Stranded in Mineralnye Vody

[PAXboy]

You think that YOU'VE had bad delays?? This is a report from a BBC correspondent. I heard it on Radio 4 in From our Own Correspondent and the text is now on the BBC website BBC. It is magnificent and great fun. There is a classic statement: Rather worryingly there's a man selling Caucasian swords and daggers in the departure lounge

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"I tell you, we are here on Earth to fart around, and don't let anybody tell you any different." Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

[Tolsti]

Mineralnye Vody also used to have (may still have) a neat way of clearing snow and ice from the surfaces of aircraft prior to departure. It consisted of a jet engine mouted on a hydraulic platform on a flat bed truck. Said engine was started up and the exhaust heat used to blow and heat the surfaces. Quite something to watch!!

[tom de luxe]

Just out of interest:
How did/do they secure the propulsion device carrying vehicle?

[Tolsti]

As I was inside the aircraft I have no idea, it was one of those large Gaz trucks, probably carying a lot of weight. Maybe one of our Russian ppruners can help, or Boss Raptor?

[Boss Raptor]

I must admit I had heard of these de-icing trucks but for clearing snow off runways etc. and have never seen one, probably as I tend to refuse to go to anywhere I havent heard of east of MOW inhabited by mosquitos or snow depending on the season

I will ask - my thoughts are a) is it really a gas turbine/jet or is it a 'heater' type contraption which could frankly look and sound like a GT - b) if it is a GT wont necessarily be that big and a ZIL is a lot bigger

The answer from MOW;

More than 35 years Klimov Corporation is involved in developing of gas turbine engines for ground vehicles: tanks, trucks, self-propelled vehicles, etc. Klimov transport gas turbine engines have not analogues in the world-gas turbine building. The world-best Ò-80 tank is powered by the engine designed by Klimov.


Klimov has also designed the gas turbine drive for the mobile power station firing diesel and gas fuel. Besides the turboshaft engines may power different marine vessels. The jet version (without free turbine module) may be used to dry premises for cattle and buildings under construction with exhaust gas jet. It is also used to blow snow and ice off the roads, railways and airfields.

http://www.klimov.ru/net/klimov/history_e.htm

Also used to power tanks!

[tom de luxe]

Tanks, cattle, drying buildings, de-icing, and the lovely ZIL, all in one post
Thanks a lot BR!

[Boss Raptor]

Glad to oblige as always...with the 8 staff in my MOW office and their range of Russian aviation experience there is always one of them who usually knows...in this case my powerplants inspector/engineer who is ex Klimov and believe it or not co-incidentally started off as a welder at ZIL along with Mayor Luzhkov of Moscow actually...

...I always say I like to learn something new every day

PS. ZIL also originated a current Russian Football League team called 'Torpedo ZIL' as they made torpedos during the war as well as trucks

[Bumz_Rush]

whats new...

At Dunsfold they used same system....jet tied to back of low truck, and old jet fuel......

At Moscow, I have seen it used to de ice wings and things.....

As to daggers in departure lounge, go to Madina in Saudi....or Sanaa in Yemin....good prices too....

Bumz

[Flap Sup]

M-V isn't that bad! You'll be able to find edible food, even on a cold, dark winter morning.

Tolsti, I doubt very much it was mounted on a bog GAZ. More likely on a KRAZ, KAMAZ or URAL. Both the GAZ and the ZIL is powered by low grade petrol (gasoline for our US friends), which is highly flammable, and even russians would find it worrying to use flames near petrol driven trucks. I have seen several road construction vehicles that had a large flaming device on the flatbed, but all based on diesel driven trucks.

The KRAZ is btw in use in practically every Russian airport as pushback truck.

/FS