JACKSON, Wyo. — With the valley’s cold temperatures posing difficulties for aircraft, the Jackson Hole Airport is currently working on improving its deicing operations.
Jackson Hole Airport Chief Communications Officer Jeremy Barnum shared with Buckrail how a $3,311,889 grant from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will help expand the airport’s deice pad and improve its glycol collection system.
On June 16, the Jackson Town Council approved the grant agreement between the FAA and the Jackson Hole Airport to complete Phase 2 of the “Construct Deicing Pad and Containment Facility ” project. The facility’s construction will include the installation of utilities, underground storage tanks and prefabricated control buildings.
During Phase 1 of the project, the taxi lane was constructed to allow for five additional aircraft to stage and wait for access to the deicing pad, reducing congestion. Barnum said aircraft will also now be able to stage on the deicing pads while waiting for a designated gate near the terminal.
“The rehabilitated taxiway leading up to the deicing pad will reduce emissions from idling aircraft,” Barnum said.
Barnum stressed that the deice pad is a critical piece of airfield infrastructure at the airport.
“Deicing is an important step to keep flights safe, particularly at airports like Jackson Hole that encounter significant winter conditions regularly,” Barnum said.
The FAA explained the deicing process in its video, “How Deicing Keeps Your Flight Safe.”
The FAA states in the video that deicing crews use special equipment to spray a heated fluid (glycol) onto the plane, melting any ice or snow. They can also apply an anti-icing fluid to prevent more ice from forming while the plane is waiting to depart. The deice pad is surrounded by both stormwater and glycol drains that capture the used fluid, which is then collected into a containment tank. The used material is hauled off to an approved facility for handling.
“Ice, snow or frost on an airplane can affect how air flows over the wings, reducing the lift that keeps the plane in the air,” The FAA said in the video. “Deicing removes any buildup and ensures the plane can take off and fly normally.”
Barnum said that the airport’s current deice pad was constructed in 2012, and was only designed to accommodate two 757 aircraft. He said that the FAA grant will now allow the airport to expand from three to five deicing parking positions for simultaneous deicing. Barnum projects that the larger deicing pad will reduce aircraft deice times, departure delays caused by deicing needs and wait times experienced with the current pad configuration.
According to Barnum, Phase 2 of the project also aims to improve the glycol collection and recycling process to minimize environmental impact. He explained that the improvements, which are now underway, “will better equip the airport to separate the glycol from precipitation.”
“The glycol collection system will be modified to accommodate the larger deicing pad, which allows spent glycol to be captured and separated from runoff water.” Barnum said. “By improving the separation of the glycol from stormwater we hope to have the fluid recycled in the future.”
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) wrote on its website that glycol is a compound substance commonly used in antifreeze to remove existing ice and snow on aircrafts, and to prevent the formation of further ice accumulation. Barnum said that the Jackson Hole Airport uses propylene glycol as a deicing fluid, which breaks down naturally and is considered more environmentally friendly than ethylene glycol-based deicing fluids. He said that the airport collects the propylene glycol fluid and transports it to an approved facility for processing.
The FAA grant will also support the airport’s plans to centralize all of its deicing operations in one location, including truck refills and the deice fluid capture system. Crews will also construct an accompanying deice dispensing system.
Barnum said that the airport’s current deice pad is still in operational order and can be used when cold fronts drop temperatures to around freezing at night. The Jackson Hole Airport estimated that Phase 2 of the project will be completed winter of 2026/2027.
