On board the aircraft from a specialized machine. Ground equipment in airport service
As we already wrote, on April 12, 13 and 14, another spotting was carried out at Domodedovo airport. We bring to your attention a short photo report, not about airplanes, although they, of course, will be in the frame, but about ground workers - the equipment that makes it possible for airplanes and you and me to fly safely.
Welcome to Domodedovo Airport!
Passengers get to the plane either through a boarding bridge or by riding an airport bus. You won’t find such buses in cities; they operate at airports.
The buses have a very low seating position and are very roomy. There are not many seats in them, since the journey is very short - from the airport to the plane. There are flashing lights on the roofs, like most special vehicles.
Buses take passengers directly to the plane. In order to board the plane or go down from there to the bus, a ladder is used.
A ladder is also a machine. Ladder on wheels.
But, of course, it’s not just buses and ramps that approach the planes. The plane needs to be filled with fuel, water, and oxygen.
Passengers' luggage must be brought and loaded to the plane.
The small tractor-trailer looks unusual, but there is something attractive and memorable about it.
Of course, it is more convenient to transport luggage in containers. This speeds up the loading and unloading process and ensures better luggage safety. Most often they do this.
Baggage is lifted into the cargo compartment using conveyors.
Sometimes cargo is lifted on board small aircraft using a lift, which is a cabin that can rise up several meters: 
If the plane is loaded and all passengers are seated, then anti-icing preparations need to be carried out. There are special machines for this.
The plane is ready to fly. Now you can go to the runway. Sometimes the help of a tractor is required, especially if the aircraft needs to be reversed a little.
The tractors are squat and very powerful.
Such a tractor can tow huge aircraft. I would like to compare tractors with hard-working ants, who drag a load several dozen times heavier than themselves.
The cargo modification of the “humpbacked” Boeing 747-400F weighs 180 tons, the maximum take-off weight is almost 400 tons.
The runways and the entire airfield are regularly cleaned and washed. In any weather and at any time of the year, the coating must be kept in perfect condition.
From the side, each of these cars looks like this:
The plane is escorted to the runway and from the runway to the passenger disembarkation area by small, nimble cars. An example can be seen at the beginning of the report.
At first glance, these are ordinary cars. But look closely, they don’t have the usual license plates. That's right, these cars don't leave the airport.
When the escort vehicles are not occupied, they return to the parking lot, but are ready to leave at any time.
That's it, the plane can take off and fly along its route.
And nearby, there is a car on standby number one, ready to take off in response to an emergency call. This is a fire truck, but not the kind they drive in the city.
The main difference is the very powerful water cannons, from which water flies out in a targeted jet over several tens of meters. 
Of course, not all types of transport serving the airport are presented in the report. But it’s time for us to go home, so we say goodbye to the airport and go to the parking lot. From there we will be taken by the usual minibuses.
See you soon, Domodedovo!
Aviation today is the fastest and in many ways the most convenient form of transport for traveling over long distances.
And it’s no secret that a fairly large amount of forces and resources are used to ensure the flight of each aircraft.
Airports are an important part of air transportation - from the smallest to huge international hubs.
And in each of them, life is like an anthill. It’s just that the anthills are also different in size and the number of worker ants in them.
Such working ants at each airport are a huge fleet of equipment - plane buses, tractors, ramps, deicers, snow blowers, fuel tankers, fire engines, etc. All of them scurry around the clock on runways and in hangars to ensure the speed of aircraft service and ensure safe flight for passengers.
My story will be about some of the working ants who are on duty at the airport today.
2. Standing in the terminal of almost any airport waiting to board our flight, we often observe the operation of certain machines on the runways or taxi pads. Most often this is the movement of various passenger vehicles of technical services, as well as clearing the strip from snow or ice.
Any weather precipitation for an airport is a potentially dangerous factor that must be eliminated as quickly and effectively as possible.
That is why during a snowfall, as well as after it, snow removal equipment on the runway works almost non-stop.
Whatever the weather, the asphalt surface must be clean and provide sufficient traction during takeoff, landing and taxiing of the airliner.
3. To remove large amounts of snow during heavy snowfalls, an auger machine is used. Its device allows, without damaging the concrete surface, to quickly and effectively remove large masses of snow in a short period of time. Special support wheels and a lower ski position the auger rotor as close to the ground as possible. 
4. Snow is ejected from the side snail at a distance of about 50 meters. In this way, the snow is quickly removed from the strip, and then graders (as in photo No. 2) sweep away the snow, and trucks take it out. 
