The Upper Cumberland Regional Airport Board has identified a need to purchase new de-icing equipment to better support aircraft operations during the winter months.
Airport Director Dean Selby said the airport purchased a de-icing cart last month and is now seeking a bucket truck to help remove ice from larger aircraft. Selby said corporate flight crews frequently ask whether de-icing services are available, and when they are not, they often choose to land elsewhere — a loss he said could negatively impact the airport.
“Jet fuel sales is our number one source of revenue, and losing that jet fuel sale because that aircraft goes to Nashville, or Smyrna, where they do have de-icing, or Knoxville, actually creates a void in our revenue stream,” Selby said.
The airport’s Board of Directors has authorized Selby to gather some estimates for a bucket truck. Selby said recent winter storms underscored the importance of having proper de-icing capabilities in place, noting that pilots will not attempt to take off with ice on an aircraft because of the serious safety risks.
“Aircraft cannot depart with frost on the wings or the fuselage,” Selby said. “So that is the big thing that you are trying to take care of is to make sure there is no frost on it. The frost is actually enough that it will disturb the airflow enough that the aircraft struggles to fly.”
Selby said there are other options to improve the airport’s de-icing services, but a bucket truck is the more likely affordable option.
“You can buy an actual de-icing truck that is built on a bucket truck, but any one of those is between $300,000 – $500,000,” Selby said. “So we are not that big that we can afford to spend that kind of money on that particular piece of equipment.”
Selby said he hopes to have some estimates to present to the board at next month’s meeting.