About Offutt Air Force Base
Offutt Air Force Base (AFB) is the headquarters of the U.S. Strategic Command and the 557th Weather Wing and is home to the largest wing in Air Combat Command, the 55th Wing. Offutt AFB provides critical combat support and global recon to U.S. leadership and military commanders. For more than a century, this base has played key roles in American history.
Challenge
As a center for command, Offutt AFB must keep Air Force jets in top condition. Their repair hanger provides dedicated space where maintenance experts deliver this essential support year-round.
In the spring, the base’s Nebraska locale experiences frequent rainfall. During a recent spring season, humid and wet conditions posed a threat to the maintenance crew. When jets were brought in for maintenance, crew members were experiencing shocks from the floor. This is a common issue from the friction of heavy foot and equipment traffic. The friction causes static charges, which can result in painful shocks. In addition to the discomfort this causes, shocks can also trigger involuntary physical reactions that result in worker injury and property damage.
Increasing the danger of this situation was the presence of water. As the hangar floor became wet due to rain, cleaning, and other moisture exposure, the threat of injury from shock escalated. When a typical floor coating did not solve the issue, Air Force Base personnel knew they needed a better hangar flooring solution to protect their crew.
Our Solution for the Offutt Air Force Base Maintenance Hangar Flooring
RIO Flooring Systems provides airplane hangar systems that are designed for aviation and aerospace operations. Presented with the challenge at Offutt AFB, RIO flooring experts delivered a solution to address their electrostatic concerns and enhance the safety of the hanger.
The RIO team proposed an electrostatic discharge (ESD) urethane flooring solution. Urethane offers superior resistance to abrasion and chemicals. This high-performance flooring would provide greater durability than typical coating options and deliver the enhanced safety needed for the moist hangar environment. The ESD flooring would protect both workers and Air Force equipment from shock. Leadership at Offutt AFB agreed to the proposed solution, and RIO installed the urethane-based solution in the 60,000 square-foot hangar.
Results
Since the installation, there have been no reported incidents of the shocks that crew members were experiencing previously. Leveraging the RIO Flooring Systems solution, Offutt AFB has experienced key benefits:
Improved safety. With shocks no longer an issue, maintenance crew can enjoy greater safety as they perform their duties, even in wet conditions.
Superior durability. The urethane delivers long-lasting protection against physical wear, which is important in the demanding environment of an active Air Force jet hangar.
RIO Flooring’s expertise in aerospace flooring was the solution Offutt AFB needed. The project has resulted in an enhanced hangar space where crucial Air Force maintenance crews can safely support ongoing Strategic Command efforts.
