New two-bay C-130J Fuel System Maintenance Hangar boosts safety and performance at Little Rock Air Force Base.
In order to obtain a new building and improve the associated site development, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers commissioned FSB to design a two-bay C-130J Fuel System Maintenance Hangar that would fully integrate utility systems within the building and on the site. The design solution centered around finding a balance between aesthetics and functionally, while providing a low-cost for maintenance and operation.
Working within the constraints, three massing volumes were developed with two hangar bays framing the ridge line running east-west at the centerline of the hangar (and keel line of the aircraft). The design of the hangar layout maximized space by incorporating an angled wall to reduce the hangar area at the outbound side of the aircraft nose.
Additional work included demolition of an existing hangar, a small metal building, de-icer (glycol) facility included pump house and tank structures, approximately 50 existing parking spaces and relocation of an existing pavilion. Per the base’s requirements, the work was coordinated to prevent any interruption in de-icing services during the transition from the old to the new hangar.
Unique to this project, the original RFP documents included a design with a different massing. FSB worked with the team through a series of design charrettes to create a new massing arrangement that provided substantial cost savings by lowering the height of the UFC required CMU walls that separate the hangars from the center admin/shops area. By establishing the new massing form and developing a pre-engineered structure, our team was successful in getting the project cost within the allowable funds.
New federal anti-terrorism/force protection design regulations were incorporated into the C-130J Fuel System Maintenance Hangar. Additional safety steps also were added to allow the aircraft to be maintenance without being drained of fuel prior to repairs. That necessitated additional safety features, specifically explosion-proof electrical outlets and windows which were placed at an elevated level equal to the top of the high-bay doors. Safety issues were further addressed through fire suppression systems in each hangar bay consisting of an overhead wet pipe sprinkler system combined with high-expansion foam.
Two additional features were focused specifically on personal benefits to the crew stationed at the base. An existing outdoor pavilion utilized for employee breaks was relocated. Also, washers and dryers were installed in a central area of the hangar, allowing crews to wash coveralls on site, rather than being forced to take fuel-smelling (and potentially flammable) clothing to their personal home to be cleaned.