Helicopter Snow Removal: An Innovative Solution for Critical Infrastructure

Discover how helicopter snow removal keeps power lines, communication systems, roads, and other critical infrastructure operational when winter storms strike.

Extreme winter weather is more than just inconvenient. The accumulation of ice and snow can damage or destroy the power lines and critical infrastructure we rely on to keep us safe, warm, and connected. Heavy ice and snow threaten the stability of crucial systems, leading to power outages, traffic accidents, and communication failures.

While traditional ice and snow removal methods are still used, a new innovative solution has gained traction in recent years: helicopter snow removal. In this blog, we’ll explore how winter weather affects vital infrastructure and how partnering with a helicopter service company like Helicopter Express can help minimize the impact of heavy snow on your community.

How Ice and Snow Impact Critical Infrastructure

Snow and ice accumulation can bring entire regions to a halt. Here’s a quick overview of how severe winter weather impacts the transportation systems, power lines, and infrastructure we rely on every day.

Winter Weather’s Impact on Transportation Systems

Winter storms can severely hinder transportation systems, creating dangerous conditions that include:

  • Road Closures and Delays: Winter weather can reduce roadway capacity, cause hazards that result in road closures, and slow down transportation routes, leading to massive delays.

  • Blocked Access: The accumulation of ice and snow can block access to roadways. This may prevent vehicles from reaching essential facilities, impact the delivery of goods and services, and delay emergency services.

  • Traffic Accidents: Winter weather often means reduced visibility and roadway traction, which increases the risk of car crashes. 24% of vehicle accidents occur when roadways are snowy, slushy, or icy. Unfortunately, 156,164 automobile crashes occur each year due to icy roads.

Winter Weather’s Impact on the Energy Sector

The energy sector is particularly susceptible to snow and ice. Power outages, utility damage, and structural damage are frequent due to:

  • Ice Accumulation: The accumulation of ice adds significant weight to power lines. This extra weight can cause sagging, breakage, and power outages. As little as ⅛ inch of ice can coat power lines and cause outages. Just ½ inch can add 500 pounds of extra weight. 
  • Fallen Trees and Branches: Severe winter weather also increases the risk of ice-covered trees and branches falling onto electrical lines. Ice can make branches 30 times heavier, leading to sagging or broken lines. Lines that sag excessively may make contact with other objects, leading to electrical issues like short circuits.
  • Melting Snow: Snow that melts on the bottom power line before melting on overhead lines can cause lines to touch, leading to outages.

  • Galloping Lines: These are lines that sway, collide, and touch due to ice buildup and wind. Galloping lines can result in mass power outages.

  • Wind and Extreme Cold: These conditions increase the risk of frozen electrical equipment and extreme brittleness that can cause poles to topple over, exacerbating damage. Frozen transformers, wind turbines, solar panels, and fuel pipelines can disrupt energy supply and lead to the inability to meet energy demands.

    For example, in Texas in February of 2021, a statewide freeze left more than 10 million people without electricity. It also severely impacted citizens’ ability to access clean drinking water and medical services. Economic losses were estimated at $130 billion.

  • Demand Overload: Cold weather increases the demand for heat, which can strain the power grid and result in overload. Overload can cause power plants to disconnect from the grid, leading to mass outages.
  • Reduced Crew Access: Snow and ice can make it difficult for repair crews to access power lines and restore access to electricity due to blocked roads and unsafe working conditions. 

Learn more about how helicopters’ ability to quickly access remote areas, provide a unique bird’s-eye view, and carry advanced inspection technology is revolutionizing the way utility companies inspect and maintain power lines.

snow covered trees and power lines at sunset

Winter Weather’s Impact on Other Critical Infrastructure

Winter weather doesn’t just disrupt transportation and the energy sector. It also poses serious risks to infrastructure across multiple sectors, including:

  • Communication Networks: Snow and ice can damage cables, cell towers, and antennas, leading to service disruptions and reduced access to emergency communications.

  • Public Health Facilities: Power outages can leave communities without heat and disrupt operations at medical facilities and water treatment plants, posing serious risks to public health and safety.

  • Data Centers: Snow accumulation on the roofs of data centers can threaten their structural integrity, causing damage and data outages.

Methods for Minimizing the Impact of Winter Storms

Here are a few proactive steps community leaders and agencies can take to prepare for severe snow and ice storms in order to mitigate their impact on local citizens:

  • Snow Removal Equipment: Bringing in much needed snow removal equipment like snow plows, salt trucks, and snow blowers can assist with the clearing of roads. However, this equipment can be difficult to access in rugged or remote areas.

