Open span hangar designed to meet the heavy maintenance needs of aircraft

Designed specifically to meet the heavy maintenance needs of Boeing 767 and Airbus A330 aircraft, the hangar has a clear width span of 160 metres and a door opening height of 26 metres to accommodate a total of three Boeing 767 aircraft.

Particularly unique to this project was the construction methodology. The design enabled Multiplex to engineer the steel-framed and clad hangar roof structure to be constructed on a temporary support system.

The bottom of the truss chords are positioned approximately three metres above ground level. This structure, which measures approximately 174 metres wide by 70 metres deep, includes overhead crane support beams catwalks and stairs.

Once the roof and front fascia were completed and clad, and all underslung services installed, the entire roof was lifted to its full height of 40 metres. This was achieved in one integrated operation using large hydraulic jacks positioned on top of each concrete column.

Also included in the project was the development of tug and service roads and carparks. Aircraft maintenance support services, such as service docking areas and wheel retraction pits were accommodated within the hangar.

To allow both the heavy and line maintenance of three aircraft at any one time, for example, a two level (ground and first floor) workshop building was annexed to the rear of the hangar. A large single-storey steel-framed and clad stores building was also annexed to one side and an extensive aircraft apron pavement was facilitated in front of the hangar, providing connectivity to a taxiway link, which unites with the airport runway.

Multiplex provided Qantas Engineering with a purpose-built destination from which to enter into a new era of aircraft conversion work. To date, this has included contracts to convert A330-200 aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).