Category Archives: Replacement Doors and Extensions

Malta

In order to accommodate larger aircraft in the smallest of its three maintenance hangars, Lufthansa Technik asked REIDsteel to design an extension of 20m deep and 20m high under the central door head of this 90m span hangar.

The design team worked under the constraint that this new extension was to be constructed on top of the existing apron which could only accept shallow excavations. This led REIDsteel to recommend that an electrically operated fabric curtain door from Megadoor be used.

This type of door needs less intrusive civil-works than a ground bearing slab-sliding type of  hangar door. However, some ground work is still essential to prevent rainwater hitting the front of the hangar collecting at the bottom of the doors and contend with rainwater running across the apron area. All of this water has to be diverted away from the door zone to help minimise the risk of water ingress beneath the door and across the hangar floor.

Steelwork and cladding was designed, supplied and erected by REIDsteel and the end result is a very neat and hugely accommodating extension, that incorporates translucent door fabric to allow diffused daylight into the hangar, and wall mounted louvre/ridge-vent combination that help to provide a comfortable and productive working environment.

The Megadoor was a five curtain design which when raised produced clear heights of 20m in the centre section, dropping to 18.5m and then 15m in the outer sections.

“Many thanks for the handover last week and for conducting such a smooth running project till the end. It was a very profession job all the way and it was a pleasure to have the opportunity to work together again.” LTM’s Project Manager.

Bournemouth Airport, UK

This extension to the existing Hangar 12 at Bournemouth Airport has a clear span of 100m, is 12m deep and 22m high to the eaves. The main contractor’s work started on this project in the summer of 2013 and we commenced assembly of the main truss at the beginning of October 2013.

Once the pre-assembly work had been carried out, it was then time for the 140T truss to be lifted into position, using a 500T and a 1000T crane. Due to the ever-changing weather, the procedure, originally being delayed by two weeks, was then brought forward 24 hours to take advantage of a perfectly still day. With the help of our suppliers, Civils and Bournemouth International Airport, we were given the green light to go ahead with the lift, which was witnessed by the Designer, Richard Callaghan and Draughtsman, Steve Roberts.

Once all the steelwork and cladding was completed the Megadoor was installed.

Biggin Hill, UK

In order to house two new aircraft, including a BAe146 with a 26.2m wing span and a Dassault Falcon 900 with a 19.3m wing span, new doors and an extension of the T2 hangar at Biggin Hill Airport were required. This would increase the door height from 7.62m to 9.25m.

There are 6 door slabs on 3 tracks, giving an entrance 34m wide by 9.25m high. The doors are all electrically operated, and can be moved independently of each other. The hangar doors have a fail-safe opening and closure system which is operated by a handheld pendant. In the event of a power failure the motors can be disconnected and simply pushed.

The doors are insulated with microrib composite panel cladding, and designed to withstand an hourly wind speed of 22 metres/second.

The door hood steel frame was erected independently from the existing hangar steel frame. REIDsteel erected the steel, fitted the cladding and wired and commissioned the electric doors, whilst maintaining access into the hangar for plant etc.

The advantage of this extension was that the client is able to house aircraft which are higher than that which the original T2 was ever designed to accommodate.

Norwich International Airport, UK

Due to existing and new contracts, KLM UK Engineering Ltd needed an increase in the tail entry height and more available space in their existing hangar at Norwich International Airport.

The clear door height of the original hangar was only 9.2m, but the requirement was to be able to house a Boeing 737 with a tail height of 12.5m.

To achieve this, the design incorporated a 3 panel Megadoor and an extension with a depth of 10m, an eaves height 11.7m and an apex height of nearly 17m. With the middle fabric door section being 13.2m clear height and 10.2m width, and the panels either side reducing in height to 9m clear height but increasing in width to 17.5m the 737 could fit.

The main contractor for the project was May Gurney, and REIDsteel detailed, supplied and erected the extension. Once the job was completed, the client was able to accommodate the increased plane height and length at minimal additional cost.

Southend Airport, UK

The clients existing hangar had a limited eaves height which restricted his ability to maintain certain aircraft.

REIDsteel designed and installed a 12.5m high by 2m deep frame adjacent to his existing hangar to accept a 11.65m high REIDsteel multi-panel sliding door which offered considerably increased usage of his existing facility.

Bembridge Airport, Isle of Wight

REIDsteel were commissioned to design, manufacture and install a new 30m wide by 5.5m high by 1.9m deep clad door support housing to accept a new twin panel Megadoor with drop down mullions.

This housing sat adjacent to the existing hangar gable and was structurally independent but flashed into the existing building for weatherproofing purposes.

The door was supplied and installed in two panels by Megadoor, and the client benefitted from new, reliable doors that are easy to operate.