Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      The 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. has a plan to mitigate aircraft engine damage that happens during training missions, using a biodegradable binding material at practice landing zones. TerraLOC 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. (Courtesy photo)The 58th Special Operations Wing at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. has a plan to mitigate aircraft engine damage that happens during training missions, using a biodegradable binding material at practice landing zones. TerraLOC 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. (Courtesy photo)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Binding material to save Osprey enginesPublished Feb. 2, 2015
                    
                    By Ryan Stark
                    
                    
                    Nucleus writer
            **KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (ANFS) --**The 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 — a material is described to 58th SOW officials as "Gorilla Glue on steroids," by its manufacturer -- binds the dirt in a landing zone together so it doesn’t stir up as much when a CV-22 Osprey lands. Avoiding the damage caused by New Mexico's dirt is the key to saving money and getting Airmen trained, said Col. Dwight Davis, the 58th Operations Group commander. "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 5 hurricanes coming down."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.A visual inspection of the Ospreys, specifically the nicks and dings on the prop-rotor leading edges, tells the story of what dirt can do to aircraft, he said.Having the aircraft in good repair and available for training missions is necessary for the 58th SOW, which trains Airmen for special operations 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.Replacing an engine in a CV-22 costs around $1.2 million, said Lt. Col. Christina Willard, the 58th Operations Support Squadron commander. 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.According to Willard, TerraLOC could also save the wing nine engine replacements a year.In addition to saving money on equipment, the Air Force must also help preserve the environment and the public lands used for landing zone practice.To help find a solution, the 58th SOW worked closely with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which owns the land the Air Force uses as practice drop zones.  "To work with the BLM, you can't do anything to the environment," Willard said.The BLM approved use of TerraLOC after a one-year trial. TerraLOC will be initially used at two drop zones, with plans to add more drop zones in the future."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. The biodegradable nature of TerraLOC was a big selling point.However, to be effective, TerraLOC must also 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.Kirtland AFB 



AFMC 



58th Special Operations Wing 



Osprey

Related Links
        CV-22 Osprey
                                Aug. 24, 2020
                                The CV-22 Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines the vertical takeoff, hover and vertical landing qualities of a helicopter with the long-range, fuel efficiency and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft. The mission of the CV-22 is to conduct long-range infiltration and exfiltration. Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil