Aprons and taxiway sections at Boston-area hangars take aircraft gear loads, jet fuel and de-icing chemical exposure, plus the seasonal freeze-thaw that cracks poorly designed slabs. We pour to the engineering spec, with the right slab thickness, joint layout, and freeze-thaw-rated mix that keeps the pavement intact through years of heavy use and harsh winters. Free written estimate on every project.
The apron at a small hangar carries the same concentrated gear load as a busy commercial taxiway, just less often. That load determines the slab thickness, the reinforcement pattern, and where control joints go. Jet blast at engine-run-up zones adds surface erosion risk, and Massachusetts winters multiply any drainage or sealing mistake into spalling and scaling within a few freeze-thaw cycles.
We start with the aircraft load spec and engineer the slab from there. The concrete mix is designed for air entrainment and the right water-cement ratio to survive freeze-thaw. Joints are formed and sealed per the engineering, with load-transfer dowels where the design calls for them. The surface gets aviation-rated sealer that resists jet fuel and de-icing fluid.
We work from the aircraft specs to size the slab thickness, reinforcement, and joint pattern. The heaviest gear position on the heaviest aircraft in the fleet drives the design, not a generic standard.
Site prep and base installation
The apron footprint is excavated to subgrade, compacted, and the gravel base is placed at the engineered depth and re-compacted. Grade is verified for proper drainage and elevation before forming begins.
Forming, reinforcement, and pour
Control joints are formed per the engineering layout, rebar and load-transfer dowels are placed where specified, and the freeze-thaw-rated concrete mix is poured, screeded, and finished for aviation use.
Joint sealing and surface protection
Control joints are saw-cut on schedule and sealed with aviation-grade joint sealant. The slab surface is sealed against jet fuel and de-icing fluid exposure per the design requirements.
Common failure modes
Poor Drainage and Unsealed Joints Fail First
When we assess failed aprons, the root cause is almost always poor drainage that lets water pool and freeze on the surface, or joints that were never sealed or sealed with the wrong product. Both lead to edge spalling and surface scaling across the slab within a few winters.
We design drainage into the apron from the start, with slopes that shed water to engineered low points and away from the slab. Joints are sealed with aviation-rated sealant that resists the chemical exposure and the freeze-thaw cycling. For broader site work, coordinate with aviation facility concrete services and the full industrial concrete scope.
Slab thickness, joint pattern, jet blast and freeze-thaw mix design.
Several inches to a foot or more, depending on the heaviest aircraft served. Engineering analysis from the aircraft gear load drives the spec; we will not pour thinner than the engineering specifies even if budget pressure exists.
For aprons that serve heavier aircraft or have larger slab panels, yes. Dowels transfer load across joints so the slab edges do not fail individually. The engineer specifies dowel size and spacing based on the joint geometry and load profile.
Aviation-rated penetrating sealers that resist jet fuel, de-icing fluid, and thermal cycling. We spec from the aviation sealer chart based on the actual exposure your apron sees, including engine run-up locations if relevant.
Air entrainment is the key, the right air content in the cured concrete lets water freeze inside the matrix without spalling. Combined with the right water/cement ratio and admixtures, the mix resists Massachusetts winters.
From a few weeks for a small new apron to multi-month projects for taxiway connections requiring engineering and coordination with airport operations. The full schedule is in the quote.
New apron poured to engineering for our heaviest based aircraft. Joints dowelled, sealed properly, freeze-thaw mix verified. Three winters in, zero surface scaling, zero joint failure.
Z. B5
Airport Manager, Boston
★★★★★
They knew the aviation specs cold, coordinated with our engineer on slab thickness and joint pattern. The result has held through heavy aircraft turn and full winter cycling.
Y. B5
FBO Director, Cambridge
★★★★★
Apron expansion to handle a new based aircraft. Engineered specifically for the new load, tied into existing pavement cleanly. The transition joint has held perfectly.
Q. B5
Hangar Operations Lead, Somerville
★★★★★
Apron with engine run-up area required jet-blast-rated sealer. They specified the right product, applied to spec, the surface has held with no erosion at the run-up zone.
X. B5
Aviation Maintenance, Quincy
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