5. Another extremely important worker ant in winter is the deicer - an anti-icing machine that applies a special alcohol-based anti-icing liquid to the aircraft fuselage. Anti-icing treatment is needed to prevent the flaps and other moving elements of the fuselage from freezing during takeoff, landing and flight. The process is carried out in a semi-automatic mode - near the fire protection nozzles there are ultrasonic radars that control the distance to the fuselage and at a critical moment stop the rod with the nozzle. First, remove any remaining ice, and then apply anti-icing fluid. 
6. The deicer, despite its apparent “ordinariness,” is actually a computer monster—five different embedded computer systems are responsible for its operation.
To treat one Boeing 737-500 type airliner, 400 to 700 liters of anti-icing fluid are typically required.
The cost of one such machine, according to a representative of the technical service of the Surgut International Airport, is about 20 million rubles (approximately 650 thousand dollars) 
7. The runway must be kept in perfect condition not only in winter, but also at any other time of the year. For these purposes, there is a machine that combines the functions of a washer, floor polisher and sweeper 
8. Today, not a single international airport can do without an airfield tractor. This short, but powerful and angry gnome is capable of towing aircraft weighing 60 tons or more. 
9. White plates on the stern of the towing vehicle are weights. 
10. Firefighting equipment at the airport is always on alert, because in the event of a fire, seconds count. 
11. Please note that in the cabin of the fire truck there are people ready for immediate response. All cars are necessarily equipped with powerful water cannons 
12. Fuel is filled into the aircraft by special vehicles - fuel tankers. It is known that during flight the aircraft consumes a fairly large amount of fuel - from 700-800 liters per hour for small models to several thousand liters per hour for large airliners. In addition, there must be a sufficiently large supply of fuel on board the aircraft in case of various unforeseen situations - a flight to another airport in the event of the destination airport refusing to accept the board for various force majeure reasons (weather conditions, accidents, etc.), additional stay in the air awaiting a command to landing, etc.
Modern tankers have a fuel tank capacity of 10 thousand liters or more and provide an accurate dosage of the fuel being poured. 
13. The filling of fuel tankers takes place at a special fuel warehouse, where the quality of the fuel is monitored, as well as the introduction of special additives into it depending on various current needs. 
14. To transport passengers from the terminal to the aircraft (if it is impossible to deliver the aircraft to the jet bridge), special buses are used, called platform buses.
As a rule, these are low-floor buses with high capacity - more than 100 people 
15. Various types of self-propelled ladders are used to deliver passengers directly to the aircraft cabin. One of the world's largest manufacturers of drains is the French company Sovam. Self-propelled ladders are equipped with Perkins, Deutz or VW engines. The minimum docking height is 2.2 m (Boeing 737), the maximum is 5.8 m (Airbus A340). The gangway can support up to 102 people. 
16. But modern airports are gradually switching to using special boarding bridges as much as possible, allowing passengers to immediately get from the terminal to board the aircraft bypassing the street 
17. Convenience and safety on your face
18. Another interesting ant is a car that provides the aircraft with drinking water, as well as its drainage after the flight.
There are two containers in the car - one with fresh water, the second for stale water. When the plane arrives, the drinking water on board is already considered stale and must be drained. Even if the plane is scheduled to take off in a short time on a return or another flight, the water on it is still replaced with fresh water 
19. Having completed the inspection of the technical park of the Surgut airport, we again returned to the runway, where snow removal equipment continued to work, removing slowly falling snow from the surface... 
20. But no matter how powerful a technical park modern airports are equipped with, the main functions are still performed by ordinary people - managing this equipment, logistics, communications, dispatching, etc... 
What are twin-engine piston airplanes used for? The opinion that is close to the truth is that the task of the second engine is to increase the useful take-off weight, take on a larger fuel supply, and also balance the torque from the first engine. What is the difference between single-engine and dual-engine? Which twins are better and what is on the market in Russia?
Recently, interest in twin-engine aircraft in small aviation has been heating up, everyone is waiting for a full-fledged replacement for the “Cheburashkas” and “Kukuruzniki” to come with the help of our Russian left-handers. On the other hand, world-recognized models of aviation technology are flown to our market from abroad. What to choose and for what purposes? The purposes can be mainly three: for education, for recreation and entertainment and for commercial transport.
Are two engines better than one? What is the difference?