  • Early Warning Systems: Decision-makers should stay up to date with weather forecasts and implement alert systems to warn the public about severe weather and safety risks. Early warning systems give community leaders time to request crews and equipment, close unsafe roads, and reroute transportation as necessary.

  • Emergency Response Preparedness: Detailed emergency response plans should be established to help agencies coordinate rescue operations, manage outages, and prioritize the recovery of essential infrastructure.

  • Partnerships With Helicopter Service Companies: When winter weather conditions are too extreme for traditional methods of snow and ice removal – or when remote communities are difficult or time consuming to access – helicopters offer a fast and effective solution.

Establishing a partnership with a helicopter service company like Helicopter Express ahead of time means your hired helicopter and flight crew can be ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.

Helicopter Snow Removal: An Innovative Solution

Helicopters are capable of operating in cold weather due to their advanced anti-icing systems, intensive pre-flight planning requirements, and the skills of experienced pilots and flight crews. Their ability to overcome weather-related challenges, access remote areas quickly, hover in place, and carry heavy, specialized equipment make them the perfect tool for quick and efficient snow removal.

Here are a few methods in which helicopters assist with the removal of ice and snow from power lines, communication towers, and other essential infrastructure – especially in areas that are difficult to reach or dangerous for ground crews to access.

‍

Aerial Damage Assessments

Prior to establishing a snow removal plan, it’s smart to do an aerial damage assessment. These aerial surveys help helicopter crews quickly and efficiently inspect power lines and infrastructure to safely assess ice damage, broken lines, and sagging components – without the need to deploy ground crews and climbers. 

The information gathered helps local officials and agencies prioritize repair work so they can begin fixing critical infrastructure and restoring power to the areas that have been hit the hardest first.

Rotor Wash

One of the most powerful and efficient methods of helicopter snow removal is via rotor wash. This is the strong downward airflow generated by a helicopter’s main rotor blades as they generate lift. 

Rotor wash is capable of dislodging significant amounts of ice and snow from power lines, transmission lines, roadways, and other vital infrastructure without causing damage. It can also be used to expose equipment for inspection.

This method of snow removal is particularly effective when snow is powdery and not heavily packed. Skilled pilots can precisely control the force of the rotor wash by adjusting the helicopter’s altitude and proximity to the targeted area.

Specialized Helicopter Equipment

Helicopters can also be equipped with specialized tools and equipment to remove ice and snow from power lines and infrastructure and tackle the toughest winter challenges. These include:

  • Booms: Specialized booms can shoot high-pressure water at insulators to wash them clean of ice and snow.

  • De-Icing Spray: Helicopters can be outfitted with high-pressure tanks and pumps that spray hot water or special de-icing fluids onto power lines, roads, and buildings.
  • Power Line De-Icers: A helicopter-borne power line de-icer removes ice or snow from high-voltage power lines using an innovative system attached to the helicopter. This system includes a frame with a vibrator powered by an onboard electric source.

    An aerial crew member operates the vibrator remotely from inside the helicopter, causing the vibratory forces applied to the power line to dislodge accumulated snow and ice.

Physical Snow Removal

Helicopter crew members can also physically remove ice and snow from power lines, rooftops, and other structures. They can use a pole to shake it off, a brush to sweep it off, or a hose to blast it away using steam or air.

Helicopter Snow Removal: Safety Considerations to Keep in Mind

Helicopter operations in snowy conditions require a high level of precision, skill, and experience. Here are some key safety protocols your team must keep in mind in order to stay safe:

  • De-Energize Power Lines: In some cases, it may be necessary to de-energize power lines prior to performing snow removal operations to ensure the safety of aerial crews and ground crews.

  • Maintain a Safe Flying Distance: When clearing snow or ice from power lines and other structures, pilots must maintain a safe distance to avoid causing further interference or damage.

  • Rely on Helicopter Service Experts: Reputable helicopter companies like Helicopter Express follow strict flight and safety protocols to ensure the success of every mission – without compromising safety. 

Work With Helicopter Express for All Your Snow Removal Needs

At Helicopter Express, we specialize in aerial operations for utility construction and repair. Our pilots, aerial crews, and ground-based team members know how to keep critical infrastructure up and running – even in tough conditions like the snow and ice that accompanies severe winter weather.

We’re based in North Georgia, but we have contracts all across the U.S. and abroad. Our experienced crews are ready to assist with power line inspections, emergency snow removal, and more at a moment’s notice. 

Whether you need help blowing snow off electrical lines, clearing access roads, or inspecting damage after a severe storm, we have the helicopter fleet, equipment, and expertise to support your operation.

Contact us today to learn more about our helicopter snow removal services. Our experts will help ensure that your utilities and infrastructure remain operative throughout the winter.

