CHAPTER 3. CONSTRUCTION
Many disciplines will be involved throughout
struction experience from the temperate world.
the process of developing a glacial ice runway for
The construction process should be followed
heavy wheeled aircraft. Although the needs or
in a more or less sequential fashion as listed be-
desires of each specialty will occasionally con-
low; however, the size of the runway, the physi-
flict, each facet in the development and operation
cal and environmental conditions at the selected
of an airfield must be smoothly coordinated. In
site, and the resources available may dictate a
many cases this will involve compromise. To en-
multiyear construction effort. If several years are
sure that the resulting facility is safe and efficient,
required to build the facility, it is probably best to
we recommend that a management team be as-
complete the entire construction process for indi-
sembled as the first step in construction of a gla-
vidual segments of the runway that are manage-
cial ice runway and that the team continue to
able in a single season. This process would then
work closely together, at least until the runway is
be repeated for as many seasons as required to
operational. One or two key members should
finish the facility.
probably participate in the site selection process
The construction schedule and equipment
to provide perspective on the equipment and con-
chosen will dictate the staff needed to build the
struction needs associated with each potential site.
runway. We recommend that all of the staff be
In some cases, the management team may con-
versatile, with not only specialized skills but
tinue to operate well into the life of the runway
with demonstrated abilities and interest in a
when maintenance and operational patterns are
variety of related fields. For example, it is al-
well established and preservation techniques for
ways wise to choose equipment operators with
the facility are routine knowledge.
a mechanic's appreciation, since they will take
The critical team members would include spe-
better care of their equipment and will, in many
cialists in three areas: snow and ice science, snow
cases, be able to troubleshoot and do repairs
and ice construction, and engineering with air-
themselves.
field experience. It is important that the individu-
als selected be willing to work together as a team.
Their initial task will be to establish a construc-
SITE DEVELOPMENT
tion plan to meet the desired timetable and to
ensure that the glacial ice runway produced meets
As soon as the decision is made to build a
the required performance standards. The fore-
glacial ice runway at a particular site, the man-
most design parameter will be the characteristics
agement team should review all of the data and
of the aircraft to be operated from the facility.
information about the site. From this, the scope of
From there, the management team must develop
the construction project can be determined and
and share a common goal for the ice airfield.
equipment and labor estimates can be made. As
Additional staff will be added as the project
soon as possible, equipment needs should be de-
unfolds. Being experimental, the Pegasus runway
termined and orders placed for items that will
project began with one individual who covered
require modification or extensive preparation, or
most of the specialist roles and for brief intervals
for equipment that is not commercially available
of time was also a heavy equipment operator. It
and will need to be fabricated. The type of equip-
wasn't until the third and fourth years of the
ment required will depend heavily on the site
project (when the scope of work became clearly
chosen (depth of snow present, roughness of ice,
defined and necessary equipment was procured)
distance from established lines of communica-
that a full-time staff was utilized. This full-time
tion) and the available means for transportation
staff included a field engineer/project manager, a
to the site (airlift, overland).
snow and ice scientist/engineer/instrumentation
A preliminary airport design should be devel-
expert, three snow and ice construction special-
oped. In most cases, this design should be a simple
ists, and a fabricator/mechanic/machinist, with
as possible, with the recognition that once con-
periodic access to a general mechanic and several
struction begins, there may be conditions that
equipment operators. All of the full-time staff,
require the design to be modified. There may be
except for one individual, had significant prior
benefit in loosely adhering to conventional air-
polar (mostly Antarctic) experience, and all of the
port design principles (Federal Aviation Admin-
operators and mechanics also had specialty con-
istration 1989) to minimize confusion for pilots,
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