Snow joke – we’ve got some n-ice new names for airport’s snowploughs!

The airport opened up a competition to name the seven new vehicles it bought last year to improve its capabilities to keep the airport running when hit by snow and ice. And judges had to plough through a blizzard of ideas, receiving more than 600 entries.

The winning ideas from young members of the public were Scoopy-Doo, Clearapathra and Snowbin Hood for the snowploughs, along with Edward Blizzard Hands for a new snow cutter-blower. The three remaining snowploughs were named by airport employees or their children, who came up with Snow Be Gone Kenobi, Plowasaurus Rex and SnowMAGeddon – the last one incorporating the name of the airport’s parent company.

Winners were invited to the airport to see the snowploughs with their new names and were given a chance to climb on board and speak to the crews who use the equipment to battle with the elements during the winter. They also received a certificate, gift voucher and family tickets to see the Lanterns of the Wild attraction at Twycross Zoo.

The £2.5m investment in the new fleet is part of a £120m improvement programme underway at the airport. The fleet consists of six Schmidt snowploughs known as Compact Jet Sweepers which when working together can clear the runway in 24 minutes – an area of 130,000m2 of asphalt. Also joining the fleet is a snow-cutter blower which can move 5,000 tonnes of snow per hour.

As with the rest of the airport’s ground vehicles, the new winter fleet runs on vegetable oil-based biodiesel which can reduce carbon emissions by up to 90%, as part of East Midlands’ commitment to reach net zero carbon by 2038.

East Midlands Airport’s Operations Director Lauren Turner said: “We were blown away with the number of people who got in touch with some great ideas for naming our new snowploughs - it was a hard job cutting them down to seven. We were pleased to welcome the winners to the airport and show them the fleet complete with their new names.

“It was great to have some fun with the naming competition, but the serious point is having a new fleet playing a key role part in improving the effectiveness and efficiency of our winter operations. Our ability to clear snow and ice from the airfield is vital for the safe operation of the airport during the winter with a view to keeping flights running.”

Public winners

Brandon Fell (15) of Hucknall - Edward Blizzard Hands 

Marliyah Simon (6) of Shepshed - Scoopy Doo 

Xander Batley (6) of Clifton - Snowbin Hood

Isla Woolley (9) of Derby - Clearopathra 

Airport staff

Lee Bowyer, EMA Fire Station - SnowMAGeddon 

Lucy Hadfield of EMA Motor Transport - Snow Be Gone Kenobi

Ashley Noble of EMA Airfield Operations - Plowasaurus Rex