The Quad Cities International Airport (QCIA) will receive more than $1.2 million from a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) program to help airport crews safely clear snow and ice from QCIA runways.
The funding will be used to upgrade existing snow removal equipment at the Moline-based airport, primarily via replacing surface brooms, said Ashleigh Davis, public relations and marketing manager for QCIA.
“Airports cannot use salt on the airfield as it is too corrosive to aluminum airplanes and jet engines,” Ms. Davis said. “We rely on a variety of heavy machinery to safely clear snow and ice instead. These machines operate under some of the most punishing weather conditions so parts wear out quickly and we need spare parts and enough machines to keep clearing snow and ice so flights can continue to operate.”
U.S. Rep. Cheri Bustos, D-Moline, said in a news release last week announcing the funding, “In Northwest and Central Illinois, snow removal is essential to the safety and efficiency of our airports.”
The new funding will “help keep passengers safe and flights on time,” Ms. Bustos added.
Ms. Davis said the $1.2 million was made available through the FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which provides grants for the planning and development of public-use airports that are included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems. The grants serve to improve safety, capacity, and noise compatibility.
The AIP money is funded by the Airport and Airway Trust fund, which is supported by user fees, fuel taxes and other similar revenue sources, she said.
