Agencies and utility owners building near an airfield get an unusual set of rules: the ground must carry loads like any other corridor, but the people in charge also care about what flies overhead, what blows across a runway and what a crew leaves behind on the pavement. We build the concrete that public agencies, utility companies and hangar owners need around the Ector County Airport, and we do it with the extra attention that an airfield demands.
Odessa-Schlemeyer Field, a general aviation airport, sits roughly 5 miles northeast of Odessa at 3,003.6 feet above sea level. It has three asphalt runways, 11/29 at 6,200 by 100 feet, 2/20 at 5,703 by 75 feet and 16/34 at 5,003 by 75 feet. Those long, flat strips make for open terrain and steady wind, which affect how we schedule pours and protect fresh concrete.
We mobilize crews to the airport area from Odessa. Utilities, drainage and earthwork are performed by trade partners we coordinate, so the concrete crew arrives after the ground is shaped and the pipe is in, and the airport sees one schedule rather than several.
Specifications, approvals and the permit office
Work at or near an airport usually comes with more paperwork than a typical commercial lot. Public owners publish their own specifications for concrete mix, testing and submittals, and the airport operator adds rules about equipment height, access gates and escorts. We read these before bidding and list any conflicts with the drawings so the owner can resolve them early.
For private work on the edge of the airport, such as a hangar apron or a utility corridor, we ask the local permit office what review is required and whether the airport operator must sign off. We keep mix designs, delivery tickets and cylinder results on file and hand them to the owner at closeout. Where an engineer of record specifies testing, an independent lab handles it and we coordinate access and curing. Our concrete testing and quality control routine feeds that record from the first load to the last cylinder.
Planning around an active airfield
Our process starts with the airport's operating hours and restricted areas. We ask where trucks may drive, which gates are available, what escorts are needed and where staging is permitted. Cranes, pump booms and tall equipment must stay below limits set by the operator, so we plan pump positions to avoid conflicts.
The next step is the base and drainage. On flat terrain, water goes nowhere unless the grades send it somewhere, and standing water along a pavement edge softens the subgrade over time. For any pad or apron bordering a taxi area, we also confirm with the owner how much shoulder and clear space is required beside the pavement. We shoot slopes on the formwork and check them again once the surface has set. Loose debris and stray material are a hazard to aircraft, so we sweep the work area, secure materials and clean trucks before they leave.
Utilities, drainage and hangar slabs
Public works near an airport often combine concrete with site utilities, drainage and electrical work. Electrical duct banks for runway lighting or hangar power need a concrete envelope. Culverts and headwalls carry runoff away from the field, and manholes and vaults hold valves and cabling.
For private owners, hangar slabs need flat floors with door tracks, floor drains and apron connections. A hangar floor that is level only on paper will give trouble when the door is opened, so we check flatness at the slab and the door threshold. Where an owner is also adding fuel storage, we build containment pads with curbs and sumps. Aircraft hangar projects get a coordinated site plan from us.
A field that opened in 1945
Odessa-Schlemeyer Field opened in November 1945 and lies about 10 miles west of Midland International Air and Space Port. Having two airfields in the same metro area shapes how owners think about location: some aviation businesses want to be close to the oilfield side of Odessa, while others prefer the larger airport for scheduled service. The general aviation field serves operators who value quick access to the roads that lead to the basin, whether they come from Odessa or from Midland.
That is also where public works and utilities meet commercial land. An airport needs water, sewer, electric and drainage service. Nearby parcels draw logistics, storage and service firms, some of them utilities and energy companies, that appreciate wide roads and flat lots. We build for those buyers and for the municipal and public works agencies that serve them.
Windows, wind and deliveries
Airfield schedules revolve around operating windows. We ask which hours are quietest for aircraft and which days the field has events, then fit deliveries and heavy work into those windows. Short, repeating pours often work better than a single large placement when access is limited.
Wind is constant on open terrain. We start early, keep the surface moist, and use windbreaks along edges and curing blankets afterward. Hot afternoons are avoided, since the surface sets faster in the sun than a crew can finish it with no shade over the slab. Material deliveries are confirmed the day before and trucks are sent in staggered waves so none wait on the road. A truck idling on an airport access road draws attention from the operator, and we would rather not give them reason to ask us to move. If an operator closes an area with short notice, we carry a list of backup tasks, such as forming or reinforcing in a separate location, so the crew stays productive.
Aircraft, trucks and people
Safety at an airport begins with knowing where vehicles are allowed. We take the operator's orientation, follow escort rules and keep equipment out of restricted zones. Flags and lights on tall equipment are used when required, and radios stay on the channel the operator specifies.
On the concrete itself, we guard against fresh-cement burns, silica from cutting and heat illness. Trenches are sloped or shored and marked, and utility locates are made before digging. Loose material is dangerous near aircraft, so forms, rebar tails and trash get secured at the end of every shift, and wind-prone items such as plastic sheeting are weighted down or removed. A daily cleanup walk, with a magnet sweep where the operator asks, keeps the pavement clear of fasteners and debris.
Send the scope and the airfield rules
Share the drawings, the operator's access rules and the hours you can work. We will visit the site, review the approvals and send a priced scope for the concrete and the coordinated trades.
Common Questions
Do you work inside the airport fence?
Yes, with the airport operator's approval. We follow gate, escort and equipment-height rules, and we plan pump and truck positions before the first pour.
What approvals do I need before building near the airfield?
Requirements depend on the site and use. We ask the local permit office and the airport operator about review, and we assemble the drawings and submittals needed.
How do you keep debris off the pavement?
Forms and steel are secured, trucks are cleaned before leaving and a sweep is done at the end of each shift. Where the operator requires a magnet sweep or inspection, we schedule it.
Can you build a hangar slab with floor drains?
Yes. We set drains and slopes with the plumbing partner, check flatness at the door track and pour the slab to the engineered section. Containment curbs are added where fuel or chemicals are stored.
How does wind change the way you pour?
We start early, shield exposed edges, apply evaporation retarder and cure the surface quickly. A windy afternoon is a bad time for a fresh slab, so we move the placement to the morning when we can.