AXION 830 – Ben Cleave, Cardiff Airport

A tractor for every scenario

Ben Cleave

Cardiff Airport had an arrival of a different kind this Spring, in the shape of a new CLAAS AXION 830 which has proved ideal for their very specific needs.

“An airport is a unique place”, states Airport Operations Technician, Ben Cleave. “Unlike a farmer who will normally buy a tractor for a specific purpose, we are buying a tractor for a job that we hope we will hardly ever need it for.”

THE WORST CASE SCENARIO

“The AXION is a tractor for the worst case scenario and for the airport that’s snow and a repeat of the ‘Beast from the East’. We have to have the capacity and equipment in place to be able to handle that level of event, so that the airport can safely resume operations as quickly as possible.” The airport looked at a number of different brands before opting for the AXION, which was ex-demo and specified to a higher level than they might otherwise have opted for. In addition to having GPS steering, using a SATCOR 15 signal running through an S10 terminal, more specific was the need to have a third doubleacting spool added to the front of the tractor. Ben also had it fitted with tinted glass to reduce heat built-up when the tractor is left standing outside for long periods and an airhorn for bird scaring.

VERY EASY TO OPERATE

“The AXION is very easy to operate which is important. To ensure that we always have cover six people are trained to use it, including some of the airfield firemen. Because of its striking looks, the AXION has attracted a lot of attention. I’ve even had staff from the terminal coming over to have a look at it, so it’s a good opportunity to educate people in what we do.” Having a 235hp tractor might seem excessive for their routine needs, but Ben explains that in the event of another ‘Beast from the East’ event, all that power will be required for the airport’s large front-mounted 2.97m wide Schulte snow blower that weighs 1.4 tonnes, requires the three double acting spools and has the capacity to clear 2,600 tonnes of wet snow an hour. However, it does also now give them the option to invest in larger machinery to further improve efficiency and reduce cost.

A more routine operation for the AXION is mowing, using a large 7.8m Schulte 5026 batwing mower and Ben is now looking at upgrading to a 9.0m machine to top the 120ha of grass. “CAA regulations require the airport grass to be kept at between 15 to 20cm which is the optimum level to deter birds. In a normal year I would generally be topping on a 2-week rotation, but that does depend on growth and this year has been exceptional. Other tasks for the AXION include hedge cutting and powering a woodchipper.

GPS STEERING ESSENTIAL

“It may look smooth, but in places there is uneven terrain so having good cab suspension is very important for operator comfort when mowing. It also helps having the GPS steering. In addition to having to keep an eye on the mower and looking out for lights and other obstacles, you also have to pay attention to the radio and messages from the tower, so leaving the tractor to steer itself is one less thing to think about. “Another very useful feature on the S10 terminal is the section boom control. We have two Rau sprayers, one for broadleaf weed control for the grass and the second is used for applying Safe Grip anti-icer to the runway, taxiway and stands. This is extremely expensive and each time we go out we use about 4,000 litres.

“Apart from the cost, from an environmental aspect I am very conscious to not only avoid overlaps, but to also ensure that I use the right pressure and speed. By having section control the sprayer can look after itself and shut off sections automatically, allowing me to concentrate on where I am driving. It also makes it considerably easier to create the maps I have to provide to show where I have sprayed. “The AXION ticks a lot of boxes and James Bramhall and all the team at RIVERLEA have been brilliant in working with us and setting the tractor up to meet our specific needs. We will certainly do more business with them in the future.”

In the event of heavy snow, snow brushes and a high capacity snow blower on the front of the AXION 830 are used to clear Cardiff Airport’s 11ha of runway surface.

Grass is normally topped on a 2-week cycle to keep it at 15-20cm as required by CAA regulations to deter birds.

The JAGUAR is easy to operate, it’s reliable, parts are readily available and the backup is brilliant.

Guy Darnbrook, CLAAS JAGUAR 950, Yorkshire, September 2022