About the Project
Hensel Phelps provided Construction Manager at Risk services for Southwest Airlines on the Tech Operations Aircraft Maintenance Hangar multi-phased project at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Phase one began in March 2017 with the construction of a new 146,000 SF parking lot with pedestrian turnstile gates and CCTV cameras. Phase two included airfield concrete paving, while phase three involved a 34,000 SF GSE/Provisioning building. The project was halted in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In January 2022, Hensel Phelps resumed the project, completing Phase Four with the demolition of two structures. Phase Five relocated an airport arterial road and construction of a 93,000 SF pre-engineered metal building for a new aircraft maintenance hangar. The hangar accommodates up to three Boeing 737-10 series aircraft and includes unique features like a vertical lift fabric door, pop-up utility pits and a high expansion foam system.
Despite challenges in site management and logistics, our team’s detailed coordination with airport operations and Southwest Airlines’ technical operations leadership minimized construction impacts. During demolition and construction, Hensel Phelps implemented an “airside bubble” air operations area (AOA) fence to separate daily activities from secure airport operations, reducing security stress and mitigating the risk of foreign object debris entering the airfield.
