Snow barn team keeps flightline safe, saves money

by Staff Sgt. Veronica Montes
92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs

10/8/2013 - FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash.  -- The 92nd Civil Engineer Squadron snow barn team gathered with the 92nd CES fire department, Oct. 4, to conduct rubber removal on more than 4,000 feet of Fairchild's flightline.

Fairchild AFB is one of two Air Force bases that conduct the removal in-house annually, and by doing so, Fairchild saves approximately $100,000.

"This process increases safety on the flightline," said Master Sgt. John Massad, 92nd CES pavements and equipment operator. "Eliminating rubber on the runway makes it much easier for aircraft to come to a complete stop."

The day-long process begins with laying the chemical down on the flightline that begins to break up the rubber. For the next three to four hours after, the de-icing trucks and snow brooms continuously ride up and down the runway, spraying water and scrubbing the chemical.

"We have to keep watering the flightline so the chemical doesn't dry up," Massad said. "The chemical itself is all biodegradable and environmentally safe. Once it starts to get a slush-like look, it means that the chemical is reacting with the water and the rubber on the airfield."

After the reaction is complete, the fire department sprays the chemical to the side. According to Massad, this year it took more than 50,000 gallons of water to flush it off.
Staff Sgt. Adam Haines, 92nd CES pavements and equipment operator, has been working with the removal process for four years, and said every October they do this before snow season. For the augmentees, this is a perfect time to conduct on-the-job training.

"It not only saves money, but its snow training for the augmentees as well," Haines said. "There is almost 20 people involved, including augmentees. Coming together to do this in house is much cheaper than getting an outside agency."

After the process is complete, both Haines and Massad agreed there is a huge difference after their work is done, and the flightline is both cleaner and safer.