| The Palmyra Gazette |
| Welcome to: PalmyraGazette.org Created by: Michael E. Murray January 2008 Enjoy your visit! |
Palmyra International Airport PLPA
Continued:
1] Approximately two weeks prior to runway upkeep, the grass needs to be sprayed. Add 5 gals of Honcho Plus + 1 gal of
blue marker dye to the half full sprayer. Top the sprayer off with water from the tank at the rear of the shop area.(6-8 mh)
2] Clean up the brush and grass by mowing. The pictures show the brush nearly as tall as the JD. This is really a little
too tall and should be mowed sooner. Trim to the side lines and all outlet areas. If this is not done at least once a year,
the jungle will begin to encroach back onto the developed areas.
3] With a combination of the backhoe and JD with grading blade, clear the grass and organic material off the runway
surface. I piled the material up into piles with the backhoe and later used some of it to grade the North side of the
runway. "DO NOT" windrow it out into the grass areas. This creates a huge problem for clean up and makes the
shoulders rough for mowing. Piles should be made on the hard surface of the runway where it can be easily picked up.
The remainder of the material was placed on the outside edge of the runway. There's a lot of material out on the sides of
the runway that could be put to better use in the Cooper Camp. However, additional equipment is needed to screen and
transport this material. (see follow up report)
5] Marching to ones own drummer really does not work here. Team players are encouraged! All projects have
"procedures" that if employed properly can be time saving, create less additional work and not impact the surface of the
runway. The runway surface has been treated with a product called soil cement. This is a rather thin layer 1/4-1" thick
that binds the fines together and stabilizes the base once rolled. Grading with the beam helps remove small rocks that
have been known to "ping" the aircraft and partly why we are working on the strip during the 07/08 Winter Rotation here
on Palmyra. Currently a 20' steel H beam and an old Military 6x6 is used to "drag" the runway. The truck does not have a
clutch nor does it have brakes. Drivers jump start it off the starter in gear and proceed with the operation. The chains
are set so that the left hand side is longer thus sweeps the windrows to the right of the truck. (always maintain a
minimum of a 2' overlap on each pass - more if there's more material to prevent "fall out" on the wrong side of the beam
(Rt side)) The beam should "NEVER" be dragged across the grain of the runway as this action can cause damage to the
surface. The beam is designed to scarify the fines and remove excess material off the surface. (With excessive
organics) Make two passes clock wise grading towards the shoulder. Keep the beam a minimum of two feet away from
grass areas. This aids the removal process by not having to chase the material back out of the grass. (adding to the
work) Make "complete" circles around the outside of the runway. "Do Not" cut across the runway unless you can't avoid
doing so!
6] Take the backhoe and clean up this material. The easiest way is to load it into the dump trailer and have it hauled
off into piles on the side of the strip. On the North side, the material may be applied directly onto the wide shoulder to
add loamy material for the grass area and to shim up the sides. Make sure to keep drainage areas open!
7] Take the JD and grade the shoulders where needed. Do not apply full pressure on the blade but just what is needed
to level. The 3-point hitch has an adjustment that will raise or lower one side of the blade as needed. I like to leave the
RT side high and let excess material slide under the partially raised blade.
8] The "BEST" course of action is to drive "counter clockwise" around the strip to finish up. Start up the South side
and make complete loops around the field until you reach the middle. (approximately 6 passes) Prior to completing your
final two passes, clean up the turnarounds prior to completing this process. Your last pass should take you down the
left side of the center line - through the West end and allow you to park the truck on the side of the strip. This is the
simplest process to complete the work with the equipment available. The truck can be operated in a fluid manner with
no stops required. This is work and the driver needs to be prepared to work continuously. Remember, we are starting the
truck in a "rolling start". At some point this will take its toll on the starter. Note: if the beam is loaded with dirt - use
the backhoe to push the beam up behind the truck wheels. This will provide 6-8' for the truck to start prior to coming
under load. (* See with new equipment)
9] Take the backhoe and trailer and pick up the beam trailings from the windrow on the runway. This should be good
base material / fines. Stock pile somewhere, where the material can be used later if needed.
10] Roll the runway. The vibrator option can be used on the shoulders and on areas that need more compaction. Roll
only on the hot top area or areas that "look" solid. It's best to have a light rain to dampen the fines. The wind will blow
the fines into your face if not damp. Too much rain will cause the fines to stick to the roller. If this occurs "stop" and
wait for things to dry out some. The entire runway needs to be rolled at least once prior to applying Soil Cement. (8 hrs)
11] Applying Soil Cement: We pumped two containers (approximately 250 gal ea) into the 3880 gallon tank on the truck
then topped off with sea water. Will applied the mix to the runway following instruction directions from the soil cement
distributor. (see records in office) Allow the product to dry and then roll with the roller. (Do not vibrate) Once the base
has been stabilized, the operator should not feel any dust or sand blowing in on him / her. Prior to this operation fill in
damaged areas on the runway with a fine sandy aggregate. A soil cement / sand mix can be prepared if equipment is
made available. Adding a small percentage of mortar mix may help stabilize the new base.
* It has been recommended that the grading begin on the low side of the runway and be worked towards the
South side or high side of the runway. With a grader, this can be accomplished. In the mean time the
recommendations in this report (using the army 6x6) should take precedent.
