New Regional Inspection Hangar Opens at Westover Air Reserve Base
A new chapter in aircraft maintenance and mission readiness has begun at Westover Air Reserve Base in Chicopee, Massachusetts, with the official opening of its new 94,000-square-foot Regional Inspection Hangar.
A/Z Corporation and Cianbro served as the design-build team for the facility, which will support major inspections and maintenance of the U.S. Air Force’s C-5M aircraft. Among the largest aircraft in the Air Force fleet, the C-5M provides critical strategic airlift capabilities for missions around the world.
The new facility replaces a hangar that had served the base for approximately 70 years. According to WWLP 22News, Westover is one of only two U.S. military installations equipped to perform this specialized inspection work. Approximately 200 personnel from the 439th Maintenance Group will operate within the facility, completing inspections that typically require two to three weeks for each aircraft.
Built for a Specialized Mission
The hangar was designed to provide Westover with expanded capacity and a modern environment in which technicians can perform complex aircraft inspection and maintenance operations. In addition to the main hangar bay, the building includes offices, a sheet metal shop, bench-stock areas, a computer room, shower rooms, and other support spaces.
Construction began with the demolition of the previous building and required significant planning and coordination to accommodate the facility’s size and specialized functions. The project incorporated more than 300 concrete piers, new foundations and floor slabs, structural steel, insulated metal wall panels, and roofing systems.
Among the project’s most prominent features are its structural steel trusses, which span nearly 300 linear feet and were erected approximately eight stories above the ground. Electrically powered hangar doors reaching approximately 70 feet in height provide the clearance needed to accommodate the immense C-5M aircraft.
The design-build team also delivered the facility’s fire protection, fire alarm, HVAC, electrical, mechanical, and utility systems, creating an integrated environment that supports the exacting requirements of aircraft maintenance.
Supporting Readiness for the Future
The opening of the Regional Inspection Hangar represents an important investment in Westover Air Reserve Base, the Chicopee community, and the nation’s defense infrastructure. The facility gives the 439th Maintenance Group additional capacity to conduct its specialized work safely and efficiently while helping keep the C-5M fleet prepared for future missions.
A/Z and Cianbro are proud to have contributed to a facility that will support the Air Force’s personnel, aircraft, and mission for decades to come.
