It’s been scorching in the Charlotte area this week, but for the people who help get your airplane ready to fly, it’s even hotter on the tarmac.
“Yeah, the last week’s been a little rough with the heat. We actually have a temperature gauge we can measure the ramp,” said Tate Rimer, an aviation service worker at Concord-Padgett Regional Airport.
Rimer grew up watching planes fly in and out of the Concord airport with his granddad. Now, he works here.
“This past weekend when it was right at 100 outside, the ramp temperature was around 140,” Rimer said.
For Rimer and the hundreds of airport workers in Concord and Charlotte, safety precautions are in place when it gets this hot.
“So every two hours, we want people to come inside for at least 15 minutes,” said Joseph Howley, the aviation safety coordinator with the Concord airport. “Really, I would like to see them come in side for about half an hour to really cool down the body.”
Rimer and his six-man crew mostly work 12-hour shifts.
“Surprisingly, you do get used to it when you’re out in it every day, but you do have to take precautions and look out for one another,” Rimer said.
During the busy times, the crew says planes can be landing every four to five minutes. They have an outdoor air conditioning unit to help out, but it’s still steaming. Thankfully, the uniform helps.
“I suppose it’s a good thing that you at least get to wear shorts,” Channel 9’s Evan Donovan said.
“Yes, that is a saving grace for sure,” Rimer said with a laugh.
Extreme heat is hard on planes, too.
A pilot who runs an air travel blog says very hot weather reduces the thrust on an aircraft’s engines.
In addition, airplanes perform better at cool temperatures because the air is denser. That means planes might need more runway to take off.
We should see some relief from this record-breaking heatwave by this weekend, according to Severe Weather Center 9.
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