The next day, it is 8.00 on a Monday morning, Markus Böhler is looking at around 20 excited faces. It is the second time he has been here and he recognises some familiar faces. The first basic training took place just a few months ago during the freezing-cold winter. The temperatures are now also warmer in Canada, providing the ideal condition for successful training. The participants are divided up into two groups: a group of drivers and a group of service engineers. This is because training geared to the specific target group is the best way to prepare the participants for the tasks that lie ahead of them, thus guaranteeing safety on the traffic areas that need to be cleared around the airport.
The Schmidt TJS-C is ready and looks majestic on the apron. Since the last training, it has already completed more than 500 operating hours. However, the machine shows no sign of any exertions or long deployments. When asked whether 500 operating hours are a lot or not very many, Markus Böhler replies: “That is rather a lot compared to other airports that have less severe winters.”
The Schmidt TJS-C is equipped with a Volvo towing vehicle and a snow plough with a width of eight metres. In contrast to the cassette brushes which are used in many places in Europe, this Schmidt TJS-C is equipped with rotary brushes made of steel. The morning is packed full of theory. After four hours, the participants are finally able to apply what they have learned in theory on the machine. Although the theoretical part in the morning is structured so that each section is interesting and educational, the users are more enthusiastic about trying out what they have learned on the machine for themselves. And this is the pattern for the whole week. A suitable balance between theory and practice is very important to service trainer Markus Böhler because this allows the skills which are learned to be consolidated much more quickly and the training courses are more interactive. In the middle of the week, there was even a surprise visit from Montreal Airport. “We were of course particularly pleased to see that other Canadian airports wanted to take advantage of this opportunity and see the extraordinary clearing capacity of the Schmidt TJS-C for themselves,” explains Markus Böhler.
The drivers were particularly impressed by the efficient clearing performance and the sweeping result with nothing left behind. They were just as pleased with the high ergonomic driving comfort as long deployments over many hours are required in Canada.
And so at the end of the week another training course comes to an end. Markus Böhler is satisfied. The next assignment already awaits: In a few weeks’ time he will be travelling to Macedonia and Iceland.
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