Fueling an Expanded Mission

摘要

Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station is home to Air Force Reserve Command's 911th Airlift Wing, which provides tactical airlift support for equipment, aeromedical evacuation, and agile combat support. To accommodate a mission change from a C-130 airframe to the more versatile C-17 cargo aircraft, the base required a new Type Ⅲ Hydrant Fueling System to be commissioned. Additional supporting work included expansions and upgrades to the apron, maintenance facilities, and fueling systems. Overall, the project will help dramatically enhance capacity to deliver troops and essential equipment where needed. To expedite these changes required several additional infrastructure improvements, including a new pumphouse, the integration of updates within the existing system, an overhaul of the current controls system, and the addition of a new 5-Mbbl tank. With work beginning during the early stages of the coronavirus, restrictions put in place posed unique challenges. Delaying the commissioning until heightened health and safety protocols were lifted was not an option. So in May 2020, a team from Pond navigated the intense travel constraints, evolving procedures, and social distancing guidelines to carry out the crucial upgrades.