How We Handle Winter

When West Michigan is welcomed with winter weather, the Gerald R. Ford International Airport is home to a team of professionals who are eager to play in the snow…AKA clear the runways. Our dedicated airfield maintenance team is known nationally for their innovative snow removal techniques, and their mission is to keep snow off the runway and planes moving on time 

The Airfield Maintenance team can deploy multiple trucks to swiftly clear runways, maintaining safe conditions for all aircraft operations. In a synchronized conga line, the Airfield Maintenance team deploys multiple trucks to swiftly clear runways, so travelers can safely escape to warmer destinations or safely arrive in West Michigan for the winter wonderland.

Here are some fun, behind-the-scenes facts by the numbers that show how GRR keeps flights moving faster than the snowfall:

• Thanks to our highly skilled team, we can plow a runway and two turnoffs in roughly 20 minutes, minimizing disruptions to airport operations.
• A runway operation consists of 10 pieces of equipment, an operations agent, and a field maintenance supervisor. When a runway needs to be cleared, coordination is handled via radio between the airfield maintenance team, operations team, and the air traffic control tower.
• Altogether, the total airfield surfaces span 15 miles, with 4.5 miles of runway needing snow removal support.
• The snowplows are twice the size of those used by county road commissions, measuring up to 26 feet wide and 78 feet long, enabling swift and efficient clearing of runways even in challenging weather conditions.
• The snow blowers can blow up to 100 feet of snow up in the air and 200 feet out to clear surfaces.
• The snow removal and maintenance facility is more than 115,000 square feet, equipping the team with the necessary resources to operate in any weather conditions.
• The Airport’s campus is over 3,000 acres. To maintain the Airport’s 3,000+-acre campus, the Airport houses 65 specialized vehicles.

At Gerald R. Ford International Airport, our goal is for travelers to focus on packing their sunglasses while we focus on the snowfall. If the snow, ice and cold is wearing you down—or, if you want to spot our snow removal equipment in action—book your spontaneous winter getaway today at flyford.org/nonstop-routes.