The Southwest Airlines Maintenance Hangar is 143,804 sq. ft., equipped to hold six Boeing 737s or two 787s. This structure is located within the airline’s 240,000-square-foot maintenance complex and is its largest to date. This state-of-the-art hangar within William P. Hobby International Airport will support the technical operations teams to maintain their fleet safely.

Designed in partnership with the VP Conventional Steel Services team, the building has a 219-foot clear span from front to back and is more than 240 feet wide at the hangar doors. Due to height restrictions and potential disturbances to air traffic, the steel erector preassembled most of the widespan elements into large kits to reduce the time needed for in-air crane use. Extraordinary execution was required with the roof panels, pre-rolled in continuous sheets, to install them in one piece. Some panels were up to 230 feet long and carefully moved into place without incurring any damage.

The hangar door opening used a two-span continuous truss frame to support the fabric hangar doors. The two spans are 279’-10”, the truss is 19’3” deep, and the transverse hangar trusses span 218’ by 10’ deep.

This aviation maintenance hangar was recognized as a Varco Pruden 2021 Hall of Fame winner in the Transportation category.