Flight safety issue
The issue of safety in aviation comes first. Statistics say that compared to single-engine aircraft, twin-engine aircraft have more breakdowns per aircraft, but in terms of the number of flight hours, they occur a little less frequently. As a rule, twin-engine aircraft are more likely to have landing gear problems, while single-engine aircraft are more likely to have engine problems. Twin-engine planes look more profitable for suspicious passengers who know that if one engine fails, the plane will continue to fly on the second engine.
The safety requirements for singles and twins are not fundamentally different: the crew in the air must work harmoniously, as one team, and strictly follow work instructions. Particular attention should be paid to preventive maintenance and repair: inspection of used engine oil during replacement will help maintain the strength of the engine frame and the specified parameters of its operation. Careful inspection of the landing gear mechanism ensures a long life for the landing gear. Well, “the basis of flying is sleep and nutrition.”
Machine reliability
In theory, a complex machine like a Piper Seneca should have many more problems than a simpler aircraft like a Cessna 182. Twins have so many complex systems that need to be checked. Sometimes at the annual inspection in the states, pilots are amazed at how complex their machines are.
Author of the article “Do you really want a Gemini?” Mike Butch, owner of a Cessna 310, speaks very positively of his swallow: “Everything works like a clock almost all the time, and there are almost no unscheduled technical repairs.
The author attributes the secret of reliability to an uncompromising attention to prevention: constantly monitoring the first signs of corrosion, wear and leakage of fuel, oil or exhaust gases, changes in instrument readings, or anything that looks out of the ordinary.
When purchasing an aircraft, you must immediately determine the purpose of use - whether the aircraft will be primarily used for personal flights and training, or whether it is purchased for use for business purposes. Based on this, a calculation of operating costs and a business plan are derived. If the aircraft is purchased only for oneself, the costs are significant. So what are they made of?
First of all, these are direct operating costs. These include the cost of fuel, oil and maintenance (50 hour and 100 hour). The cost of maintenance does not depend on the number of motors, but depends on the manufacturer and brand. It can range from 250 to 350 euros per hour. When choosing and purchasing an aircraft, you must also take into account the fact that the nearest maintenance point for a particular model may be in Europe.
Obviously, a twin-engine aircraft uses twice as much fuel as a single-engine aircraft. The cost of aviation gasoline in the best case (for pick-up) is 112,000 per ton. The consumption, for example, of the Cessna T310 is 110-115 liters per hour. For a single-engine engine it will be two times lower.
All other fixed costs are approximately comparable. But the cost of insurance will depend on the cost of the aircraft itself, and twin-engine aircraft are usually more expensive. Let's not forget taxes. For twin-engine aircraft, if they are registered in Russia, taxes are higher. Of course, an aircraft can be registered under the flag of any offshore zone, but is it worth it? It is much more difficult to obtain permission to fly. Variable costs will only change if they are related to engine repairs or maintenance. For two motors it will cost twice as much as for one.
Pilot training will also be a little more expensive. Insurance companies require twin-engine aircraft to be driven by more experienced pilots.
But, for commercial use, in any case, it is better to purchase a twin-engine aircraft. It will be much more often in demand by passengers due to passengers' confidence in its greater reliability. And, therefore, the payback point will be reached much earlier.
So, the table below shows the approximate cost (operating costs):
TOP 10 light twin-engine aircraft
1. Piper Seneca V PA34
The best twins are recognized masterpieces of the global aviation industry. Seneca is a standard of quality and appearance. The aircraft is a model of time-honored reliability and the dream of many aviators around the world.
Now to the point, if we talk about consumer properties, then: it pulls weakly on one engine, the front pillar is partial to airfields with unpaved surfaces. In addition, when fully fueled (1530 km), the payload is only 120 kg (2 pilots and 4 passengers), so you have to choose between load and flight range. As for speed qualities, the cruising speed is 348 km/h, which is quite suitable for commercial transportation.
2. Be-76 Duchess “Flight Jeans” - all of America grew up wearing them
The popularity of this model is mainly due to its prevalence in American flight schools. A training aircraft must bring income to its owner, be relatively cheap and have controls that are sufficiently resistant to the fussy actions of cadets. The aircraft was originally planned as a training desk and could not compete with other monsters on the market due to the lack of attributes such as speed and grace. Cost and adaptability to training are the main advantages of this machine.
