Time to clean house, NASA disposes of nine aircraft used in aviation crash test

A large test gantry structure in Hampton, Va., used for full-scale crash and impact tests on aircraft and spacecraft is a national historical landmark, according to NASA’s Langley Research Center.

The Landing and Impact Research Facility, better known as “the gantry,” continues to serve NASA and the nation as a unique venue for testing aviation land and spacecraft water impact research. But now it’s time to clean up the area littered with crashed aircraft and helicopters.

On Tuesday, NASA’s Langley Research Center released a Combined Synopsis/Solicitation contract document seeking a contractor with the ability to clean up all the crashed aircraft and debris left behind from impact testing.

“This is a service contract to procure services to demolish several aircraft and other test articles left abandoned at various sites throughout the NASA Langley facility,” NASA said in contract documents. “Demolition of aircraft shall damage all aircraft components to an extent that they cannot be utilized for spare parts.” The work will remove nine aircraft from the property.

The articles to be demolished are as follows:

At the Landing and Impact Research facility (building 1297, also known as the gantry):

• A Beechcraft Starship fuselage approximately 40 feet long located under a tent.
• The “System of Struts” test article located under a tent.
• A crashed Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter that is approximately 44 ft long.
• A crashed Fokker F-28 aircraft that is approximately 90 ft long.
• Pile of miscellaneous metal structures including landing gear, aircraft wings, and a 30 ft section of fuselage.

At the firehouse (building 1238)

• A crashed Cessna 172 that is approximately 27 ft long.

Behind the model shop (building 1238B)

• Approximately 10 ft of the tail of a helicopter.

In the laydown yard between buildings 1244 and 1245

• A large carbon steel test stand is approximately 16 x 16 x 24 ft.

Beside the hangar (building 1244)

• An inoperable HU-25 aircraft that is approximately 55 ft long.

All the aircraft have been drained of fluids and hazardous materials.

“The contractor shall permit NASA-appointed witnesses to watch aircraft and document the demolition process,” NASA said. “The contractor shall provide NASA with an estimate of the final value of the scrap metal produced during the demolition process.”

Companies interested in working on the project have until Oct. 29 to respond to NASA.