October 2017
Archer Western Aviation Partners Completes KC-46A Hangar Complex
WICHITA, KS – Archer Western Aviation Partners has completed the KC-46A Hangar Complex at McConnell Air Force Base. Consisting of three separate buildings, the hangar bays are designed to accommodate the new KC-46A Pegasus military aerial refueling tankers.
The complex features a 175,000-square-foot three-bay general purpose hangar, a 145,000-square-foot two-bay corrosion control/fuel cell hangar, and a 69,000-square-foot general maintenance hangar and aircraft parking apron.
(Photo credit: U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Erin McClellan)
“This is pretty awesome,” commented Col. Josh Olson, commander of McConnell’s 22nd Air Refueling Wing in a recent article from the Wichita Eagle.
Each of the hangar bays has a roof suspended with an innovative high pressure, high expansion foam fire prevention system. This system protects large-frame fixed-wing aircraft, and is the first of its kind to utilize foam inductors to supply foam generators at 75-feet above ground-level.
Notable features of each of the three hangar bays include:
- The General Maintenance Hangar provides an area for regular inspections, repairs, maintenance, and replacement of aircraft components.
- The 2-Bay Hangar was designed to be an environmentally controlled area to wash aircraft as well as for corrosion treating and repairing, paint stripping and maintenance painting. The Fuel Cell portion of the hangar includes both vapor exhaust and breathing air supply equipment to create a controlled environment for the inspections and repairs. The Corrosion Control Bay includes a large HVAC system with filtration system designed to handle 1 million CF/min of air exchange.
- The 3-Bay Hangar will be used as an inspection hangar with the capability for repair service if required.
“Ahead of requirements and within budget. It doesn’t get better than that,” said James Hearn, director of regional business for the Army Corps of Engineers.
Over 23 million pounds of local steel was used for the structural framing of the three hangars. The buildings were designed and constructed to have low environmental impact, with each individual hangar expected to achieve LEED Silver Certification.
Archer Western Aviation Partners is a joint venture between Walsh Federal, LLC, Alberici Constructors, Inc. and Flincto, LLC.