3. Beechcraft G58 Baron “Airplane – picture”
Not everyone knows, but the situation is close to the truth: the American market for twin-engine light aircraft is practically divided in half. The two main aircraft on the market are the Seneca and the Baron. Seneca is more reliable than Baron, but in appearance many prefer the Baron: “the airplane from the picture.” But everyone has their own tastes and there is no arguing about it.
The aircraft is 4-seater, has a rather narrow cabin, but at the same time a magnificent luxury interior. The most powerful engines in the class (300 horses) provide high cruising speed. With two passengers there is enough fuel for 1600 - 1800 km, with four – up to 1100 km.
4. Cessna T310R “Best choice for the middle class”
Regular editor of the site avweb.com Mike Butch, in an article devoted to the operation of twins, describes his experience in operating this twin-engine aircraft: it works like a clock, just don’t forget about maintenance. Cessna lives up to its name as always: the best aircraft for the middle class. Many accomplished experienced pilots believe that this aircraft ranks first among aircraft of its class in terms of reliability. Cessna always strives not to leave its customers indifferent. Max. take-off weight 2494 kg, 725 kg.
5. Trotter
A new generation of Russian regional small aircraft. New trends, old aviation design school. The aircraft is designed to transport 10 people over a distance of up to 2000 km with a cruising speed of 250 – 400 km/h. A long-awaited project - the niche of local air transportation is empty, but there is a need for passenger and cargo transportation over short distances. In addition, this model can be used as a training desk in flight centers.
6. L-410 “Cheburashka”
An old friend is better than two new ones - this proverb, by the way, is perfectly suitable for a short description of “Cheburashka”. A reliable car, but not forgiving of piloting mistakes. It is especially worth noting the need to carry out all routine maintenance on time. The new modification of the L-410 UVP-E20 has more sensitive controls and those who are accustomed to the Soviet aviation industry should think several times before deciding to take the helm
7. Morava L-200D “Underrated”
An interesting aircraft, produced in the 60-70s. Cruising speed is at a decent level (270-290 km/h). The aircraft is interesting because it is still used as a pleasure aircraft in Europe. Very reliable and unpretentious: you can refuel almost any car gasoline, land and take off from unpaved areas, perform some aerobatic maneuvers, all-weather, it is possible to perform a turn of up to 15° if one engine fails. The distinctive feature of this machine is that it is practically safe to fly if you have the necessary skills; the machine forgives many of the pilot’s shortcomings.
8. Amphibious aircraft “Flying boat” L-42
A Russian four-seater amphibious aircraft, a good option for flying to a neighboring region for fishing, as well as swimming and relaxing with friends. If your dream goes further and you want to become a commercial pilot, then getting a pilot's license is a good option.
As for other consumer qualities, it has a cruising speed of 230 km/h, a payload of up to 200 kg, good stability in flight, and overall a reliable car.
9. EV-55 Outback
Another masterpiece of Czech design thought: the machine is designed for operation on short, unpaved runways and mountain airfields (landing distance). EV-55 Outback is a cargo and passenger aircraft for operation on local routes with a flight range of 2200 km, designed in accordance with the requirements of the Federal Aviation Regulation (FAR) with a number of passengers of 9 - 14 people (plus a crew of 2 people).
An excellent car to replace outdated models in its market segment; it is much better to obtain a commercial pilot's license on a new aircraft than on an old one.
10. Tecnam P2006T
A high-quality aircraft, oriented to modern market conditions in Russia, the ability to use 95 gasoline and a beautiful appearance. The car is quite demanding to drive and requires proper treatment. In order to master this type and protect yourself in flight, follow the flight instructions, fly without courage, and love flying. Those who want to take a ride are attracted by the operating costs; they are comparable to flying on a simulator.
Airport structure: all equipment
28/02/2015
When a passenger arrives at the airport, he usually sees check-in counters, a waiting room and a Duty-Free store. Everyone, of course, realizes that this is a very complex organism from an engineering and technical point of view, but they rarely pay attention to the various ingenious machines. And some of them simply remain invisible to the average passenger. And there are very, very many of them, and today we will show you them using the example of the airport (Kaliningrad).
All photos can be clicked to enlarge. Under each photo there is a description. Well, let's fly!
In front of us is an airport tractor with a carrier attached to it. Not a carrier, but a carrier: this is the name given to an object that looks like a long yellow pipe. A tractor is needed to tow aircraft, and most often the aircraft is not pulled, but pushed: after all, it can move forward under its own power due to the thrust of the engines, but not backwards. Reverse mode is used for braking after landing.
