B. Coleman Aviation

About B. Coleman Aviation

B. Coleman Aviation's fixed base operations at Gary International Airport cater to executive-level clients from all over the world, offering private aircraft handling, charter services and aircraft management.

The facility features more than 25,000 square feet of terminal and hangar space and a 12,500-square-foot air side canopy large enough to shelter a Gulfstream V or Bombardier Global Express.

The hospitality facilities include luxurious corporate meeting rooms, deluxe office space, a pilot's lounge, a quiet room and a flight planning office.

The solar control challenge

The base is located in the middle of an airfield, and prominent eastern and western exposures produce very high levels of heat and glare transmission through the exterior windows. Even at night, bright lights from the hangar spill over into the hospitality space.

In the conference and flight planning rooms, meeting holders need to manage light levels for video presentations. In the quiet room and pilot's lounge, pilots need to manage light levels during FAA-required rest periods that ensure passenger safety.

The solution

Illinois Window Shade Company, in collaboration with Lora Norr Designs and Burling Builders, designed a solar shade system that successfully manages solar and visual light transmittance.

A total of seven dual clutch operated shade systems were placed in exterior windows in the quiet room, conference rooms, pilot's lounge and flight planning office. These offer a blackout shade and a woven mesh shade housed on combined brackets, concealed by 7" anodized aluminum fascias.

The blackout shade blocks all solar and visible light transmittance, providing the right environment for clients seeking rest or holding meetings with audiovisual equipment. The woven mesh shade reflects solar heat while allowing a high level of daylight into the room.

The dual shades were used in combination with 12 individual woven mesh shades throughout the first floor, plus three privacy woven mesh shades in conference room interior windows, concealed with 4" anodized aluminum fascias.

Results

The solar shade solution looks fantastic, is easy for staff and guests to operate and produces measurable results with respect to light and heat levels in the facility.

The dual shades offer two fabric options: one reflects solar heat gain while maximizing natural light; the alternate blocks all solar transmission for increased privacy and appropriate light levels for electronic visual displays.