The City of Syracuse Department of Aviation was presented with the 2005-2006 Balchen/Post Award for Excellence in the Performance of Snow and Ice Control for Syracuse Hancock International Airport at the recent International Aviation Snow Symposium sponsored by the Northeast Chapter of the American Association of Airport Executives in Buffalo, New York.

The Balchen/Post Award is presented to airports across North America based on a variety of factors, including the amount of snowfall for the season, the number of airport closures, and the airport's Federal Aviation Administration approved snow and ice removal plan. During the 2005-2006 snow removal season the Airport received 124.6 inches of snow and it snowed 19 days with more than 2 inches of snow accumulation. There was a total of 89 days with at least a trace of winter precipitation with December being the third snowiest month on record and February being the eighth snowiest on record. The Airport remained open during this entire period, maintaining its commitment to providing the highest level of customer service while at the same time ensuring the safety of passengers and employees

The Maintenance and Operation Divisions of the Department of Aviation are responsible for snow removal and ice control; maintaining two runways and over 100 lane miles of pavement utilizing a variety of removal methods including plowing, sanding, sweeping and snow-blowing.

This is the 7th time Syracuse has been presented with this award. Previous years include 1981,1989, 1993, 2000, 2001, 2003 and 2006.