Special Envoy Airlines uses its large hangar at Sawyer International Airport for jet engine maintenance.
Jupiter, Florida-February 22, 2018-If there is one of the most important components of the aviation industry that is higher than the others, it is safety. Whether it’s a small engine Cessna, a commuter jet flying in the open sky in the aerial view below, or a 747 commercial airliner carrying more than 400 passengers from one country to another in the stratosphere, the aircraft is always Need to be in the best and safest conditions. At Sawyer International Airport in Marquette County, Michigan, this rule is no exception.
Sawyer International currently operates a series of hangars leased to multiple airline tenants as airline maintenance facilities and protective storage space for aircraft of different sizes. From a deeper perspective, the aircraft is actually disassembled, machined, and then reassembled in these facilities. These airplanes have also been stored here for a long time, so good thermal insulation and air-conditioning are important to maintain their optimal shape while they remain grounded.
The original fireproofing material layered over time and fell off in some parts of the facility.
When the county and its largest tenant, Envoy Air Inc., a subsidiary of American Airlines Group, decided to install high-performance spray polyurethane foam (SPF) insulation in their hangars in Sawyer, the latter factor was the decisive factor. International—— There are six in total. As is typical for SPF applications, thermal insulation is installed to protect the foam. Considering the mechanical work that occurs in these hangars, fire protection is the key. Initially, the county adopted a cement coating application, but over time, this material proved to be inefficient because it could not properly adhere to the foam and began to fall off most parts of the structure due to the need for clean, unclean materials. Bacteria environment, which becomes very troublesome when working on jet engines. To solve this problem, the county decided to adopt a retrofit solution: remove the cement coating, reapply the foam layer, and apply the DC315 intumescent coating from International Fireproof Technology, Inc (IFTI) as a more effective thermal barrier.
Re-foaming and re-fire protection: The staff reinstalled Icynene Classic with open-cell foam, and then used 20 WFT-mil DC315 intumescent coating as a new insulation layer.
To apply spray foam and intumescent coating to the first hangar, the county introduced MAG Insulation, a spray foam contractor based in Auburn, Michigan.
“We entered there with a task in mind: fire protection of the maintenance facilities so that tenants know that the insulation system will remain in place and will not interfere with their operations,” commented Dan Murphy of MAG Insulation.
In this project, preparation is very important. Murphy explained that Envoy has maintained their maintenance operations while the insulation project is progressing, so MAG staff can only work in half of the 200 x 200 ft structure at a time. The crew members tied together with large tarp-coated areas to separate their work area from the envoy's work area. By opening the door of the facility and using exhaust fans, negative pressure and ventilation are generated to ensure that SPF, paint and diesel fumes are pumped out of the work area. By using plastic sheeting, MAG staff concealed mechanical devices and lights to prevent damage from cement chips and overspray. Throughout the three-part project, the staff made an articulated cantilever lift containing a fall protection device. They wore personal protective equipment consisting of Tyvek jumpsuits, full-face respirators, goggles, gloves and boots.
TOP: The intumescent coating is firmly attached to the new spray foam insulation layer; Bottom: MAG Insulation applies foam and intumescent coating from the articulated boom lift, allowing the staff to enter the higher and hard-to-reach areas under the roof
The staff used a combination of hand tools and compressed air to loosen and remove the cement layer. Equipped with a portable cart equipped with a Graco E-30 proportioner and a 150-foot hose connected to the Graco Probler P2 spray gun, the staff then sprayed 2.5 inches of Icynene Classic Plus open-cell foam onto the exterior walls and upper roof deck. There are different heights on the slopes ranging from 40 to 60 feet. Then, using Graco GH833, MAG staff applied DC315 to the foam in a crisscross pattern at a speed of 20 WFT mils. From the beginning to the end, the MAG team took four months to complete the transformation work.
Brad Glazier, IFTI's North American sales manager, is proud of their products participating in the project. He pointed out, “DC315 provides fire protection for SPF insulation materials and meets the interior decoration requirements of the occupied space.”
The crew’s work has been well received by Envoy, and the county hopes to use the same method on the remaining five hangars and looks forward to cooperating with MAG Insulation in the same way.
"The intumescent coating adheres perfectly to the foam. Now there will be no falling debris, and the system will exist throughout the life of the building," Murphy concludes.
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