Operators plow anywhere from two to six times a day
FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP -- Keeping the Houghton County Airport ready for takeoff during the Keweenaw’s long winter is no easy task. Even with a 22-foot plow, it can be hard to keep up.
Two commercial flights are in and out every day, in addition to private air traffic, which means operators, like Bill Voght, are always on the move, making sure runways are safe.
"The runway is plowed two to three times on a slow day or as much as five to six times,” says Voght. “That's over a 20-hour period. A lot of the time, visibility is so poor it's less than a a quarter mile, so I’m plowing almost by feel."
The airport has a fleet of snow-clearing vehicles, and operators usually begin their shift behind the wheel. After removing the snow, they perform a series of breaking tests along the runway to check for traction and give results to the airline.
"It’s a very busy job,” says airport manager Dennis Hext. “They're very talented and they get a lot of training and have certification for it. Without them, things would not run smoothly around here.”
In between the weather-related duties, they're responsible for fueling the plane, manning the fire truck, and dealing with anything else that might be a problem.
"The airport really is like a little city,” Voght says. “It has all the infrastructure of it. We have people with a water license; we have a couple of mechanics. Everyone has their own job, aside from being an operator, which is primary."
This winter hasn't been too harsh so far; of course, the operators know the snow is only getting started.
The plow is typically needed on a daily basis through March, but really, whenever it snows, they'll be out there.
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