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$24M hydrant fueling system project announced at Westover

  • Published
  • By Lt. Col. James Bishop
  • 439th Airlift Wing
WESTOVER AIR RESERVE BASE, Mass. --  Some 40 civic, business, and military leaders gathered at a ceremony June 24 announcing a $24.4 million contract to fund a new fuel hydrant system on base.

The ceremony took place on the C-5 aircraft ramp at Westover, in the shadow of a C-5 Galaxy, the largest aircraft in the U.S. military.

Opening the ceremony, Congressman Richard Neal said, "Today is a good day for Westover, a good day for America's national defense, and a good day for the Western Massachusetts economy."

Col Steven Vautrain, 439th Airlift Wing commander, called the new system "environmentally sound" and an important upgrade to continue Westover's mission.
The current fuel hydrant, a Type III system, was commissioned in 1990, and some parts date back to the original Type II system, commissioned in 1952, said Don Gale, Westover fuels manager.

The project will construct a pressurized hydrant fuel system with 14 hydrant outlets and two 210,000 gallon above-ground fuel storage tanks, according to Brett Bailey, chief of design for Base Civil Engineering. He said the work will include modifying the existing pump house, and constructing new truck fill-stands, among other improvements.

The new fuel storage capacity will be 420,000 gallons, and the current storage capacity is 584,000 gallons. "So we lose 164,000 gallons of hydrant storage capability," said Gale, "but we only have to maintain two above-ground storage tanks versus twelve underground tanks."

In an earlier written statement, Congressman Neal said, "This is a very significant investment into the infrastructure and long term viability of the base in Chicopee. The $24 million upgrade will help Westover perform its mission much more effectively. As one of the largest employers in the region, this contract will bring construction jobs and economic growth to western Massachusetts. It also reinforces Westover's importance as a national strategic military asset."

The contract was awarded by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New England District and is funded by the Defense Logistics Agency. The Army Corps of Engineers will manage and supervise the project which will be accomplished by Structural Associates, Inc. of East Syracuse, New York.

A C-5 can hold 323,000 pounds or about 54,000 gallons of fuel. "This new system is going to greatly increase our ability to deliver large amounts of fuel to aircraft as quickly and safely as possible, which is absolutely essential to the mission. The new system will be similar to ones used at major airports," said Col. Vautrain.

An average fuel delivery for a C-5 is about 15,000 gallons of fuel, said Gale. "It would take 3 trips with one refueling truck 135 minutes to refuel a single C-5. By comparison, this new hydrant system will do the same refuel operation in 30 minutes, or 4.5 times quicker," he said.

The project will be completed in stages. It is scheduled to begin in September and take two years.