PATRICK AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- The 920th Rescue Wing held a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 12 to mark the
completion of an addition/renovation project on Hangar 630 - the wing's
fixed-wing aircraft isochronal inspection hangar.
The primary incentive
for the project was to expand the structure by roughly 10,000 square feet (from
the building's original 17,000), in order to fully enclose the wing's HC-130P/N
King refueling aircraft.
Prior to the renovation, Hangar 630 was a "nose
dock" - large enough to accommodate all but the tail of the C-130 airframe upon
which the wing's HC-130 is built.
The ability to fit the aircraft
completely inside the hangar and close the doors allows wing maintainers to
proceed with aircraft maintenance operations during all types of weather
conditions, as well as to reduce corrosion problems for the aircraft caused by
the salt air environment.
In addition to the expansion, repairs were made
to the existing building's exterior, the existing interior was painted, and
repairs were made to the existing fire protection system. Improvements included
installation of 100,000 gallon water tank to supply fire-protection system,
installation of a 30,000-gallon underground containment tank for firefighting
foam (Aqueous Film-Forming Foam), installation of a bridge crane, replacing
high-bay light fixtures, installation of fire protection and alarm systems,
renovations to existing fire pumps, coating and painting the hangar floor and
other general architectural work (kitchens, offices and break
rooms).
Some of the equipment required to fully outfit the hangar as an
isochronal inspection dock included maintenance platforms ($1.5 million), an
Omni Arm landing gear removal and replacement tool ($70,000), and heavy duty
tool boxes designed to house the array of tools required to perform ISO
inspections ($50,000).
An Air Force ISO inspection is a thorough
examination of an entire aircraft, during which aircraft maintainers look for
and repair problems in every system--from nose to tail and wingtip to
wingtip.
The 920th performs combat search and rescue as its primary
mission, which includes rescuing servicemembers trapped and or wounded behind
enemy lines.
Additionally, the wing is responsible for civil search and
rescue, humanitarian relief and support of rocket launches. To date, the unit
has saved more than 4,000 lives, both in peacetime and combat.
For more
information on the 920th Rescue Wing, follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
USAF. (U.S. Air Force Graphic by Rosario "Charo" Gutierrez)