Video showing the process with which airplanes are de-iced is strange but fascinating to watch
Published on Mar 18, 2026 at 10:13 PM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Mar 18, 2026 at 12:40 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
A video of a plane getting blasted with bright orange liquid is doing the rounds online.
The clip was filmed on the tarmac in Trondheim, Norway, and it’s weirdly satisfying to watch.
At first glance, it looks like someone’s giving a jet the world’s most aggressive car wash.
But what’s actually happening here is a lot more important than it looks.
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Why the plane in the video is getting sprayed with orange liquid
The video, shared by Supercar Blondie with groundopstrd, shows ground crew completely soaking an aircraft in a mysterious orange liquid.
It’s dramatic, slightly hypnotic, and very deliberate.
That liquid is called Type I de-icing fluid, and it’s there to clear the plane before it even leaves the ground.
It’s a mix of glycol and water, heated to around 140-170°F (60-80°C), then sprayed under high pressure across the wings and body.
Planes can’t take off with ice, frost, or snow stuck to them.
Even a thin layer can mess with airflow over the wings, which is what keeps the aircraft in the air in the first place.
The bright orange color isn’t just for looks either.
It helps the crew see exactly where they’ve sprayed, so nothing gets missed while they’re working quickly in freezing conditions.
There’s another step most people don’t see
What the video doesn’t show is that this is often just step one.
Once the plane is cleared of ice, there’s usually a follow-up that happens straight after.
That second step uses a different fluid called Type IV, which is thicker and usually green.
Instead of removing ice, it stops new ice from forming while the plane waits to take off.
And that waiting period matters.
Once a plane is de-iced, there’s only a short window before ice can start building up again, especially in bad weather.
So while the video looks calm and satisfying, what’s actually happening is a fast, tightly timed process that makes sure the plane is safe to leave the ground.
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With roles at TEXT Journal, Bowen Street Press, Onya Magazine, and Swine Magazine on her CV, Molly joined Supercar Blondie in June 2025 as a Junior Content Writer. Having experience across copyediting, proofreading, reference checking, and production, she brings accuracy, clarity, and audience focus to her stories spanning automotive, tech, and lifestyle news.
