Airmen cool down with future aircraft shelters

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. John Gordinier
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (ACCNS) --  During many of the "dog days of summer," the thermostat registers 106 degrees Fahrenheit on Shaw's flightline and many Airmen like Senior Airman Baanh Dinh, 55th Fighter Squadron aerospace propulsion technician, work out in the extreme heat with no shade to fulfill their mission -- but relief is on the way.

Shaw is constructing multi-million dollar aircraft shelters to improve Airmen's safety, well-being and job environment along with providing aircraft protection from weather elements.

"I am really looking forward to the aircraft shelters and they are really going to improve my working conditions," Airman Dinh said. "I know, because sometimes when it gets too hot out there, I will take a break from work and sit under the shade of the F-16 to cool off. It feels 20 degrees cooler in the shade."

Twelve rows of aircraft shelters are scheduled to be built on the flightline, which will shelter six F-16s each, said Mr. Bob Jones, 20th Civil Engineer Squadron airfield pavements engineer and project manager.

"So far, we have almost completed two rows, which will be used in about three weeks," Mr. Jones said. "We are 'leap-frogging' it, letting the Airmen use completed rows while we construct new ones down the flightline apron. All 72 shelters are scheduled for completion in February 2009."

August and September are the hottest months in South Carolina. There have been times when the flightline temperature reaches 120 degrees or more, Airman Dinh said. These shelters will lower the chance of heat exhaustion and provide protection from the sun's rays, heat and rain.

The Airmen are not the only ones who will benefit from the shade.

The shelters will help protect the aircraft as well, Mr. Jones said. The sun and rain slowly deteriorate the F-16 canopy and paint. Therefore, the amount of exterior maintenance might decrease with the placement of the aircraft shelters.

The career fields that particularly benefit from this project are F-16 maintenance personnel, weapons loaders, crew chiefs and anyone else who work on the F-16s on the flightline.

"I can hardly wait for the opportunity to work in the shade," Airman Dinh said. "I'm very grateful."