Civilian Aviation (Hangar Doors)

Kerr-McGee is a global energy and inorganic chemical company based in Oklahoma City, OK. The company has an existing hangar that required additional space for fleet upgrades and future additions. The present hangar three leaf steel sliding door allowed an overwhelming infiltration of birds, dust, and air in the facility (see photo1). Many steps were taken to alleviate the problem, but non successful.

Photo 1, Existing Steel Rolling Hangar Door

(Click on image to enlarge)

With the planning of a new facility, the aviation director not only wanted a space for the care and maintenance of the aircraft, but also one that would eliminate the infiltration issues in the existing hangar.

Megadoor provided the customer with a single leaf, 90’ wide by 28’ high, hangar door in the new addition. This door, along with addition steps to cover the walls and ceiling, has limited the infiltration of air and dust in the hangar to practically non-existent, and the bird problems are no longer an issue (see photo 2). The Megadoor provides the tightest seal of any hangar door available. The photos shown of the existing sliding door clearly indicate the areas around the doors that can be used by birds and other varmints to enter the hangar. In photo 2, the light seen are from the lighting and the windows in the personnel doors.

Photo 2, Megadoor

(Click on image to enlarge)

Automotive (Plant Rail Door)

This particular door is in the main rail car receiving area of a large automotive plant and when the door is damaged, production is interrupted. The existing rolling steel door was often hit by the rail cars causing considerable damage and costly repairs. In addition, the door would bind when being opened or closed under the occasional 60-70 mph winds in the area.

The MEGADOOR SYSTEM 800 was selected by plant engineers after several doors were evaluated. This particular product was chosen because it generally works even when damaged and it's easy to repair. Plus, it is operational in winds up to 100 mph and is an excellent choice for installation in a dusty, dirty environment. Since its installation, the MEGADOOR has also been hit by a rail car, but easily repaired with virtually no downtime. The door has been in place for about three years now and continues to perform beautifully. Needless to say, everyone involved is delighted with the MEGADOOR.

Mining (Silo Doors)

Management of the Thunder Basin Mine in Wright, Wyoming had been experiencing numerous problems with the doors surrounding their 250' high storage and loading silos. An enormous amount of dust, grit and grime is common in and around these silos, necessitating a complete wash-down of the entire enclosure at least twice daily. And, in the extreme temperature and severe winds of Wyoming, the need to wash the doors caused icing and door activation problems.

The MEGADOOR was already familiar to the Thunder Basin Mine, since previous installations in other areas of the mine had provided good results. Therefore, choosing another MEGADOOR to solve the silo problem was a natural. It's been two years now and everyone is quite pleased with the result. “The flexibility of the fabric allows any ice accumulation to merely fall off after the wash-down, and our maintenance has been reduced tremendously. In addition, we receive great service and an unprecedented guarantee, plus the simplicity of design reduces the potential for failure. All in all, we've been very satisfied with MEGADOOR,” says a mine representative.

Mining (Wash Bay Doors)

MEGADOORS were installed in a series of 38'-8" x 30' doors in the wash bay facility at Thunder Basin. Because of the unique and simplistic design of the door, maintenance and downtime costs were dramatically reduced when compared to conventional doors.

The Thunder Basin project was installed by Wasatch Door Company of Salt Lake City, Utah, whose manager, Mike O'Driscoll believes that with MEGADOOR the Black Thunder Mine now has a permanent solution to their wash bay door problems.

Steel Mills (Pot Room Doors)

Over the years, management of this mini-mill in Northwest Indiana was faced with almost constant maintenance, and the all too frequent need to replace the large door leading into their pot room. Failure of the traditional doors being used at the time was due to the extreme size of the opening and the dusty, hot environment in which this door operates. Management was also concerned about any disruption to the movement of heavy equipment in and out of the pot room resulting from door failure.

Since the original had been installed, several other door products were tried but none could withstand the harsh conditions without considerable maintenance and occasional downtime. They were simply not able to get the reliability they wanted from any door they tried. That is, until a MEGADOOR was installed. Management has since found the MEGADOOR really is specifically designed to withstand the most extreme environments - including those in a steel mill pot room.

