Sunshades protect Airmen, aircraft

Published May 2, 2014
By Senior Airman Nicholas Caceres
482nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs

HOMESTEAD AIR RESERVE BASE, Fla. -- Flight line temperatures can easily reach over 100 degrees in the summer sun, which can spell trouble for aircraft maintainers who have to work in the extreme heat daily. For those on the flight line, sunshades make a world of difference.

New sunshades were recently installed on the flight line to help shield Airmen and jets from the sun. The two new sets of sunshades are a welcome upgrade for maintainers.

"The sunshades have helped tremendously," said Staff Sgt. Edgar Perez, 482nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft armament systems specialist. "They block out the sun, the rain, and we have lots of space to work, we love them."

In 1992, then Homestead Air Force Base was the first base to implement sunshades on the flight line because of the high temperatures in south Florida. This move helped Airmen in a variety of ways and inspired many bases to follow suit. They can now be seen on bases such as Whiteman AFB, Mo., and Nellis AFB, Nev., as well as many fighter squadrons Air Force wide.

"The sunshades are great," said Justin C. MacIntosh, member of the 482nd Programs and Resources Office here. "It was really the best way to solve many issues simultaneously."

MacIntosh was a maintainer for 19 years here where he retired as a Master Sgt. at 25 years in service. He spearheaded the sunshade project from the beginning as a reservist, and continues to work on the project now as a civilian contractor.

The project took about two years to renovate. In 2009 the original set of sunshades were corroded enough to consider renovation. When the renovation project was finally approved in March 2012, the materials were carefully selected to last.

"The new sunshades in the first and second row cost about $2 million and provide 100 percent blockage of sun, keeping Airmen dry, safe, and providing sufficient lighting at night," said MacIntosh. These were completed in March 2014.

Both new sunshade structures are custom-manufactured stainless steel, hot dipped in galvanized zinc, then painted, said MacIntosh.

Safety is a primary concern for the Air Force. Extreme temperatures on the flight line can lead to heatstroke and other health concerns during the summer months. The new sunshades noticeably cool aircraft and Airmen alike, said MacIntosh.

Additionally, the temperatures take a toll on aircraft paint causing premature wear. By keeping the planes cool, the amount of times an aircraft needs repainting is cut significantly.

"Aircraft paint can be pretty expensive," said MacIntosh. "Each time an F-16 jet is repainted it costs roughly $28,000."

One advantage of the new sunshades is lighting. Often times while working on the flight line during the evening timeframe, Airmen had insufficient lighting to properly perform their job. The new sunshades are outfitted with lights so Airmen can see every nook and cranny on each aircraft they work on.

An important feature on the new sunshades is lightning protection. Lightning is a common danger when working on the flight line. The new sunshades have an integrated lightning protection system to protect those underneath the sunshades from lightning. The system has specialized antennas on top that run down to copper wire in the ground to safely redirect energy from lightning strikes.

Designed to take full hurricane strength category 5 winds, the sunshades are made to last in this south Florida environment.

Every nut, bolt, and screw is stainless steel or plastic to prevent corrosion. MacIntosh estimates the structure to last at least 50-60 years.