A newbie doubt, if it's ok...

I don't know what you consider "major" but my home field (BED, Hanscom
Field) gets a ton of bizjet traffic and not-infrequent visits from chartered
737s and military transports.

And they definitely do not clear the runway "meticulously." After one
nor'easter a couple years ago I remember some touch-and-goes on a runway
with at least 1-1/2" of moderately-packed snow/slush that reminded me of
toboggan rides on cafeteria trays from high school. Of course the tires on a
big ship would bite down through that pretty easily.

"Greg Butler" wrote in message
. ..

why is it that we don't ever hear of aircraft skidding and going
off-track while taxiing or even during takeoff/landing? Is the lack of
such incidents only because of the meticulousness of ice clearance by
airport authorities?

It is because no pilot would dare take off or land on an icy runway, and
yes
they are meticulously cleared at major airports.