First day on the job at Stuttgart Airport
The Schmidt CJS-DI, the multifunctional jet sweeper that can also be used as a de-icer, combines the highest levels of performance, manoeuvrability and elegance. It is custom-made for airport use and can be fitted with a removable spreader or sprayer to meet individual requirements.
The CJS-DI has been on a tour of the world’s airports for several months. We went to Stuttgart Airport, the first stop on the tour, to catch up with Klaus Bayha (KB), Senior Expert for Fleet Renewal & Fleet Projects. He gave us some revealing insights.
What was it that first attracted you to the new Schmidt CJS-DI design?
KB: We’ve been looking to add a compact jet sweeper with an extra sprayer to our winter service fleet for a long time. We’ve been running an Otto 104 – if you like, the ‘grandfather’ of today’s Schmidt CJS-DI – since 1998. We have been big fans of this compact design since the very beginning. It helps us to clear snow and ice from the tarmac in the shortest possible time, which ensures that flights run on time during the winter. Our Otto 104 is getting a bit long in the tooth now and the requirements in terms of digital systems (e.g. Track and Trace) are also a major factor for us. This means the development of the Schmidt CJS-DI is really positive from our point of view. We were in regular contact with Schmidt during the development process, so we were able to contribute our own suggestions. The brand new Schmidt CJS-DI was in service with us for 2.5 months. So far we have been very happy with it and we are convinced the machine is the ideal addition to our existing winter fleet. After a few tweaks and adjustments, Schmidt’s team of specialists turned it into exactly the machine we have in mind for clearing aprons in the future.
What has changed compared to the Otto 104?
KB: Up to now, with the Otto 104 we had a spraying width of three metres (10ft) (vehicle width). The Schmidt CJS-DI has a spraying width of 15 metres (50ft), so it’s 5x wider. The new machine has also made a quantum leap in terms of manoeuvrability, cutting-edge technology and intelligent assistance systems. The Schmidt CJS-DI is definitely the best in its class in all these areas. The Schmidt CJS-DI is also a major improvement in terms of ergonomics and comfort for our drivers. Thanks to the hydro-pneumatic chassis it is much more comfortable to drive, which means they can work without getting tired. Drivers are also very pleased with the user-friendly, self-explanatory control column; you can see they really enjoy driving the machine. The size of the fluid tank is another big difference; with the Otto 104 it was 3,000 litres; now we have up to 5,000 litres capacity.
How many litres of spraying fluid and granules do you use on average?
(KB): In a ‘normal’ winter we need an average of 2.2 million litres of spraying fluid, but in harsh winters we’ve used as much as 3 million litres in the past. But it varies of course, depending on the conditions, whether the winter is particularly harsh, how long the winter lasts and what the average temperature is.
How do you see the jet sweeper segment developing?
(KB) That completely depends on the size of the airport and the numbers of runways, taxiways and apron areas. Fundamentally I think the demand for compact, high-performance jet sweepers which can also be used for de-icing will continue to rise, because tarmac areas have to be cleared as quickly as possible to keep flights running smoothly.
Thank you very much for talking to us, Mr Bayha.
