Photo By Senior Airman Victoria Cowan | Personnel assigned to the 732nd Air Mobility Squadron designed 10K all-terrain...... read more read more
As the air turned icy and the winds roared through the Alaskan winter of 2023, the 732nd Air Mobility Squadron faced a daunting challenge. The snow and ice that accumulated in the short-term parking lot and on the flightline posed significant threats to safety and efficiency.
When a space-available passenger fell in the parking lot, there was an urgency to find a solution. Feeling a surge of determination, Ryan Bombini, a 732 AMS passenger and baggage processing supervisor, knew that something had to be done to protect the passengers relying on their operational success.
Bombini’s determination led to a groundbreaking idea—the 10K all-terrain forklift ice scraper attachment.
“I recognized the need for an ice scraper so we can address ice build-up immediately and in-house, rather than submitting a request and waiting in-line for priority,” Bombini said. “This approach will help us ensure maximum safety for passengers and staff at the passenger terminal. The specialized tool, designed to attach effortlessly to forklift tynes, will allow personnel to efficiently scrape and break away thick ice build-up on the ground.”
Bombini teamed up with skilled fabricator, Ross Epperson, 732 AMS Industrial Mechanics. Together, they brought the ice scraper attachment to life, crafting two sets—one for Passenger Services and the other for Air Freight.
The result was a game-changing tool that rapidly reduced the risk of slips and falls, transforming the way the squadron approached winter ice mitigation.
“All of the commercially built ice breakers that I found during my research were very expensive and would need retrofitting to work with the 10K AT forklifts,” explained Bombini. “By working with Mr. Epperson, I was able to explain the need and the design I thought up that would work for our application. Mr. Epperson took that and made the ice scrapers we have now.”
But the innovation didn’t stop there. Recognizing another pressing need, Epperson also crafted and maintained a supply of metal wheel chocks with a serrated texture. These chocks fit securely under vehicle wheels, preventing sliding incidents and ensuring safe parking.
This addition fortified flightline operations, providing safety for personnel and aircraft in the most challenging winter conditions.
“I have personally fallen on icy surfaces multiple times over the years, resulting in broken ribs, a wrist, and a shoulder, all requiring surgery,” Epperson said. “I understood the need to make winter conditions safer. The ice scraper achieves this by roughing up icy surfaces, which not only provides better traction for vehicles but also creates safer walking conditions. The operators who have used them have been pleased with their performance.”
With the new ice scraper attachments and metal wheel chocks in place, these innovations created a safer working environment for over 150 dedicated personnel, and their passengers, who could now traverse the airport grounds in a safer manner.
Through their combined ingenuity and relentless commitment to safety, Bombini and Epperson's innovations have forever changed the landscape of winter operations in Alaska.
| Date Taken: | 01.16.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.16.2025 20:31 |
| Story ID: | 489241 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, ALASKA, US |
| Web Views: | 42 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, The 732nd Air Mobility Squadron Triumphs Over Winter: A Tale of Innovation and Safety, by SrA Victoria Cowan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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