Helicopter Snow Removal: An Innovative Solution for Critical Infrastructure

Extreme winter weather is more than just inconvenient. The accumulation of ice and snow can damage or destroy the power lines and critical infrastructure we rely on to keep us safe, warm, and connected. Heavy ice and snow threaten the stability of crucial systems, leading to power outages, traffic accidents, and communication failures.

While traditional ice and snow removal methods are still used, a new innovative solution has gained traction in recent years: helicopter snow removal. In this blog, we’ll explore how winter weather affects vital infrastructure and how partnering with a helicopter service company like Helicopter Express can help minimize the impact of heavy snow on your community.

How Ice and Snow Impact Critical Infrastructure

Snow and ice accumulation can bring entire regions to a halt. Here’s a quick overview of how severe winter weather impacts the transportation systems, power lines, and infrastructure we rely on every day.

Winter Weather’s Impact on Transportation Systems

Winter storms can severely hinder transportation systems, creating dangerous conditions that include:

  • Road Closures and Delays: Winter weather can reduce roadway capacity, cause hazards that result in road closures, and slow down transportation routes, leading to massive delays.

  • Blocked Access: The accumulation of ice and snow can block access to roadways. This may prevent vehicles from reaching essential facilities, impact the delivery of goods and services, and delay emergency services.

  • Traffic Accidents: Winter weather often means reduced visibility and roadway traction, which increases the risk of car crashes. 24% of vehicle accidents occur when roadways are snowy, slushy, or icy. Unfortunately, 156,164 automobile crashes occur each year due to icy roads.

Winter Weather’s Impact on the Energy Sector

The energy sector is particularly susceptible to snow and ice. Power outages, utility damage, and structural damage are frequent due to:

  • Ice Accumulation: The accumulation of ice adds significant weight to power lines. This extra weight can cause sagging, breakage, and power outages. As little as ⅛ inch of ice can coat power lines and cause outages. Just ½ inch can add 500 pounds of extra weight. 
  • Fallen Trees and Branches: Severe winter weather also increases the risk of ice-covered trees and branches falling onto electrical lines. Ice can make branches 30 times heavier, leading to sagging or broken lines. Lines that sag excessively may make contact with other objects, leading to electrical issues like short circuits.
  • Melting Snow: Snow that melts on the bottom power line before melting on overhead lines can cause lines to touch, leading to outages.

  • Galloping Lines: These are lines that sway, collide, and touch due to ice buildup and wind. Galloping lines can result in mass power outages.

  • Wind and Extreme Cold: These conditions increase the risk of frozen electrical equipment and extreme brittleness that can cause poles to topple over, exacerbating damage. Frozen transformers, wind turbines, solar panels, and fuel pipelines can disrupt energy supply and lead to the inability to meet energy demands.

    For example, in Texas in February of 2021, a statewide freeze left more than 10 million people without electricity. It also severely impacted citizens’ ability to access clean drinking water and medical services. Economic losses were estimated at $130 billion.

  • Demand Overload: Cold weather increases the demand for heat, which can strain the power grid and result in overload. Overload can cause power plants to disconnect from the grid, leading to mass outages.
  • Reduced Crew Access: Snow and ice can make it difficult for repair crews to access power lines and restore access to electricity due to blocked roads and unsafe working conditions. 

Learn more about how helicopters’ ability to quickly access remote areas, provide a unique bird’s-eye view, and carry advanced inspection technology is revolutionizing the way utility companies inspect and maintain power lines.

snow covered trees and power lines at sunset

Winter Weather’s Impact on Other Critical Infrastructure

Winter weather doesn’t just disrupt transportation and the energy sector. It also poses serious risks to infrastructure across multiple sectors, including:

  • Communication Networks: Snow and ice can damage cables, cell towers, and antennas, leading to service disruptions and reduced access to emergency communications.

  • Public Health Facilities: Power outages can leave communities without heat and disrupt operations at medical facilities and water treatment plants, posing serious risks to public health and safety.

  • Data Centers: Snow accumulation on the roofs of data centers can threaten their structural integrity, causing damage and data outages.

Methods for Minimizing the Impact of Winter Storms

Here are a few proactive steps community leaders and agencies can take to prepare for severe snow and ice storms in order to mitigate their impact on local citizens:

  • Snow Removal Equipment: Bringing in much needed snow removal equipment like snow plows, salt trucks, and snow blowers can assist with the clearing of roads. However, this equipment can be difficult to access in rugged or remote areas.

  • Early Warning Systems: Decision-makers should stay up to date with weather forecasts and implement alert systems to warn the public about severe weather and safety risks. Early warning systems give community leaders time to request crews and equipment, close unsafe roads, and reroute transportation as necessary.

