McGuire prepares facilities, equipment for C-17's arrival Published Sept. 23, 2004 MCGUIRE AIR FORCE BASE, N.J. -- As soon as McGuire officials found out C-17s were coming, the base began preparing for the aircraft's arrival. Perhaps, one of the biggest preparations was ensuring McGuire had the facilities and equipment to support the C-17.Construction on a number of C-17 facilities and related projects -- at a cost of $85 million -- began two years ago and are expected to be completed by the end of 2005.In addition to accomplishing a number of renovations and small projects, the base is constructing four buildings for the C-17, including a consolidated flightline operations facility, a maintenance training facility, an aircrew training systems facility, and a hangar.The consolidated flightline operations facility, or CFOF, will be completed in the summer of 2005 and will house personnel from the 6th and 732nd Airlift Squadrons; maintenance personnel from the 305th and 514th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron; life support personnel from the 305th Operations Support Squadron; and survival equipment personnel from the 305th Maintenance Squadron. The 87-square-foot facility will feature a 2,100 square-foot auditorium and multi-purpose room complete with fixed seats, stage, two projection systems, and the ability to split into two smaller rooms.According to Capt. Mark Stevens, chief of engineering for the C-17 program office, the new operations center will be the first in the Air Force to combine active duty and Reserve operations and personnel.The old way of things being active duty 'or' Reserve is gone, said Col. Larry Etzel, 514th Air Mobility Wing representative in the C-17 program office. It will now be active duty 'and' Reserve.The operations center will house the people, but the base also needed a home for the giant Globemaster III. A new hangar, Building 2201, will house the C-17s, and the maintenance back shops will surround the hangar.It makes sense to have all the back shops right by the hangar, explained Captain Stevens. This way, if a part needs maintenance it can be taken from the aircraft and the shop is right there to fix it.In addition to new construction, a number of existing hangars were renovated for the arrival of the C-17, including Building 3211 and 3-Bay. Also, B-Bay (corrosion control) and C-Bay (base wash rack) were extended to fit the Globemaster III. Building 3211, which will house the Boeing offices, was also extended, in addition to receiving a new fabric door manufactured in Finland. According to Master Sgt. Carlo Accardi, C-17 program office project manager, in the event of an emergency, the fabric door will allow an aircraft to quickly exit the facility with minimal damage to the aircraft and the facility.Both the maintenance training facility, to be completed in December 2005, and the nearly completed aircrew training systems facility will house all training equipment, including a flight operations simulator and three maintenance trainers.With all the facilities coming into place, McGuire must also have the equipment to support the Air Force's newest airlifter. Six months ago, McGuire started receiving parts, equipment, tools and technical orders.Everything is in place for the aircraft arrival, said 2nd Lt. Daniel Posch, chief of logistics and maintenance for the C-17 program office. We have enough equipment in place to fully support the aircraft. We should have the remaining 20 percent of the equipment within a year.Although the projects are not fully completed and every last piece of equipment is not place, McGuire officials said the base is ready for the arrival of the Globemaster III on Sept. 24.We look forward to the first C-17, added Captain Stevens. It will be a big event that will change the landscape of McGuire and the way [the base] works. The C-17 is the best airlifter in the world, and McGuire is ready for it. Air Mobility Command News Service is a service of the Internal Division Office of Public Affairs 503 Ward Drive, Room 214 Scott Air Force Base, Illinois 62225-5335 618-229-7821