Apron buses are used to transport passengers to aircraft located in so-called “far parking areas”. And back. No matter how many jet bridges there are, there are usually more aircraft at the airport at the same time. And many types of aircraft cannot be serviced at the airstairs at all - for example, small aircraft with an airstairs built directly into the door.
However, the telescopic ladder itself is adjustable within a wide range both in height and reach, and also moves left and right along the apron. Freedom in three dimensions allows you to service most types of aircraft, while the soft “accordion” (corrugation) at the very end fits tightly to the fuselage to protect passengers from wind, rain and cold.
Driving a ladder is no more difficult than driving a tractor (and it is registered with the traffic police as a tractor). There is even a “downshift” that is used when docking with an airplane to carefully approach it close to touching down.
These van trucks also drive up to the plane before touching down. They are used to load in-flight catering carts and unload them back. The truck drives up to the plane, the body rises to the required height, and the carts roll across the “bridge.”
The trolley is used to transport luggage. Now we see how sandbags are loaded into the bomb bay: they are dropped as they gain altitude to reduce the weight of the aircraft. (In fact, this, of course, is simply cargo accepted for transportation in addition to passengers’ luggage. Yes, yes, cargo flies not only on cargo planes).
A tanker can be seen behind the plane.
A tractor at the airport is provided in case of cancellation of international flights 😉
And the rest of the time he just transports carts and other equipment.
Mirrored disco balls are hung throughout the airfield as bait for DJs. In this case, world stars of the dance scene are more willing to fly on tour. Some even have the rider indicating the required number of disco balls at the arrival airport.
It also turned out that the disco ball is also a good fumigator for scaring away birds. To enhance the effect, dubstep plays from loudspeakers located near the runway. It is believed that it imitates the calls of birds of prey, gunshots, etc. That's why scarecrows are not installed at airports. There are also no rattles to repel moles. Therefore, the entire space between the taxiways is dotted with cozy holes ^_^
Ilya Shatilin
It may seem to a passenger that operating an airport is not a tricky business. I docked the board to the “gut” of the terminal, disembarked (or landed) people, and x-rayed the suitcase.
In fact, to quickly service aircraft, maintain the runway and ensure safety, a whole fleet of various equipment is required. Most of the cars you only see on the airfield - they are made specifically for airports. Over all the years of operation, this special transport may never go into the city.
At the same time, near the terminal - only from the side of the runway - the traffic is the same as during rush hour in the city. Everyone is going somewhere, carrying something, pushing or pulling. There are no traffic lights, but the drivers manage not to collide - they say that only very experienced drivers are hired here.
On the occasion of Air Fleet Day, Domodedovo agreed to show their unusual machines in action.
ICE FIGHTERS
Ice is not just a problem for pedestrians and motorists. Crust on the wings and fuselage of an airplane is more dangerous than ice on a car. For those who fly in winter, the sight of a fancy machine treating the wings of an airliner with a special liquid has become familiar.
This technique is correctly called "deacer"(from English de-icer). A mobile crane is attached to the reagent truck. The operator in the cab can climb to the height of a 5-story building. From above he processes the liner.
First, a specialist washes off the ice with hot water and a special liquid under pressure. Then the aircraft body is sprayed with another agent that creates a protective layer. The technician's task is to prevent the plane from becoming icy until takeoff.
One processing of the board takes about 200 liters of liquid. The composition is not cheap - it costs as much as good vodka.
In snowfall you have to work quickly. To make life easier for the operator, he can steer the truck on the ground directly from his cab above. This is the remote control.
FOLLOW ME
Deicer technique. For those who fly in winter, the sight of a fancy machine treating the wings of an airliner with a special liquid has become familiar.
Every airport has a park aircraft escort vehicles. For professionals - Follow Me Car. They are usually painted in bright colors to make it easier for pilots to spot them from afar. An LED display is mounted on the roof of such cars. A hint is illuminated on it for the pilot to follow the vehicle.
If you look at the airfield from above, it looks like an interlacing of paths leading in different directions. A pilot who lands at an airport for the first time may simply get lost. This is why they call escort cars.
They are also used when visibility is less than 400 meters, often at night, when the visibility of markings is poor.
The driver of the special vehicle has two radios. According to one, he communicates with the pilots, and according to the other, with the airport dispatcher. The escort transport travels several hundred kilometers per day.
LADDER ON WHEELS
Blowing machine. The equipment travels along the runway and blows away any debris with a powerful air stream.
Self-propelled ladder moves almost silently. In order to protect the environment, they now use electric motors.
