Europe's first aircraft deicing hangar using infrared heat rather than polluting chemicals opened at Oslo Airport-Gardermoen on Wednesday, airport officials said.
OSLO, Norway — Europe's first aircraft deicing hangar using infrared heat rather than polluting chemicals opened at Oslo Airport-Gardermoen on Wednesday, airport officials said.
"We are happy that this new method reduces chemical runoff, and is therefore a valuable contribution to our taking care of the environment at the airport," Oslo Airport President Nic Nilsen said.
Traditional deicing systems spray antifreeze, or glycol, on aircraft wings and fuselages in cold weather to prevent the build up of potentially dangerous snow and ice on the airplanes.
However, chemical run-off can damage the environment.
In the new system, being tested through the winter, aircraft are driven into a specially built hangar, where the heat from infrared radiation melts the ice and snow. That can reduce chemical run-off by as much as 70 percent, a news release said.
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The hangar, open at both ends, was built at the airport for SGS Ground Services, the ground crew company of the Scandinavian Airline System.
"We want to be able to offer airlines a more effective, economic and environmentally friendly service in the future," SGS President Ola H. Strand in the joint news release said.
The InfraTek Radiant Energy Deicing System is built by the Radiant Energy Corp. of Port Colborne, Ontario. It is already in use at several U.S. airports.
The Oslo system will be able to handle aircraft the size of Boeing 757s.
Source: Associated Press
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