With 20 years’ worth of customer feedback from more than 1,000 units incorporated into it its design, JBT AeroTech’s Tempest i deicer is the kind of GSE you can bring home to mom, provided she’s looking to deice a commercial aircraft.
“This was a multi-year project based on new available technology and customer feedback. JBT kept Tempest’s safe and reliable boom design and super duty custom chassis and further improved the overall ease-of-operation and maintenance features. Improvements are based on experience of over 1,300 units in the field and include automated control of boom positioning, auto-boom park and boom function adjustments based on operator skill level. Upgrades were made to the control system and hydraulics, resulting in improvements in reliability and the addition of intuitive onboard diagnostics,” says Ed Sachs, JBT manager, deicers and tractor engineering.
Unveiled at the 2018 International Airport GSE Expo in Las Vegas last October, the Tempest i deicer is approaching its first birthday and in that time has demonstrated what a difference building equipment from customer feedback makes.
“The Tempest i represents a major refresh of the Tempest deicer design,” according to Sachs. “This was a multi-year project based on new available technology and customer feedback. The Tempest i builds on the strong legacy of the Tempest Deicer with its industry-leading AIRFIRST deicing system, single operator system, and single diesel engine design, all targeted at reducing operational costs and environmental concerns.”
Efficiency is the name of the Tempest i deicer game – efficiency and sustainability, that is – thanks to the machine’s single engine design for both drive and deicing functions, minimizing fuel and maintenance costs. To operate, the Tempest i requires just a crew of one.
“The traditional crew is one person operating the vehicle and the second person operating the deicing basket. With the single operator system option, the basket operator can also operate the vehicle independently of each other, thereby reducing the required labor by 50 percent,” elaborates Sachs. “The Tempest i utilizes the most current PLC [programmable logic controller] control systems tied together with CAN [controller area network] communications.”
One of the more notable features of the Tempest i deicer is its AIRFIRST deicing system, which is one of the most powerful in the industry. This green technology eschews the traditional way by which deicing fluid is applied. The AIRFIRST system sees deicing fluid injected into a stream of powerful air, increasing the dispersion with more even coverage onto the waiting, icy aircraft. By applying deicing fluid in such a way, the amount of fluid needed to break off frozen debris from an aircraft can be reduced by up to 50 percent thanks to the power assistance of the air flow.
“The AIRFIRST system introduces air at high speeds, over 600 mph, that aides in the deicing process to remove frozen contamination quickly, efficiently and reducing fluid consumptions while maintaining safety with a wide array of nozzle configurations. Additionally, AIRFIRST systems can be used to help with the application of anti-icing fluids for improved distances and more consistent coatings,” adds Sachs.
Couple the AIRFIRST system’s glycol saving power with the Tempest i deicer’s large 2,200 gallon total deicing and anti-icing tank capacities and ground handlers can stretch their deicing dollars far.
More variations to the Tempest i include the extended reach boom, which allows the deicer to service the Airbus A380 and IL-76 aircraft; the enclosed basket, providing heated comfort and excellent visibility; and proportional mix system.
In the field, the Tempest i deicer can be found eliminating snow and ice at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport and Minneapolis−Saint Paul International Airport, where they were used for evaluating purposes last season, and Sachs says JBT is taking orders now from more customers ahead of the impending winter season.