Civilian Aviation (FedEx Memphis)

Previous experience between Megadoor and this worldwide organization’s architect was certainly a plus. This new maintenance facility needed to be constructed on a very tight site and must accommodate at least two MD11’s and an Airbus, in Hangar 12 and B-727 Aircraft in Hangar 11. And, aircraft needed to be positioned without opening the entire hangar.

Megadoor’s design architect and FSB Designers/Engineers worked together to create this new facility by maximizing the use of the available space. Hangar #11 and #12 were constructed using the unique Megadoor swing-up mullion system to open any individual bay or open the entire hangar. The Megadoors were literally designed into the structure and the need for sliding door pockets was eliminated. The final design of this fast-paced design resulted in considerable savings of space, construction costs and time. The use of Megadoors also resulted in an ongoing maintenance cost reduction for FedEx. Due to the nature of the maintenance work load, 20-30 aircraft pass through the doors on a typical weekend. The hangar is used around the clock, 7 days a week.

Military Aviation (New York ANG)

This unusual project required the alteration of an existing hangar and a new facility for the fuel systems/corrosion control operation. And, the final product was not to look like an "added to" facility.

The Megadoor solution saved over 3000 sq. ft. of scope area that could be better utilized in the shop areas. By making both Hangar doors exactly the same, it simplified the design. Megadoor’s design architect worked hand in hand with the architectural firm Burns & McDonnell, selected by the New York ANG to change the design concept to a Megadoor approach to the problem. The new structure had originally been designed around sliding doors.

Military Aviation
(Shaped Hangar for B-1)

Housing the innovative B-1 Bomber requires an innovative facility. That is exactly what the Kansas Air National Guard needed in Wichita, and even though the Unit officials had seen other Megadoor shaped hangar designs, the maintenance people needed to be convinced.

The way to demonstrate how Megadoor’s approach to aircraft hangar design works was to view an existing installation. Therefore, the entire Kansas design team together with the aircraft maintenance team went to Memphis to review another facility and study the shaped hangar concept. Once everyone was convinced this was the approach for the Kansas ANG, the Megadoor design professionals worked with the ANG’s architect to incorporate many other good design points and to maximize the shaped hangar design. The handsome facility is completely and efficiently operational and proved again the advantages of "form following function."

Civilian Aviation (Lear Jet)

There was a very tight time schedule with unusual conditions associated with the Lear Jet project. Management had observed the successes of other aircraft manufacturers who had used Megadoor and wanted to experience the same success. The project includes 6 finishing and paint bays and 1 delivery bay.

The Megadoor design experts were called in very early to consult with the conceptual design of this new facility. An important part of the criteria of the building design centered around the turning over of each newly manufactured aircraft to its new owner. This design team worked together to create an exceptionally efficient and attractive facility. The Megadoors were delivered and installed as needed to meet the timing of the owners, and Lear Jet was quite pleased. In the delivery process of turning a new aircraft over to a customer, the delivery bay door has become an integral part of the delivery process.

Military Aviation
(Connecticut Army Aviation)

The unique and challenging aspect of this project for the Connecticut Army Aviation was to retrofit an old, existing hangar and to build an adjacent entirely new hangar, all within a very tight time frame.

Based largely on the outstanding reputation Megadoor has earned throughout the Military community, Megadoor’s design architect was invited to consult with the Connecticut Army Aviation on this unusual project. At a job site meeting, a design began to be formulated which included building an entirely new truss system to marry the old building to the new structure. A 130’ Megadoor was installed on the existing structure, and a 140’ Megadoor on the new hangar. The installation of the attractive Megadoors made the facility look totally new and the low maintenance Megadoors helped modernize and streamline the entire base.

Civilian Aviation (Bombardier)

Although the structure was well under way, because of an already established relationship with the internal design/build team, the Megadoor professionals were invited to become involved and meet the individual responsible for the new facility. Because the project had been under construction before the meeting with Megadoor, time was of the essence.

The initial meeting with Bombardier resulted in a sharing of ideas, including eight different options presented by Megadoor’s design architect. Megadoor understood the scope of the project and was committed to making certain the owner received what was expected. The Megadoor cost effective solution tailored the doors to the manufacturer’s specific needs and construction schedule by marrying the production capabilities to the construction requirements

Military Aviation (USCG Atlantic City)

The United States Coast Guard wanted to get six Dolphin Aerospatiale HH 65A helicopters comfortably into one hangar without any one of them being behind another. The facility would function in five distinct areas — those being aircraft hangar, maintenance shops, berthing, administration and storage. The Coast Guard’s architects were about to design the structure with a traditional, rectangular approach when the Megadoor problem solving team was invited to participate.

