2015-16 Summer Photos - Reworking Cryo into the new BIF (concluded)
| Okay...here goes the roof! | ||
 The roof panels are ready to go (JM)... |
 ...and here goes one of them (JM). |
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 Swinging it into place (JM). |
 After the roof comes the penthouse (SH). |
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| Above...two wide-angle looks at the site at this mid-January point in construction...a few things come to mind. First...note how low the old BIF is relative to the new one...such is the snow drifting. Back in 2005 when I was at Pole involved with the design team, there was much discussion as to whether BIF (which was put up in 1996-97) should be raised to match the elevation at which cryo was to be assembled. Based on what we know now about the deterioration of the BIF structure, I don't think it would have survived the move. Also note that BIF is obviously listing to the right (east), as that is where Rodwell 1 was...it later became the overfilled sewer bulb that reached and started melting the firn. Hence the cryo building move in 2014-15...and the 2015-16 cryo-->BIF conversion. Oh...note the temporary wooden doors installed on the old BIF, as of course it was still in use at this point for daily balloon launches (SS). One more thing...take a close look at the left photo above...particularly that red and white striped module. That is NOT your ordinary milvan...rather it is the "321 module" created by good friends Jim Mathews, George Cameron et al in 1986 in preparation for the recovery of the 321 aircraft that had crashed back in 1971. After that mostly successful (well, except for fatalities on another LC-130 that crashed at the recovery site) effort, the module--which contained a generator, watermaking equipment, and a head--was moved to Pole in 1988 to serve as an auxiliary head for summer camp. Since then it has been gutted, but I'm impressed that it (of all of the several dozen building modules that are usually sitting out on the berm) was selected as the support structure for this BIF project. | ||
 Okay, here are the doors that need to be installed on the new BIF (JM). |
 Time to hang 'em (JM). |
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 Up up and away (JM)... |
 ...closer...(JM) |
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 Almost (JM)... |
 ...tadaaaaa! (SH). |
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 After everything is closed in, a few more things to do inside (JM)... |
 ...such as the door trim, electrical, and conduit for that low oxygen alarm sensor (??) (JM). |
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 Some outside work was needed as well...grating on both the lower and upper roof to access the penthouse (JM). |
 Some ladders would also be helpful (JM). |
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 The penthouse at the end of the season...no cladding until 2016-17--the radio equipment inside requires nonmetallic cladding (JM). |
 Looking downwind at summer camp and toward the end of the world. Looks like winter is coming soon (JM). |
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 An "after" photo (at least for now)...here's 2016 winter met guy James Tarragano prepping a balloon inside the new facility (JT). Credits...many many thanks to SbS (Scott Smith), SS (Sheryl Seagraves), JM (Jeremy McGinty), SH (Sayer Houseal), and JT (James Tarragano...and Tim Ager, who took the photo)! | ||
