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Corrosion control: painting a new future

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  • By Airman 1st Class Destinee Dougherty
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  The 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron is renovating the aircraft paint booth here, with a scheduled completion date of April 30.

The paint booth will allow the 20th EMS to paint aircraft locally instead of sending jets to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and will save the 20th Fighter Wing approximately $70,000 per aircraft.

The updates include replacing both air handler units, new lights, replacing the exhaust fans and the addition of a fourth fan.

Upgrades to the ventilation system will help properly remove paint fumes. New LED lighting will help Airmen assigned to corrosion control identify and eliminate paint defects by providing a more well-lit work environment.

Renovations will also include monitoring systems that allow Airmen assigned to corrosion control to closely observe paint fume emissions.

For some of the Airmen in the shop who do not have experience with painting an entire aircraft, the paint booth presents an opportunity for them to learn new skills.

“I’m pretty excited for all the opportunities that will come when this paint booth gets done, and to be a mentor and show everyone what I know,” said Senior Airman Zachery Ritchie, 20th EMS aircraft structural maintenance journeyman, who is one of the few Airmen in the shop with aircraft painting experience.

The original paint booth, installed in the 1990s, experienced component failures that made it nearly inoperable. A health code was placed on the booth after a ventilation survey failure due to the malfunctioning air ventilation system.

“Paint doesn’t win wars,” said Tech. Sgt. Todd Bosley, 20th EMS corrosion control noncommissioned officer in charge. “But by making sure our aircraft are properly coated we can ensure we’re able to sustain long war operations.”

An aircraft’s protective paint coating provides a corrosion barrier between the metal and the environment that prevents damage to the substructure; extending the overall life of the aircraft.

Bringing full aircraft painting capabilities back to Shaw, the updated paint booth will keep Airmen assigned to corrosion control safe and enable 20th FW aircraft to continue enduring harsh environments they may encounter during fly operations.