Megadoor’s design architect began to work very closely with the Coast Guard’s chosen architects to explore other creative, non-traditional solutions to the helicopter hangar problem. The entire design team began to think outside the box and the results were astounding. The new design became an L-shaped hangar with the central control point of the facility in the corner of the L. Because of the flexibility of the Megadoor, each leg of the L accommodated three helicopters, any one of which can enter or leave at any time - with none of them behind another. The Megadoor design fit the unusual mission requirements of the Coast Guard, and the vertical lift Megadoors proved to fit the need far better than sliding doors. The building meets all the requirements of the Coast Guard’s quality shore facility, including ease of construction, functionality, flexibility, safety, maintainability, cost effectiveness, project expansion, aesthetics and the creation of an environment which allows a source of pride for the USCG, as well as a prototype for future Coast Guard facilities.

Civilian Aviation
(Boeing Wichita, Kansas)

As part of a new strategy, Boeing began a program of converting passenger aircraft to cargo aircraft. This production effort required that the entire aircraft be disassembled, a procedure which had to be conducted in a totally enclosed structure. The only spot on which this structure could be built was on a ground slope of about four feet. Additionally, every bay of the structure had to have total access, along with other specific engineering criteria. And, to further complicate matters, the project had to be executed in a very cost effective manner and had to be completed within very unusual time constraints.

Megadoor’s design architect assisted the Boeing architects in developing a very unique structure that would accommodate all the criteria set forth in the initial plan, and would marry the Megadoors to the structure. The entire facility was redesigned to work with the slope of the terrain and to eliminate the need for space consuming pockets needed for sliding doors. Megadoor worked diligently to maintain aesthetic appeal and continuity, and was able to customize the unique Megadoor swing-a-way vertical mullions in order to provide complete access to every bay. In addition, the Megadoor installation professionals were there throughout the installation process to ensure proper installation and function of the doors. The result is a very attractive, cost effective installation — completed within the tim frame desired.

Wabush Mine
(Labrador, Canada)

The average winter temperature in Labrador, Canada is minus 20° to 25° , and even as low as minus 30°. Wabush Mine officials wanted to do everything possible to provide tolerable working conditions for their employees and take every possible measure to make facility choices that back up such concern.

As the Labrador Mine grew the methods used to close the interior of the mine from the elements became more difficult. Originally, the mine used 65-ton trucks, then 170-ton, and later 200-ton. As the trucks got larger the openings on their Vehicle Maintenance Building had to be enlarged in both width and height while the support columns limited the size of the door opening to only 15 inches of clearance. Openings of this size make it virtually impossible to maintain any degree of comfort within the building.

Megadoors were chosen over metal or rubber doors because they operate consistently and could open and close at least 30 times each day as required by one of the service bays. They could be mounted on the exterior of the building with the drive inside to utilize every inch of space. The low profile of the Megadoor facilitated an easier fit and the windload capabilities assured smooth operation even during high wind conditions.

Wabush Mines installed four Megadoors only four inches apart and discovered some additional benefits. The double fabric stops the cold winds that other doors can't, creating a warmer environment for employees, especially those working close to the door. This design also reduces the tremendous noise produced by the 2000 h.p. engines. Before Megadoor, employees could not hear each other talk because of the noise reverberation. The unexpected sound deadening quality of the Megadoor is noticeable enough to give the employees some much needed relief. The Megadoor operates when damaged and can be repaired without being removed since the chances of both fabric layers being torn is slim.

"Wabush Mine management could not be more pleased with their new door installation”, says A. J. MacLean, Wabush Project Engineer responsible for the door installation. Not only do they have a new bank of doors that perform well above their requirements and expectations, but they also have a much more satisfied group of employees who have realized that their company has chosen the right equipment for such extreme environments!

Other Industries
(Syncrude Canada Ltd.)

Syncrude Canada Ltd., located in the oil sands of Northern Alberta, is the world's largest producer of light, sweet crude oil from oil sands, and the largest single source of oil in Canada.

With the size and quantity of haul trucks increasing substantially in recent years at Syncrude, shop facilities have required modification to accommodate them. One of the most significant changes is the increase in Shop & Wash Bay door sizes from 8M wide to 12M wide, within the physical constraints of the existing buildings.