Questions or comments may be forwarded to: MEMmaker3@yahoo.com
1] Approximately two weeks prior to runway upkeep, the grass needs to be sprayed. Add 5 gals of Honcho Plus + 1 gal of
blue marker dye to the half full sprayer. Top the sprayer off with water from the tank at the rear of the shop area.(6-8 mh)
2] Clean up the brush and grass by mowing. The pictures show the brush nearly as tall as the JD. This is really a little
too tall and should be mowed sooner. Trim to the side lines and all outlet areas. If this is not done at least once a year,
the jungle will begin to encroach back onto the developed areas.
3] With a combination of the backhoe and JD with grading blade, clear the grass and organic material off the runway
surface. I piled the material up into piles with the backhoe and later used some of it to grade the North side of the
runway. "DO NOT" windrow it out into the grass areas. This creates a huge problem for clean up and makes the
shoulders rough for mowing. Piles should be made on the hard surface of the runway where it can be easily picked up.
The remainder of the material was placed on the outside edge of the runway. There's a lot of material out on the sides of
the runway that could be put to better use in the Cooper Camp. However, additional equipment is needed to screen and
transport this material. (see follow up report)
5] Marching to ones own drummer really does not work here. Team players are encouraged! All projects have
"procedures" that if employed properly can be time saving, create less additional work and not impact the surface of the
runway. The runway surface has been treated with a product called soil cement. This is a rather thin layer 1/4-1" thick
that binds the fines together and stabilizes the base once rolled. Grading with the beam helps remove small rocks that
have been known to "ping" the aircraft and partly why we are working on the strip during the 07/08 Winter Rotation here
on Palmyra. Currently a 20' steel H beam and an old Military 6x6 is used to "drag" the runway. The truck does not have a
clutch nor does it have brakes. Drivers jump start it off the starter in gear and proceed with the operation. The chains
are set so that the left hand side is longer thus sweeps the windrows to the right of the truck. (always maintain a
minimum of a 2' overlap on each pass - more if there's more material to prevent "fall out" on the wrong side of the beam
(Rt side)) The beam should "NEVER" be dragged across the grain of the runway as this action can cause damage to the
surface. The beam is designed to scarify the fines and remove excess material off the surface. (With excessive
organics) Make two passes clock wise grading towards the shoulder. Keep the beam a minimum of two feet away from
grass areas. This aids the removal process by not having to chase the material back out of the grass. (adding to the
work) Make "complete" circles around the outside of the runway. "Do Not" cut across the runway unless you can't avoid
doing so!
6] Take the backhoe and clean up this material. The easiest way is to load it into the dump trailer and have it hauled
off into piles on the side of the strip. On the North side, the material may be applied directly onto the wide shoulder to
add loamy material for the grass area and to shim up the sides. Make sure to keep drainage areas open!
7] Take the JD and grade the shoulders where needed. Do not apply full pressure on the blade but just what is needed
to level. The 3-point hitch has an adjustment that will raise or lower one side of the blade as needed. I like to leave the
RT side high and let excess material slide under the partially raised blade.
8] The "BEST" course of action is to drive "counter clockwise" around the strip to finish up. Start up the South side
and make complete loops around the field until you reach the middle. (approximately 6 passes) Prior to completing your
final two passes, clean up the turnarounds prior to completing this process. Your last pass should take you down the
left side of the center line - through the West end and allow you to park the truck on the side of the strip. This is the
simplest process to complete the work with the equipment available. The truck can be operated in a fluid manner with
no stops required. This is work and the driver needs to be prepared to work continuously. Remember, we are starting the
truck in a "rolling start". At some point this will take its toll on the starter. Note: if the beam is loaded with dirt - use
the backhoe to push the beam up behind the truck wheels. This will provide 6-8' for the truck to start prior to coming
under load. (* See with new equipment)
9] Take the backhoe and trailer and pick up the beam trailings from the windrow on the runway. This should be good
base material / fines. Stock pile somewhere, where the material can be used later if needed.
10] Roll the runway. The vibrator option can be used on the shoulders and on areas that need more compaction. Roll
only on the hot top area or areas that "look" solid. It's best to have a light rain to dampen the fines. The wind will blow
the fines into your face if not damp. Too much rain will cause the fines to stick to the roller. If this occurs "stop" and
wait for things to dry out some. The entire runway needs to be rolled at least once prior to applying Soil Cement. (8 hrs)
11] Applying Soil Cement: We pumped two containers (approximately 250 gal ea) into the 3880 gallon tank on the truck
then topped off with sea water. Will applied the mix to the runway following instruction directions from the soil cement
distributor. (see records in office) Allow the product to dry and then roll with the roller. (Do not vibrate) Once the base
has been stabilized, the operator should not feel any dust or sand blowing in on him / her. Prior to this operation fill in
damaged areas on the runway with a fine sandy aggregate. A soil cement / sand mix can be prepared if equipment is
made available. Adding a small percentage of mortar mix may help stabilize the new base.
* It has been recommended that the grading begin on the low side of the runway and be worked towards the
South side or high side of the runway. With a grader, this can be accomplished. In the mean time the
recommendations in this report (using the army 6x6) should take precedent.
Questions or comments may be forwarded to: MEMmaker3@yahoo.com
| Job Perks!!! |
| Click on Pictures for Larger Views! |
| See N163R Here!!! The failed landing of Lockheed N163R 1991 S# 2492A Wright C9HD |
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