The Blog

The introduction of the Ghostriders, the first forward-firing munitions aircraft to be kept at Hurlburt Field, surfaced safety concerns and updated parking configurations. The aircraft maintenance hangars required renovation, and maintenance units needed to be relocated for operational efficiency. Overall, the area development plan needed to account for future development projects on the installation while meeting evolving mission needs and ensuring all airframes are accommodated.

The project team evaluated existing facilities, documented current and future space requirements, developed a strategy for improving maintenance hangars over time and created a new aircraft parking plan. Because the aircraft parking requirements must be recalculated every time the aircraft numbers change, the team developed a unique, hybrid Gantt chart—a one-page aircraft inventory movement graphic—that depicts project sequencing and available hangars and aircraft apron parking spaces throughout the transition timeline. The Gantt chart enabled planners to create detailed implementation strategies and meet evolving mission needs. In addition, the team developed and distributed pocket-sized cards featuring a color-coded map and ADP executive summary. The cards serve as quick and convenient reference guides for installation leaders making day-to-day decisions.

While most plans focus only on the end-state, this ADP provided a realistic, stepped funding approach. By analyzing historical military construction and sustainment funding levels for Hurlburt, as well as future funding projections, the plans enable frequently changing military leadership to focus on their contributions to the end result.  

While ensuring mission readiness during a period of significant change, the plan provides the foundation for Hurlburt Field to justify the MILCON projects needed to accommodate mission changes over time with the new aircraft inventory. The plan will also result in increased flightline operational efficiencies across the installation.