Future-Ready Snow Operations
Overview
Currie Russell, A.A.E, President of Acclivix Inc., with 24 years of experience in the airports industry, presented on the topic of Future-Ready Snow Operations - Innovations for Small to Medium-Sized Airports at the Airport Management Council of Ontario (AMCO) Spring Workshop held in New Liskeard, Ontario on Wednesday, May 8, 2024. The focus was on enhancing operational efficiency, cost savings, and safety in snow operations for small to medium-sized airports through innovative technologies and strategies. The following is a summary of that presentation.
Key Challenges
There are many reasons why it’s important that small and medium-sized airports should examine and discuss this topic.
Operational Efficiency: Snow removal processes can be optimized to reduce downtime and resource allocation.
Cost Savings: Winter operations are costly and unpredictable. Efficient management can mitigate these expenses.
Passenger Experience: Delays and cancellations due to snow can severely impact passengers.
Regulatory Compliance: Airports must meet safety regulations while maintaining operational efficiency.
Climate Change: Increasingly severe weather events necessitate adaptive strategies.
Survey Insights
We conducted a survey among airports which highlighted several pain points:
Labour: Challenges in staff scheduling, training, and resistance to change.
Operations: Difficulty fitting maintenance around traffic and integrating multiple data sources.
Equipment: Readiness issues, need for dedicated vehicles, and connectivity problems.
Budget: Limited funding for additional personnel and equipment.
Weather Integration: Insufficient integration of weather data into operational decision-making.
Emerging Technologies and Strategies
The feedback we received underscores the need for proactive solutions that can address these evolving needs. The following are some technologies and strategies that could possibly be used to fill in the gaps and revolutionize winter operations management.
Smart Sensors (Internet of Things): Devices like in-pavement snow and ice sensors improve real-time monitoring and maintenance.
Connected Systems: Integrating smart sensors enables seamless communication and predictive analytics for maintenance and operational efficiency.
Predictive Analytics: Using data to forecast weather events and equipment needs, minimizing downtime.
Autonomous Vehicles: Driverless snow removal vehicles enhance efficiency and safety.
Augmented Reality (AR): Enhances training and real-time decision-making for staff through digital overlays and simulations.
Cost-Effective Strategies
Cost-effectiveness ranked number one (followed by regulatory compliance and then performance and reliability) on the list of factors that would influence the decisions by airports to adopt new tools or technologies for runway maintenance and snow operations management. While new technologies can carry with them high costs to implement, it’s important that we examine them from a few different aspects which may help with our implementation decisions.
Fleet Optimization: Smaller, versatile fleets reduce training costs and improve efficiency.
Shared Resources: Joint purchasing and collaborative efforts can lower costs and enhance resource utilization.
Operational Reviews: Engaging third-party reviews can identify areas for improvement.
Subscription Models: Offer flexibility and lower upfront costs for adopting new technologies.
Funding Opportunities: Exploring various funding sources can support infrastructure and technology upgrades.
Call to Action
Here are four takeaways to challenge you to take the next steps towards the future of airport snow operations at your airport.
Embrace Technology: Drive the future of snow operations by adopting new technologies and innovations.
Review Strategies: Reevaluate current snow operations to identify cost-effective improvements.
Prioritize Safety and Resilience: Leverage Safety Management Systems and involve all stakeholders in decision-making.
Act Now: Take immediate steps to modernize snow operations and ensure readiness for future challenges.
Conclusion
Small to medium-sized airports can significantly enhance their winter operations by adopting innovative technologies and cost-effective strategies. Collaboration and proactive planning are crucial for building safer, more resilient, and future-ready airport operations.
For more information on airport safety products and upcoming courses, visit acclivix.com. Please reach out - we’d be happy to help you achieve your operational readiness goals.
Contact
Currie Russell, A.A.E.
President
Acclivix, Inc.
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
416-347-7345