Helsinki Airport has begun preparing for the winter season with over 200 vehicle fleet at its disposal

Credit: Finavia Oyj

Helsinki Airport (HEL) has begun preparations for the winter season. HEL has recruited seasonal workers for winter maintenance and trained permanent and new employees. “The maintenance team at Helsinki Airport has started its preparations for the winter season early to ensure that we will be ready for the first snowfall. The fleet of 200 vehicles used for winter maintenance is in good shape, and we have once again recruited experienced seasonal workers to handle the ploughing of runways,” said Finavia’s Pyry Pennanen, Head of Airfield Maintenance at Helsinki Airport. 

“To keep flights on schedule, the maintenance team has 13 minutes to perform a single sweep of a runway area that is 3,500 metres long and 60 metres wide. The most experienced drivers are always upfront. Their professional expertise ensures that the entire formation moves at the same pace and the runway is swept perfectly. When the maintenance team is successful, air traffic stays on schedule in winter conditions,” Continued Mr Pennanen.

What equipment and vehicles will they use for winter?

HEL has several kilometres of runways and apron areas, which are maintained in good condition for traffic operations throughout the snowy winter. This year, the equipment used by HEL’s maintenance team includes 21 sweeper blowers, 19 trucks for anti-skid operations and snow removal, 12 wheel loaders, 12 snow blowers, three friction tester vehicles and two motor graders. 

Mr Pennanen said: “The crown jewels of winter maintenance are the Vammas PSB 5500 sweeper blowers, which were partly developed at Helsinki Airport. The highly powerful multi-functional snow ploughs have been designed for Finnish winter conditions”. 

PSB is short for plough, sweep, blow. The 5500 in the name of the machine indicates its working width of 5.5 metres. 

“Our goal is safe and smooth air traffic in all weather conditions, every day of the year. This requires our world-renowned snow-how,” Mr Pennanen added.