Imagine every time a plane needs de-icing in winter, workers spray thousands of litres of chemicals by hand — most of it blown away by wind or wasted. And between services, planes fly dirty, burning extra fuel because of drag. This project built an automated facility that handles both washing and de-icing inside a hangar, recovering up to 95% of the fluid instead of dumping it. Think of it like an automated car wash, but for aircraft — faster, cleaner, and with a payback period under 18 months.
Aircraft de-icing is a safety-critical bottleneck that wastes up to 5000 litres of chemical fluid per application, with much of it lost to wind. Meanwhile, airlines cannot cost-effectively wash aircraft between infrequent servicing, causing dirty planes to burn 1-2% more fuel from increased aerodynamic drag. Both problems cost the industry millions annually in wasted chemicals, excess fuel, and airport delays.
A fully automated dual-use aircraft facility (RS-500) including: a purpose-built hangar with support frames, integrated control and automation systems connected to an aircraft tug (Mototok), and storage tanks with drainage, filtration, separation, and recycling systems for fluid recovery.
If you are an airport operator dealing with expensive, slow manual de-icing that wastes up to 5000 litres of fluid per aircraft — this project built a fully automated de-icing facility that recovers up to 95% of excess fluid, provides full audit trails, and reduces cycle times. The system pays for itself in less than 18 months.
If you are an airline struggling with dirty aircraft that consume 1-2% more fuel due to aerodynamic drag — this project developed an automated washing system integrated into the de-icing facility, allowing you to increase wash frequency without disrupting operations. More frequent washing means measurable fuel savings across your fleet.
If you are a ground handler competing on turnaround time and cost — this project built an automated dual-use system with integrated control and automation, eliminating the need for skilled manual operators spraying de-icer. The system reduces cycle times and lowers operating costs while meeting safety-critical requirements.
The project data states a payback period of less than 18 months, making it an attractive capital investment. Exact system pricing is not disclosed in the available project data, but the short payback suggests strong ROI from fluid savings, reduced labor, and efficiency gains.
The system is designated RS-500 and is designed as a facility-based solution with a purpose-built hangar, integrated aircraft tug (Mototok), and automated control systems. Based on available project data, scale model demonstrations and de-icing trials have been completed with excellent results. A state airport operator has expressed interest in purchasing 4-8 systems.
MSG Aviation has applied for patent coverage in Europe, the US, and Canada. Any licensing or purchase arrangement would need to be negotiated directly with MSG Aviation AS in Norway.
Scale model demonstrations and de-icing trials have been completed with excellent results according to the project objective. The demo deliverables confirm that control and automation systems, storage tanks, drainage and recycling systems, a Mototok aircraft tug, and a full hangar have been assembled and installed.
The system includes drainage, filtration, separation, and recycling systems that recover up to 95% of excess de-icing fluid. This eliminates wind-borne losses common in open-air manual de-icing and significantly reduces environmental contamination.
De-icing is a safety-critical process with strict aviation compliance requirements. The system provides full audit trails for every de-icing operation, which supports regulatory compliance. Based on available project data, specific certifications achieved are not detailed.
A state airport operator has indicated interest in purchasing 4-8 systems, subject to successful demonstration. The project reports overwhelming interest from airport owners, aircraft operators, and ground handlers.
This is a single-company project by MSG Aviation AS, a Norwegian SME that received SME Instrument Phase 2 funding. The 100% industry consortium with no university or research partners signals a commercially driven venture rather than an academic exercise. As a private commercial entity and SME, MSG Aviation is directly motivated to bring this to market. The fact that they secured Phase 2 funding (reserved for close-to-market innovations) and filed patents in three jurisdictions confirms serious commercialization intent.
MSG Aviation AS is a Norwegian SME — coordinator contact can be found via their company website or LinkedIn.
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