Located at Aberdeen Proving Ground north of Baltimore, the Edward J. Weide Army Airfield serves as an Army Aviation Support Facility (AASF) for the Maryland Army National Guard (ARNG). As the heliport’s operations have evolved and the Company C, 1st Battalion, 169th Aviation Regiment has modernized – particularly with the introduction of the UH-60 Black Hawk, CH-47 Chinook and UH-72 Lakota helicopters – the heliport needed to adapt to support modern operations and training.

“A MONUMENTAL TASK”“The professionalism and expertise provided was exceptional. Conducting a master plan in accordance with military and civilian heliport criteria was a monumental task that was easily addressed by Hanson. The schedule was hampered by significant government delays. However, when it was Hanson’s turn to work, they delivered on schedule. Their flexibility was crucial to the success of the project. They were able to navigate the military and civilian regulatory requirements to meet the heliport requirements.” – Gilberto Resto, supervisory contract specialist, Maryland Army National Guard

The U.S. Property and Fiscal Officer for the Maryland ARNG selected Hanson, as part of a joint venture, to develop a strategic heliport master plan that aligned both current and future initiatives and addressed significant facility improvements, including:

  • removal of the helipad
  • improvement of the rotary wing aircraft runway
  • development of parallel taxiways
  • redevelopment of hangars for additional storage and maintenance facilities

These facilities complement the recently developed AASF, which houses aircraft maintenance and hangar space, along with offices, flight operations and staff support space.

Through a joint venture with FSB Federal Design Group, Hanson laid the groundwork for these upgrades through a cohesive planning effort. The team conducted site visits, documented existing conditions, identified facility requirements and shortages, forecast aviation activity and evaluated alternative layouts.

Hanson also led a stakeholder involvement program, working closely with project leadership to gather input, understand the missions and identify both challenges and opportunities.

Overcoming obstacles

As a tenant of Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), the Maryland ARNG needed to meet all the sensitivity and security requirements of the APG. Hanson coordinated closely with APG staff to fulfill these requirements, which included document review, review and approval of aerial and site photography and coordination with state and federal agencies and tribal nations for environmental reviews. While these steps created schedule challenges due to government delays, the team persisted to deliver a successful project.

Through strategic leadership and aviation expertise, Hanson helped position the Weide Army Heliport to support current missions while adapting to future operations and needs.