Delta Air Lines Flight Operations Center
Salt Lake City
BEST PROJECT
Presented by Big-D construction
owner Delta Air Lines
Leading design company Architects MHTN
General Contractor Big-D construction
Road engineer Engineering of the Great Basin
Structural Engineer Reaveley Engineers
MEP engineer Van Boerum & Frank Associates
Featuring a steel frame structure with striking metal skin panels and dynamic curtain wall glass, this aviation training facility was designed to look and feel cutting edge. Featuring the latest technology, the two-story, 50,000 square meter center houses technical training areas and multiple support areas.
Inside are advanced pilot training systems, complete with four expansive high-ceiling bays equipped with full-motion simulators, along with four procedural trainers and comprehensive support infrastructure. The main floor contains classrooms, meeting spaces and mechanical support spaces, and the second level provides a direct connection to the simulators, which can be accessed and viewed from the second floor along with additional classrooms, training rooms and offices.
This is the first flight training center Delta has built outside of its main pilot training facility in Atlanta, and will help the airline’s pilots complete the 1,500 hours of training required before certification and refresh once a year.
Photo courtesy of Jared Kenitzer
Realizing this space required meeting an aggressive 11-month schedule. To cope with the winter weather during the building’s construction, the team used temporary heating solutions until the building’s conditioning systems arrived in the spring. The insulated blankets also helped ensure proper curing of any of the building’s concrete finishes. Across the site, the team completed all paving before winter in anticipation of a wet spring.
Meanwhile, procurement and installation of the metal skin panels on the facade proved difficult due to the delicate nature of the material, which required careful handling to avoid damage.
Long lead times for items such as the freight elevator, coolers, air handlers and dynamic glass caused delays, mitigated as best as possible by advance purchasing and resequencing work.
To take advantage of as much natural light as possible, the building has dynamic glazing on three sides. A glycol-based hydronic heating system within the concrete in the dock area and main entrance will keep the building cool during the hot summer months and warm during the winter, significantly reducing the energy consumption of the HVAC system.