Syncrude Canada Ltd. explored various options, and after their Engineering & Maintenance people visited a similar application at the Thunder Basin Coal Mine in Wright, Wyoming in 1997, the Megadoor was selected for retrofit to an existing Heavy Duty Shop, and for a new Wash Bay. According to Syncrude's Project Manager, "Shop space for haul trucks was at a premium, so the problem of taking up extra space on the sides and above doorways associated with conventional doors was an issue. The Megadoor, with its light weight & minimal space requirements provided the solution for these shops." After installing four 12M x 10M Megadoors in 1997, four more were installed in 2000.

Ship Yards
(Trinity Yachts)

Trinity Yachts in New Orleans, LA., a major manufacturer of luxury yachts and boats, needed to increase production at their facility by performing the finishing task in a controlled environment. By adding large doors to an existing three-bay building, the interior could be heated for proper finishing and ventilated as needed. The yachts could then be removed by large cranes upon completion.

Several door manufacturers were contacted but only MEGADOOR could meet the criteria of Trinity Yachts. The doors had to cover the entire opening width and height, withstand the corrosiveness of the sea air, protect the interior from inclement weather, allow workers to control the environment inside the facility by using door position, and install within a confined building area. MEGADOOR engineers provided the general contractor and building manufacturer with the necessary design assistance and installed the door within the timeframe requested by the owner.

Civilian Aviation
(Celsius Aerotech)

This five-bay hangar was originally designed for a sliding door which would have forced the user to either close or open the entire hangar even if access to a single bay was all that was needed. This blocked or exposed every bay and affected work in all areas.

A MEGADOOR, engineered in five sections to correspond with each bay, created a better working environment and greater operation flexibility by allowing the user access to individual bays. This also provided more appropriate ventilation for the structure while eliminating an unwanted air draft. Additional storage space was created by installing the MEGADOOR in front of the main truss and side storage pockets, needed for the old sliding door, were eliminated. As an investment, the reliable MEGADOOR has needed little maintenance over 12 years of operation and even when a tornado caused several million dollars in damages to the airport in 2000, the MEGADOOR survived virtually unscathed.

Steel Industry
(Macsteel)

Existing rolling steel exterior doors were a source of major and costly maintenance problems. The rolling rubber and rolling steel doors often failed to perform and provided little seal or insulation value, especially during high winds where they also proved difficult to operate.

The MEGADOOR is engineered to perform in high windloads and is reliable in dirty and dusty environments like steel mills. The users at Macsteel require frequent cycles in their demanding facility but have the comfort of knowing their new doors will operate properly, even in the windiest conditions. They also have the comfort provided by the great insulating value of the MEGADOOR and no more worries about air infiltration because the seal only improves as the windload increases.

Megadoor Teams with Summit Structures at Patuxant Naval Air Station

Megadoor, Inc., a local manufacturer of aluminum reinforced, up-ward acting, reinforced fabric doors, announces the completion of the V-22 Osprey hangar at the Patuxant Naval Air Station in Maryland. The new installation will provide the Department of the Navy a base for the Osprey program’s continued research and development.

Megadoor, together with general contractors J.A. Jone's Construction, McGrath Construction and Summit Structures, Inc., agreed to complete this project within an aggressive 60-day time frame. The design of the project and delivery of materials was completed in six weeks and installation was executed without interruption to routine base proceedings.

The Megadoor 1500 series doors provide unimpeded movement of the Osprey with a clear opening measuring 100’ wide by 33’ high. The aluminum reinforced, fabric doors require no stacking area within the building area or within the opening. Massive extruded aluminum intermediate beams allow the door to be designed for virtually any wind loading condition. Additionally, the doors are fabricated in strict compliance with military specifications as well as regional building codes, and the PVC coated, polyester door fabric has been UV stabilized for long life.

The versatility of the Megadoor has made the door a favored selection of many architectural and engineering firms involved in aviation facilities. Megadoor installations can be found in all facets of the aviation industry, including military, commercial, private and aircraft manufacturing facilities across the continental United States, Canada and Alaska.

The unique Megadoor can be designed to accommodate virtually any application, and the Megadoor team of professionals is available to provide design assistance and pertinent details to the design professional.