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First KC-135 returns home after almost one year: Runway reconstruction completed on schedule

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Earlandez M. Young
  • 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, Wash. --  More than 100 Team Fairchild Airmen watched the first KC-135 Stratotanker return to Fairchild, Nov 2.

Col. Paul Guemmer, 92nd Air Refueling Wing commander and Col. Richard Kelly, 141st ARW commander, each landed a KC-135 for a flight check to test the new 2.5 mile runway that reopened on schedule. 

The runway was raised roughly 12 inches to improve drainage and was also narrowed from 200 to 150 feet.

During the 11-month project, the majority of Fairchild tankers and Airmen operated out of Moses Lake, Wash., to maintain flight operations. Since the beginning of the project, 1,342 Fairchild Airmen and civilians have helped complete the mission from Moses Lake.

"The Moses Lake community welcomed our Airmen when we arrived in the beginning of January and has shown phenomenal support throughout our stay," Guemmer said. "Because of the support from Moses Lake and Spokane International, Team Fairchild has been able to complete its refueling mission as the runway at Fairchild underwent reconstruction."

This isn't the first time Fairchild has relocated aircraft due to runway modifications. It also happened in 1983 and 2001. 

"Thanks to AECOM construction contractors, the runway project was completed before its original deadline," said Wayne Musselwhite, chief of construction management, 92nd Civil Engineer Squadron. "This isn't an easy project, so it doesn't just happen overnight, especially when you have an entire runway to redo and when you're planning on recycling 60,000 tons of concrete."

Team Fairchild brought their first group of Airmen home Wednesday. The last group of Airmen are scheduled to be home with their loved ones before the Thanksgiving holiday.

The Moses Lake community says they'll miss hosting Fairchild Airmen who have been there for almost a year.

"We look at those KC-135s flying up in the air a little differently now," said Kent Jones, president of the Port of Moses Lake. "It's become personal for us."