  • Emergency Response Preparedness: Detailed emergency response plans should be established to help agencies coordinate rescue operations, manage outages, and prioritize the recovery of essential infrastructure.

  • Partnerships With Helicopter Service Companies: When winter weather conditions are too extreme for traditional methods of snow and ice removal – or when remote communities are difficult or time consuming to access – helicopters offer a fast and effective solution.

Establishing a partnership with a helicopter service company like Helicopter Express ahead of time means your hired helicopter and flight crew can be ready to deploy at a moment’s notice.

Helicopter Snow Removal: An Innovative Solution

Helicopters are capable of operating in cold weather due to their advanced anti-icing systems, intensive pre-flight planning requirements, and the skills of experienced pilots and flight crews. Their ability to overcome weather-related challenges, access remote areas quickly, hover in place, and carry heavy, specialized equipment make them the perfect tool for quick and efficient snow removal.

Here are a few methods in which helicopters assist with the removal of ice and snow from power lines, communication towers, and other essential infrastructure – especially in areas that are difficult to reach or dangerous for ground crews to access.

‍

Aerial Damage Assessments

Prior to establishing a snow removal plan, it’s smart to do an aerial damage assessment. These aerial surveys help helicopter crews quickly and efficiently inspect power lines and infrastructure to safely assess ice damage, broken lines, and sagging components – without the need to deploy ground crews and climbers. 

The information gathered helps local officials and agencies prioritize repair work so they can begin fixing critical infrastructure and restoring power to the areas that have been hit the hardest first.

Rotor Wash

One of the most powerful and efficient methods of helicopter snow removal is via rotor wash. This is the strong downward airflow generated by a helicopter’s main rotor blades as they generate lift. 

Rotor wash is capable of dislodging significant amounts of ice and snow from power lines, transmission lines, roadways, and other vital infrastructure without causing damage. It can also be used to expose equipment for inspection.

This method of snow removal is particularly effective when snow is powdery and not heavily packed. Skilled pilots can precisely control the force of the rotor wash by adjusting the helicopter’s altitude and proximity to the targeted area.

Specialized Helicopter Equipment

Helicopters can also be equipped with specialized tools and equipment to remove ice and snow from power lines and infrastructure and tackle the toughest winter challenges. These include:

  • Booms: Specialized booms can shoot high-pressure water at insulators to wash them clean of ice and snow.

  • De-Icing Spray: Helicopters can be outfitted with high-pressure tanks and pumps that spray hot water or special de-icing fluids onto power lines, roads, and buildings.
  • Power Line De-Icers: A helicopter-borne power line de-icer removes ice or snow from high-voltage power lines using an innovative system attached to the helicopter. This system includes a frame with a vibrator powered by an onboard electric source.

    An aerial crew member operates the vibrator remotely from inside the helicopter, causing the vibratory forces applied to the power line to dislodge accumulated snow and ice.

Physical Snow Removal

Helicopter crew members can also physically remove ice and snow from power lines, rooftops, and other structures. They can use a pole to shake it off, a brush to sweep it off, or a hose to blast it away using steam or air.

Helicopter Snow Removal: Safety Considerations to Keep in Mind

Helicopter operations in snowy conditions require a high level of precision, skill, and experience. Here are some key safety protocols your team must keep in mind in order to stay safe:

  • De-Energize Power Lines: In some cases, it may be necessary to de-energize power lines prior to performing snow removal operations to ensure the safety of aerial crews and ground crews.

  • Maintain a Safe Flying Distance: When clearing snow or ice from power lines and other structures, pilots must maintain a safe distance to avoid causing further interference or damage.

  • Rely on Helicopter Service Experts: Reputable helicopter companies like Helicopter Express follow strict flight and safety protocols to ensure the success of every mission – without compromising safety. 

Work With Helicopter Express for All Your Snow Removal Needs

At Helicopter Express, we specialize in aerial operations for utility construction and repair. Our pilots, aerial crews, and ground-based team members know how to keep critical infrastructure up and running – even in tough conditions like the snow and ice that accompanies severe winter weather.

We’re based in North Georgia, but we have contracts all across the U.S. and abroad. Our experienced crews are ready to assist with power line inspections, emergency snow removal, and more at a moment’s notice. 

Whether you need help blowing snow off electrical lines, clearing access roads, or inspecting damage after a severe storm, we have the helicopter fleet, equipment, and expertise to support your operation.

Contact us today to learn more about our helicopter snow removal services. Our experts will help ensure that your utilities and infrastructure remain operative throughout the winter.

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