Taking cover: A-10s, maintainers protected by the shades

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Tallace Madina
  • 917th Wing Public Affairs
BARKSDALE AFB, La. --  The flight line has experienced a facelift. A-10s and their maintainers will no longer perform their missions under the intense, unforgiving sunlight summer weather brings.

Thanks to the newly constructed A-10 sunshades, maintainers will feel on average 17 degrees cooler now while working on aircraft than they have in the past, according to project contractors. 

The new sunshades, likened to oversized car ports, will protect aircraft components from heat and ultraviolet light, thus extending the service life of the aircraft systems, according to Lt. Col. William Bumpus, sunshade project officer. 

"While extending the service life of the A-10s is an excellent reason to build the sun shades, the most immediate and rewarding benefit will be the relief from the elements, particularly the summer sun and rain, for our crew chiefs and other maintainers," he said. 

"The health of the A-10 fleet will also benefit from the added rain and weather protection by reducing water intrusion, which affects several of the A-10 systems' reliability," said Chief Master Sgt. Steve Vogle, 717th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron superintendent.
Much planning went into the $1.7 million contract to construct the 24 sunshades, Colonel Bumpus said. 

Before any work on the fight line began, wing tip clearance and safety precautions were considered. Wing tip clearance is the minimum space required between an aircraft and the buildings and equipment situated on the flight line. 

"Safety is always a top priority," Colonel Bumpus said. Munitions, heat, noise, jet blast, refueling procedures and vehicle operations are all considered when planning the layout of a ramp. 

This plan, which became a reality near one year ago, required the cooperation of many base agencies to include: 2nd and 917th Civil Engineer Squadrons, 2nd and 917th Security Forces Squadrons, 2nd Operations Group and 93d Bomb Squadron, among others. 

Active-duty B-52s had to be shuffled around to make space for reserve B-52s and A-10s. The fighters were relocated to the reserve end of the bomber portion of the flight line, allowing for the space necessary to build the sun shades. 

Once the sun shade project is completed in mid-September, aircraft will be returned to their original locations. 

"Lieutenant Colonel Bumpus has done a magnificent job sorting through the significant construction issues and bringing this project to fruition," said Lt. Col. Jimbo Macaulay, 47th Fighter Squadron commander. "This is a classic case of a reservist with talent and experience in the civilian world, utilizing them for the benefit of AFRC. These sunshades will dramatically help us preserve our two most valuable assets, our jets and the dedicated troops that make them fly."