OPENSPACE 24: The Future of Space Exploration | Page 10

“Holdover time determination systems find more precise weather conditions, so the selection of fluids is appropriate.” John D’Avirro Director, Aviation Services APS Aviation Inc. revolutionizing the industry with de-icing technologies T he risk of an aircraft taking off in icy conditions with critical surfaces contaminated by ice or snow is a major concern among government and transportation institutions. Every winter, airports across the world battle extreme cold temperatures and related weather and use a glycol-based solution, sometimes diluted with water, to avoid aircraft aerodynamic failures that can cause fatal accidents. The amount of fluid necessary to de-ice an aircraft depends on a broad range of factors; however, the de- require new airports with 10,000 annual departures located in icing of a narrow-body commercial aircraft typically consumes certain cold climate zones to collect 60 percent of aircraft de- upwards of 1000 L of fluid, and that number can increase icing fluid after de-icing. significantly in cases of extreme weather. “Airports that discharge the collected de-icing fluid directly After spraying the de-icing fluids, the remaining oversprayed to waters of the U.S. must also meet numeric discharge and dripped quantities are typically collected for treatment requirements for chemical oxygen demand. The biodegradation or recycling purposes, while the rest of the fluid is either of glycol in surface waters like lakes or rivers can impact water trampled by foot traffic or blown away during takeoff, where it quality, including causing a significant reduction in dissolved will biodegrade in the surrounding soil or aquatic environment. oxygen levels needed for the survival of aquatic life,” says John U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations currently D’Avirro, Director, Aviation Services of APS Aviation Inc. 10