This equipment recommended practice defines the requirements for a permanent vehicle-mounted or slip-in accessory device designed to transport and distribute aggregate de-icing, anti-icing, or friction modifying solid materials or wetted solid materials onto runways, taxiways, ramp, and terminal areas and other paved surfaces on an airport. It is not intended for liquid material spreaders which are addressed in ARP5559. The material spreader may be permanently mounted on a carrier vehicle, trailer, or semi-trailer, or temporarily installed on a carrier vehicle trailer, or semi-trailer for seasonal use only. The carrier vehicle may be dedicated to material spreading applications only, or provide additional functions such as a plow vehicle, flat bed or dump body. Carrier vehicles are self-propelled prime movers, generally a commercial or purpose-built truck that provides the mobility to move the material spreader on these paved surfaces. Carrier vehicle recommended practices may be found in ARP5943 plows and ARP5539, rotary plow with carrier vehicle. This recommended practice does not include requirements for the carrier vehicle, snow plow or other applications for the carrier vehicle.

The airport sponsor requires this equipment in order to maintain the airfield prior to, during and after snow and ice events. In combination with other supporting Snow Removal Equipment (SRE), the material spreader will enable the airport to modify the friction on surfaces used by aircraft prior to the accumulation of snow or ice; during or after a snow or ice event; or, after the removal of snow or ice by other snow removal equipment. Material spreader vehicles are often equipped with a displacement plow to provide both plowing and material spreading functionality. Some units may be used for other service such as parking lot or roadway snow and ice control, applying material for spills, for use as a conventional dump truck, or other applications.

It is the intent of this document to describe a hopper type material spreader, or hopper type material spreader combined with a liquid reservoir for pre-wetting the chemical, complete with rear end spreading device and necessary operational controls, suitable for skid mounting or chassis mounting on a carrier vehicle for airport application. The spreader material deposition is controlled by a single operator, normally the driver of the carrier vehicle, employing a control panel conveniently placed near the operator control station close to the driver's position. Material spreaders are primarily defined by the carrying capacity of the hopper (typically expressed in cubic yards) and by the width of the path for reliable and accurate material spreading (typically expressed in feet). Presently, typical hopper capacities vary from about 8 cubic yards to about 16 cubic yards; and, spreading widths vary from about 12 feet to about 80 feet. The material spreading pattern should produce a uniform distribution pattern, an even path from as little as 2 feet wide to the maximum specified spreading width throughout the spreading speed range. The unit should be designed to allow loading with bucket loaders, fixed equipment and manual loading. It should provide for protecting the dry materials in the hopper from direct exposure to the elements, particularly moisture before, during and after a snow event, and the safe and consistent spreading of the material on airport surfaces. In addition, the unit must provide methods of efficiently removing material from the hopper when no longer needed (end of storm/season) or for unit maintenance.

Material spreaders should be designed for operation using any of the typical airport snow and ice control chemicals, specifically including airport sand, sodium acetate, calcium chloride, Sodium Formate Urea and Urea liquid solution and liquid Potassium Acetate. Airport sponsors may specify other chemicals appropriate to their operational needs.