Deicer keeps the mission from freezing

  • Published
  • By Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Barnett and Staff Sgt. Cynthia Spalding
  • 673d Air Base Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  A large cloud hovers in the sky, darkening as the low temperature causes a unique crystalline structure to form, and drops it towards the land below. The snowflake is joined by billions of other snowflakes, one tiny piece of a blizzard, common in this region in the winter.

The snowflake lands on the wing of a cargo plane on the flight line of Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. There it sticks and joins the growing ice. If it stayed there, it would throw off the aerodynamics of the plane. That would put the plane, the pilot and the military and families on the base and potentially the local area in danger.
Fortunately, aircraft maintainers of the 732nd Air Mobility Squadron anticipate and regularly inspect the aircraft for ice. They have Global Ground Support Aircraft Deicers to solve the problem and have been trained in a specialized simulator to help operate it.

"We were the first military entity in the world to purchase the simulator in 2009," said Ken Culberson, Air Force Engineering and Technical Services, head of the deicing simulator training and native of Sikes, Ill. "Our mission is to keep our technicians in a heightened state of proficiency and to initially familiarize maintainers with the controls without having to risk a half-a-million dollar truck."

Aircraft maintainers de-ice many different types of aircraft from small commercial passenger aircraft up to the C-5, he said. The base has approximately 22 deicers that see a lot of use during the winter season. The simulator reduces the amount of initial training done on the truck and helps reduce maintenance costs. It enables familiarization prior to using the truck to minimize risk to those aircraft and the truck while operating, he said.

"The average scenario runs for maybe 15 minutes, thus far we've put probably 250 hours on it," Culberson said. "That's a lot of scenarios and a lot of wear and tear that didn't go on the trucks. It helps technicians maintain muscle memory for the various controls. It's also very useful in initial familiarization of trainees with the controls of the deicer. We can train with it year-around."

Airmen have traveled from as far as Yokota Air Force Base, Japan, to train on the simulator, he said.

"The simulator shows you what the controls do, you develop muscle memory for how you move it around," said Air Force Tech. Sgt. Matthew Wheeler, 176th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron hydraulics technician and native of Shreveport, La. "The biggest thing is the intimidation factor; it's a big truck. I'd rather someone who has never done it before go through the simulation before using the actual deicer."

Coming soon, there will be a training video as well.

"The 732 AMS has been involved with the filming of an AMC aircraft deice training video which covers in-depth vehicle familiarization and aircraft deicing," said Lt. Col. Donald Kirkland, 732 AMS commander and native of Greenview, S.C., "Mr. Culberson wrote the script, demonstrated techniques and partnered with 3rd Wing, 176th Wing and 673d Air Base Wing Public Affairs videographers to film the training. This training video coupled with the use of the simulator will enhance deice vehicle knowledge and aircraft deicing."
Safety is the first priority of the training and the deicer, not only for the people and equipment, but for the environment.

When operating, they strive to balance conservation of fluid with a clean aircraft for safety of flight and environment, Culberson said.

"The de-ice trucks use two types of fluid; a propylene glycol and water mixture that is used to remove the snow, ice and frost, and an anti-icing fluid normally used directly after the application of the de-ice fluid," he said.

It is used during precipitation or anticipated precipitation to prevent further accumulation of snow or ice on the aircraft after the aircraft has been de-iced, said Culberson. The fluids are designed to come off during take-off so there is no risk of dripping while the aircraft flies overhead; in-flight devices protect the aircraft after that, he said.

"Without the fluids and trucks the mission during winter months would be greatly degraded and not nearly as safe," Culberson said. "If the need is there, no matter the weather, we're operating."