Weather delays whenever they come are no fun, but rest assured that the maintenence crew at the Dane County Regional Airport is poised,ready, and equipped to keep the runways, taxiways, and aircraft parking aprons free from snow and ice this winter.  Airport Facilities and Maintenence Director Bill Legore says the airport's snow removal trucks are heavier and have a higher horsepower than average snow removal trucks, and are usually equipped with four wheel drive. "Trucks of this size are required because of the size of the runway pavement," Legore says.  In fact, the runway pavements at the Dane County Regional Airport are as large as 150 feet wide by 9000 feet long! Trucks fitted with 22 foot wide plows, each pulling 20 foot wide rotary brooms, work in teams to keep the surfaces clear.  Also, unlike your typical street or highway, salt cannot be used on a runway to remove ice.  Legore says given the highly corrosive nature of salt, it cannot be used near aircraft! "The combination plow/broom trucks do a good job of removing snow down to the dry pavement," Legore adds. And they do their work impressively fast. Legore says crews can typically clear a runway and have it useable for aircraft in about 15 minutes!

All that being said, it's always a good idea to check with your airline before coming to the airport on days when the weather is threatening. The daily flight schedules, including delays and cancellations, are readily available at msnairport.com .

Safety on the ground, and in the air

No, this Delta aircraft isn't on fire. A crew member is applying an anti-icing agent to it.  Just another measure to keep your air travel safe and efficient, no matter what the weather has in store.

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