The White Falcon


The White Falcon - 07.10.1983, Page 8

The White Falcon - 07.10.1983, Page 8
8 THE WHITE FALCON/October 7. 1983 Airlift Operations Branch The Snow and Ice Removal and Control (SIRC) branch is responsible for maintaining and clearing the runways and taxiways. The Airfield Operations Branch has five primary responsibilities. They are: (1) snow/ice removal and control (SIRC) and foreign object damage (FOD) control within aircraft operating areas; (2) arresting gear operations; (3) airl i ft cargo handling; (4) runway inspections; and (5) ground han- dling of transient mil itary (NATO) aircraft. The personnel are cross-trained in all functions and participate in job assign- ments as the workload requires. The branch is also responsible for all necessary main- tenance and overhaul of assigned equipment, except for the aircraft ground support equipment (GSE) which is maintained by the Aircraft Intermediate Maintenance Depart- ment (AIMD). Because of the extreme climatic condi- tions encountered, it should come as no surprise that during the winter months the majority of effort is expended in the SIRC area. Currently the Airfield Operations Branch is assigned 32 pieces of equipment which are primarily used for this purpose. Last winter -- from Oct. 1, 1982 until April 24, 1983, which was considered to be one of the most severe -- this equipment was in service for nearly 16,000 hours. Additionally, during this period more than one million pounds of UREA (an ice-melting chemical) and 1,000 cubic yards of sand were used. Estimated total snowfall during the period was 150 inches which was present on 117 days. There were approximately 6,000 runway inspections performed to conduct SIRC operations and to derive the braking action, for the benefit of aircraft, on the runways. During FY 1983 the transient line has handled about 1,600 aircraft and the total weight of airlifted cargo received and sent during the same period totals 9,000,000 pounds. Five arresting gear systems are main- tained and operated by the Airfield Opera- tions Branch. These systems are kept avail- able on a 24-hour-a-day basis, something that can be very difficult during heavy snowfal1. In fulfilling these obligations with the best results possible the Airfield Opera- tions Branch has to work in close coordina- tion with almost every other branch and de- partment of the Naval Station. The Airfield Operations Branch is responsible for all transient aircraft visits. The Airlift Cargo Handling crew moved over 9 million pounds of cargo during FY-83. The five arresting gear systems for the F-4's are maintained by Airlift Operations.

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The White Falcon

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