Lighting Repairs and Replacement (Design-Build)

Naval Air Station, Whiting Field (NASWF) is the U.S. Navy’s busiest airfield.  Whiting Field provides essential primary and intermediate flight training for student pilots from joint branches of the military assigned to Training Air Wing Five (TRAWING5) under the Chief of Naval Air Training (CNATRA) command.  TRAWING5 is comprised of three primary fixed wing and three advanced helicopter squadrons and is responsible for more than 45% of CNATRA’s flight time and over 10% of the U.S. Navy’s total flight time.  More than 1,200 personnel complete their essential flight training at Naval Air Station Whiting Field annually.  This premier single engine aircraft and rotary wing aircraft training facility has two operational airfields, North Field and South Field for a total of four runways, North Field Runway 14-32 (6,002’ x 200’) and Runway 5-23 (6,002’ x 200’), South Field Runway 14-32 (6,001’ x 200’) and Runway 5-23 (5,997’ x 200’), four large aircraft ramp areas, associated taxiways and helipads.

AVCON provided a project design to replace and enhance all airfield lighting systems originating on the line side of the 15 kV distribution transformers. The two airfield lighting vaults were stripped of the original equipment and rehabilitated with new electrical distribution, lighting, standby generators, lightning protection, constant current regulators, and an updated control system.  Both airfields were designed to replace all runway, taxiway, apron and helipad edge lighting, wind cones and airfield guidance signage at the Naval Air Station. Additional taxiway centerline lighting was installed at the south field to assist helicopter taxiing.  AVCON also provided design for four new services for RDO Carts at North Field.  Design was completed in accordance with NAVAIR, UFC, and FAA criteria.  Because NAS Whiting Field is a primary flight training facility, attention to airfield safety during construction and phasing of the construction so as not to interfere with airfield operations was addressed in detail during the design phase.  Both airfields remained operational with multiple sorties flown each day by aviator trainees.