Binding material to save Osprey engines

  • Published
  • By Ryan Stark
  • Nucleus writer
KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Kirtland's 58th Special Operations Wing has a plan to mitigate aircraft engine damage that happens during training missions using a biodegradable binding material at practice landing zones.

TerraLOC -- described to officials at the 58th SOW as "Gorilla Glue on steroids" by its manufacturer -- binds the dirt in a landing zone together so as to not stir up as much blowing dirt when a CV-22 Osprey lands there.

Avoiding the damage caused by New Mexico's dirt is key to saving money and getting Airmen trained, said 58th Operations Group Commander Col. Dwight Davis.

The Osprey's powerful engines kick up great amounts of dirt during a landing.

"Any dust mitigation extends the life of the engine and the prop-rotors," Davis said. "Starting at about 50 or 60 feet, it's like having two category-five hurricanes coming down."

A visual inspection of the 58th's Ospreys, specifically the nicks and dings on the prop-rotor leading edges, tells the story of what dirt can do to aircraft, he said.

The dirt in New Mexico presents a special problem for CV-22s. The abundant minerals found here, such as quartz and pumice, are abrasive and damage engines and prop-rotors, even more than the dirt and sand in places like Afghanistan.

Having the aircraft in good repair and available for training missions is necessary for the 58th, which trains Airmen for special operations missions, one of the wing's primary missions.

"We're concerned about the man hours involved in taking an engine down, taking the aircraft out of service and not having it available," Davis said. "If those aircraft are available, it will increase our production."

Lt. Col. Christina Willard, commander of the 58th Operations Support Squadron, said replacing an engine in a CV-22 costs around $1.2 million. Applying TerraLOC -- which costs about $70,000 for the initial treatment and less for subsequent applications -- makes sense in terms of money and maintenance time, she said.

"There's a real dollar savings," Willard said.

TerraLOC could save the wing nine engine replacements a year, she said.

The Air Force must also preserve the environment and the public lands used for landing zone practice.

The Bureau of Land Management -- which owns the land the Air Force uses as practice drop zones -- has approved use of TerraLOC after a one-year trial. Initial use of TerraLOC will be at two drop zones, with plans to add more drop zones in the future.

"To work with the BLM, you can't do anything to the environment," Willard said.

The biodegradable nature of TerraLOC was a big selling point, he said.

"One of the main reasons we went with TerraLOC is that, once we are no longer using a landing zone, (the land) goes back to the way it was before," Davis said.

To be effective, TerraLOC must be reapplied every 6-8 months, Willard said.

Davis added that rain actually helps an application remain viable for longer. New Mexico's dry weather makes more applications necessary.