The Boeing Goldcare hangar at Gatwick Airport has 3,200 tonnes of steel bolted with over 30,000 M24 Greenkote® TCBs a short distance from the busy runway. The ‘Goldcare’ hangar has been designed on a huge scale to house the forthcoming 777X, which will be the largest aircraft in the Boeing fleet.

The Boeing 777X is a new series of aircraft in the Boeing family. Carrying 450 passengers, featuring new engines and new composite wings with folding wingtips. When airborne, the 777x aircraft will have a wingspan of 235 feet. Boeing engineers gave the wings hinges, so the tips could fold up and down. This reduces the wingspan to a mere 212 feet. The longer wings allow greater fuel efficiency in flight but are too wide to fit conventional airport gates; hence the innovation. 

The erection of this hangar has proceeded at a rapid pace facilitated by a highly experienced J&D Pierce crew and the speed of TCB installation. J&D Pierce are leaders in structural steel fabrication and erection contractor in the UK . For almost 40 years they have developed a reputation for innovation in structural steelwork delivery from design to fabrication and construction. The professional team included Mott MacDonald’s aviation consultants with Main Contractors John Sisk. The new hangar will accommodate two 777Xs at the same time.

Greenkote® anti-corrosion protection

Tension Control Bolts Ltd has its own metal coating plant producing an environmentally friendly anti-corrosion coating called Greenkote, which is comparable to galvanising, although it is harder wearing and readily accepts all paint systems. Learn more about Greenkote.

Greenkote