Stuttgart Airport’s Winter Service Herd

On a large area next to the runway at Stuttgart Airport, the winter service vehicles stand deserted, quiet and still in the autumn fog, yet ready for action at any moment – an impressive sight both in terms of their number and the size and length of the machines.

Although the snow clearing vehicles, sweepers, blowers and sprayers are neatly arranged in several rows, they look like a herd of mighty, yellow-orange giants, awakened from their summer slumber and now waiting expectantly, ready to then stream across the runway in a wide formation like a stampede when snow falls, with the loud roar of their diesel engines and the scraping of rubber and steel on concrete. Many airport employees from other departments who have volunteered for winter service are also at the wheel.