The car is controlled by a small steering wheel mounted at the top, right on the passenger platform. This makes it easier for the driver to navigate and drive exactly to the door.
The staircase is designed for different aircraft - it rises to a height of 2.2 to 5.9 meters. To speed up boarding and disembarking, the ramp can support up to 70 people (or 6 tons) at a time. In fact, half the passengers on an airplane can stand on the steps and the equipment will hold up.
PERON BUS
Passenger transport at the airport bears little resemblance to that on city streets. Its task is to transport people over short distances and ensure quick boarding and disembarkation of passengers. Therefore, buses have large wide doors on both sides, low floors and non-standard widths.
Perched bus surrounded on all sides by cameras - so the driver can see that he has not forgotten anyone. The doors can be opened independently from the outside; there are touch buttons near the entrance. The system will not allow you to close the door while something is blocking the door. It also blocks the movement of the bus if at least one door is open or not completely closed.
Bus width: 3 meters, length: 14. This is about one and a half times more than conventional passenger transport. The floor is also close to the ground - the vehicle does not need a high suspension, since there are guaranteed to be no holes or uneven spots on the airfield.
TRACTORS
A real heavyweight works at Domodedovo - tractor can tow aircraft weighing up to 600 tons. The airport bought this “monster” specifically to move the world’s largest airliner, the A380.
A distinctive feature of all tractors is their low height. This was done specifically so that they could safely pass under the wings of airliners.
The cars themselves weigh quite a bit. The weight of the airfield tractor is 55 tons. But when towing large airliners, it is additionally weighed down with special loads of up to 70 tons. The engine power of this strongman is 408 horsepower.
To make the driver's work easier, the cabin is equipped with air conditioning and parking sensors with a rear view camera. To improve visibility, the tractor cab can be raised or lowered. There is a sensor on the roof that will prevent the raised cabin from hitting the plane.
CATERING AUTOLIFT
Airfield tractor. A real heavyweight works at Domodedovo - the tractor can tow an aircraft weighing up to 600 tons
It is clear that food and other things are not brought onto the plane via stairs. Special lifts are made for this.
By using autolifts food and various consumables (paper, napkins, air fresheners) are brought on board. The container with things can rise to a height of 3 to 8.4 meters.
With the help of such equipment, supplies are unloaded directly onto the second deck of the Airbus A380 airliner.
SUITCASE CARRIERS
Passengers' belongings checked in as luggage reach the plane using two cars. First - luggage delivery tractor. He transports suitcases from the terminal on small trailers connected to a road train. The machine can move up to 25 tons of cargo at a time.
Further - already into the cargo compartment of the liner - things rise along self-propelled belt conveyor. This is a long moving track on wheels that carries suitcases to the movers. The tape holds a ton of personal items.
While the equipment is handling passengers' bags, they remain safe. But it still cannot be done without manual labor. There are people taking suitcases in the cargo hold of the plane. It is at this stage that the handles usually come off and the zippers break.
The loader can carefully place the suitcase, or he can throw it further away so that it hits the wall. Here, the airline, not the airport, is responsible for the people's work.
AERODROME UTILITIES
In any weather - be it a snowstorm or a hurricane - the runway must be clear. And it needs to be cleaned up quickly - you can’t ban takeoffs and landings for a long time, because the airfield is covered in snow.
Airfields maintain very special utility vehicles. Ordinary city sweepers would not work for them.
So, trailed plow-brush machine capable of clearing two lanes of a car at a time (this is for comparison). A long brush sweeps away everything in its path. A team of 16 such cleaners clears a runway 70 meters wide and 3.5 kilometers long in 15 minutes. Eh, the same pace would apply to city streets.
There is also a special one in Domodedovo blowing machine. It's basically a giant hairdryer on wheels. The equipment travels along the runway and blows away any debris with a powerful air stream. The equipment guarantees cleanliness if the brushes miss something.
In winter, the airfield is treated with special reagents. They quickly melt the ice and at the same time have almost no effect on the metal - it was not enough for the fuselage to be corroded by chemicals.
Such compounds could also be used on ordinary roads. But they are too expensive.
After processing the strip with reagents, it goes friction coefficient measuring machine. It shows how well the wheels will grip the concrete when braking.
There is a measuring wheel on a small trailer that rolls behind the car. It simulates the braking mode of the chassis. If it turns out that the runway is too slippery, the controller may prohibit landing at the airport altogether.
