A long-term partnership pays off with swift service.
Meeting deadlines is one of FSB’s strengths, and nowhere is it more evident than in the rapid completion of Hangar 6. Located at the American Airlines Tech Operations maintenance base in Tulsa, this new hangar was quickly needed to provide enclosed maintenance service for two MD11 wide-body aircraft – a size and type of plane which had never been serviced before in Tulsa.
The completed maintenance hangar’s doors provide an impressive 76′ clear height. Inside the building, two of the wide-body MD11s can be parked side by side, within a clear span and no columns. Specialty shop spaces for paint, parts and tool storage, personnel facilities, administrative offices and a central plant also are incorporated.
For the service bays, FSB’s design includes unique suspended fuselage stands allowing for easier access to the underbody of the aircraft. Rail-mounted wing and engine stands, plus a roof truss-suspended tail and engine dock, make it easier for maintenance personnel to align the aircraft while removing and reattaching components. Landing gear pits allow staff direct access underneath the aircraft, while fixed-nose docks provide both an additional access point and increased stability. Also, two 10-ton bridge cranes are stationed in each bay.
The wash/strip bay utilizes a vertical airflow system to provide 100 FPM capture velocity within 5 feet of the paint surface. Use of this system adds a great deal of flexibility, making it possible to convert the structure into an aircraft paint bay should the need arise. FSB’s integrated technical process further boosts this flexibility through HVAC equipment configured for future cooling coil, paint filter and carbon filter additions.
FSB designers overcame yet another challenge after hangar construction was underway, when American Airlines determined that it needed a second central plant. The plant was connected with both the new hangar and with an original central plant a quarter-mile away. By working closely with the contractor and airline personnel, this final hurdle was scaled, and the project was completed well before the aircraft delivery date.