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Civil & Marine

KC-46A Hangar Complex at McConnell Air Force Base

Wichita, Kansas

Award-winning hangar megaproject upgrades flight ops at McConnell AFB

Market

Civil & Marine

Key Services

Construction

Preconstruction

Self-Perform

Steel Fabrication

Strategic Partnerships

Virtual Design & Construction

Delivery Method
General Contracting (GC)
Self Perform %
35%
Capacity
389,000 SF

The challenge

This project encompassed four construction projects built concurrently, including a 175,000 SF hangar, a 145,000 SF hangar, a 69,000 SF hangar and an aircraft parking apron composed of 26,562 cubic yards of tarmac. All three hangars were constructed to achieve USGBC LEED Silver certification. The project also featured demolition of eight existing buildings, extensive site work, and complex utility installation. In total, the project featured 389,000 SF of modern, high-bay hangar construction with clear span superstructures reaching heights of approximately 100 feet.

Simultaneous construction of the three large-scale hangars presented our project team with the challenge of managing multiple critical-path activities simultaneously on a secure and confined site. One critical project task required the erection of nearly 23 million pounds of steel. The task was completed successfully without a single safety incident or accident.

Key Facts

Excellence in Construction Award for Mega-projects, Associated Builders & Contractors of Oklahoma


Air Force Design Award of Honor for Excellence and Efficiency

Challenge met

Because of the project’s sprawling footprint, we strategized to ensure concurrent work from adjacent contractors continued uninterrupted. The project’s 14 acres of construction staging area were used to prefabricate structural trusses, mechanical ductwork, mechanical piping racks and concrete test slabs.  In addition, Cessna Aircraft Corporation operates property that adjoins the base. We worked in partnership with Cessna to establish a dedicated construction and security gate that allowed 24/7 access to a dedicated “free-zone” throughout the full duration of construction.

We also developed a strong relationship with base security staff, becoming a security force multiplier that gave the base added sets of eyes and ears to detect any potential threats in and around the construction area.

Throughout the project, we refined sequencing to accommodate all ongoing aircraft operations, including an active taxiway that intermittently traversed construction activities. To protect the existing KC-135 aircraft and project site from jet blast, we placed 10-foot-tall concrete barriers along the work area.

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