This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) covers various requirements for airport runway plows, ramp plows, wings, and hitches to be used with various carrier vehicles primarily used to cast snow away from airport airside operational areas, such as runways, ramps, and taxiways. It does not apply to plows and hitches for non-airport snow removal equipment such as highway plows or construction/farm machinery.

Intent

The intent of this Recommended Practice is to provide a basis from which the airport operator can develop specifications for snow removal equipment required in wintertime for pavement clearing operations. This document contains sections, which, alone or in combination, are intended to describe many types of such equipment. It describes what is considered to be the minimum technical requirement to successfully specify such equipment. Because local conditions vary significantly describing the local requirements will build significantly upon these minimums.

The purchaser is considered to be the most knowledgeable authority regarding local conditions, requirements, and capabilities. All sponsors are encouraged to consult intensely with equipment manufacturers and other airports facing similar situations and conditions before and throughout the procurement process. It is the local airport’s sole responsibility to maintain and operate the equipment purchased. Therefore, it behooves the sponsor to carefully consider maintainability, commonality, and product support while developing specifications and procuring equipment.

When writing specifications for snowplows, hitches, underbody scrapers and wings, it should always be a concern that the equipment does not overload the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and/or the axles, wheels, tires, springs or steering Gross Axle Weight Rating (GAWR) of the vehicle to which it is to be installed.

When a combination of different types of snow removal equipment along with a dump body and/or material spreader, hydraulic system, etc., are required, the total weight of all the equipment along with the material to be used in the dump body or spreader and if required, the liquid used in a wetting system, cannot overload the GVWR of the vehicle.

In some cases, the airport operator will feel satisfied utilizing these guidance specifications precisely as they are provided herein with little more than the addition of terms and conditions required by local procurement procedures. In others, the operator may believe that significantly more detail is required. This may include specific systems, designs (such as inpavement lighting and other runway surface materials that will determine what type plow cutting edges they will require), and/or components to accomplish the task at hand in a safe and expeditious manner.