Building an aviation hangar for Aerosom

Between 2022 and 2023 we delivered an aviation hangar in Mogadishu for Aerosom, built to support aircraft repair and maintenance. The end user is Aerosom Repair. The project brought design, groundworks, structure, building services and commissioning together under one team, and it shows how design-build delivery works for specialist facilities in Somalia.

The challenge

Aerosom needed a secure, fully serviced hangar in Mogadishu to support aircraft repair and maintenance, built to its own specification. A maintenance hangar is a working building. It must house aircraft safely, give technicians a well-lit and powered place to work, and store aviation equipment securely. Each of these needs shapes the design, from the structure and roof to the electrical and mechanical systems.

Our approach

We delivered the project design-build under one team. The same organization was responsible for the design, the construction and the commissioning, with no hand-off between a designer and a separate builder. The work followed a clear sequence:

• Site surveys
• Groundworks and foundations
• The steel frame and roofing
• Secure storage for aviation equipment
• Lighting, power and HVAC, installed and commissioned before handover

Quality and site safety were managed throughout the project. The work drew on our construction, project management, MEP installation and QA/QC teams, coordinated through one project management office.

Commissioning the building services before handover was an important step. A hangar that is structurally complete but still waiting for power or ventilation cannot be used. Because lighting, power and HVAC were installed and commissioned under the same contract, the client received a building that was ready for day-to-day maintenance work.

The outcome

The result is a complete aviation hangar, delivered to specification and ready to support Aerosom's repair and maintenance operations. The client received:

• A complete aviation hangar delivered to its specification
• Utilities installed and commissioned for day-to-day maintenance work
• One accountable team from site survey to handover

What it shows

Specialist facilities such as hangars, workshops and support buildings depend on getting the structure and the services right together. Design-build delivery under one team makes that easier. The people who plan the foundations also plan the steel frame, the roof and the services that run through it, and quality is checked at each stage against one specification. For the client, it means a single point of contact and a clear line of responsibility from the first survey to the last commissioning test.

It also reduces the risk of gaps between trades. When structure, roofing and MEP work are planned together, openings, supports and service routes are agreed before they are built, rather than corrected afterward.

This approach applies to the other facilities we build in Somalia, including camps and compounds, accommodation, office buildings and support facilities. If you are planning a hangar or another specialist facility in Mogadishu, our construction team can explain how we would deliver it.