Airports and people in the aviation and aerospace sectors are always working to keep trash and debris off runways and taxiways. Thats why most choose airport sweepers with powerful vacum attacments like the ones supplied by Transtech South Africa. FOD (Foreign Object Damage) to planes and other types of aircraft is a major problem. If little fragments of pavement, metal screws, or even flattened soda cans were driven over by an airplane or sucked into the strong jet engines, they might do significant damage.
Determine the most efficient FOD removal option for your airfield, airport, or any location you wish to maintain debris-free to assist keep debris off the runways and taxiways. There are several various varieties of FOD airport sweepers to select from, each with its own set of advantages and disadvantages.
The goal should be to identify the FOD removal method that best suits your requirements. Mechanical sweepers and vacuum sweepers are two earlier FOD elimination methods. Friction mat sweepers, such as our FOD*BOSS, are one of the newest innovations, created by Aero-Tech in Australia.
Mechanical Airport Sweepers
Mechanically rotating brushes on these Bucher airport sweepers assist to remove dirt from fractures and route it into a central collection container. The ability to sweep away heavier and bigger debris is the major advantage of these sweepers.
The following are some of the disadvantages of employing motorized sweepers:
- Brush hairs might break off and end up as FOD on runways.
- Smaller particles are not collected and can become dust if they are disturbed up.
- Sweepers must be maintained on a regular basis, and brushes must be replaced.
- When it’s raining or the pavement is moist, FOD removal is less effective.
Vacuum Sweepers
Vacuum sweepers work similarly to the vacuum you use at home to suck up and remove debris. They work great in dusty environments, and some even have small moving brushes to get into deep cracks. Even though they can generate dust, it gets sucked up and not spread around, like with mechanical sweepers.
The disadvantages to vacuum sweepers include:
- They are heavy and can cause pavement degradation.
- They are slow at efficient sweeping speeds.
- They require regular maintenance and repairs.
- They are not effective on wet surfaces.
- Easy to set up and use.
Friction mat Airport Sweepers
Friction mat sweepers gather FOD by directing trash onto a collection mat using a succession of brushes. The mats are pulled by a variety of vehicles, including golf carts and pickup trucks.
Friction mat sweepers have numerous advantages, including the ability to remove sand, debris, broken pavement, metal pieces, and other tiny particles.
Our FOD*BOSS sweeper has a pickup rate of 99 percent or higher.
Cleans runways and taxiways more quickly and effectively than other methods.
Because there are no engines or vacuums, mats are low-maintenance.
Work on any hard surfaces, even wet pavement.
Friction mats are lightweight and may be attached to any vehicle.
Friction mats, such as our FOD*BOSS, are a low-cost option for removing FOD waste. Please call Aerosweep at +61 (0)3 9894 2100 to learn more about the FOD*BOSS or any of our other FOD removal products
