of heated system. Just too much concrete to maintain. Jobs like these are so important in any big city. Let’s not take them away.

[@mutualdecline2174]

Mike You didn't take into account a bunch of things such as, The amount of time it'll take to install such equipment on runways as long as 9,000 feet in length & 150-200 feet wide. You're crazy if you don't think such project wouldn't be expensive. First, the city would have to demolish & rip up the runway to install wiring. Think of the years it would take to complete such project, local utilities rates could soar, the manpower it would take, the heavy equipment, daily maintenance & qualified personnel on standby, the shutdown of runways which would serve as a net lost in profit to the municipal & airlines. Not to mention more congestion. The wiring would have to be deep enough where a line wouldn't become inoperable due to the weight of departing & arriving aircraft & constant jet blast, all the while still working effectively even though it's buried deep and/or under heavy concrete.

[@mdaxe]

Technological advancements are a good thing, but things like Airports have to be able to function 100% manually. Risks of project like that would be too high.

[@thenerdnetwork]

Keep in mind that a runway is up to 4 FEET thick concrete depending on the aircraft that can land there... not some dinky 4 inch pour.

[@bobbypaluga4346]

You know I think it may be worth it to suffer through the horrible summers in Phoenix as a trade off so I never have to deal with snow, ice, slush climatologists predict that by 2030 the Winter Olympics will be down to two locations with enough snow. Calgary and Salt Lake City

[@FlyingSeaMan256]

Your camerawork gave me motion sickness

[@prokev941]

The only decent piece of equipment there was an Oshkosh blower. Hopefully you all upgraded to Oshkosh MFE.

[@swamprat69er]

Awesome operation.