Holloman Airmen and NMSU Students Team Up on Engineering
Published 17 October 2026
Holloman Air Force Base and New Mexico State University are working together to solve real maintenance problems. Airmen from the 49th Wing bring the problems from the flightline, and NMSU engineering students design, build and test possible fixes. Their first project, a simpler seal system for aircraft maintainers, is already showing what the partnership can do.
I love stories like this one, because it shows how Holloman and our region's colleges are building something together.
What is the Holloman and NMSU engineering partnership?
It started as an effort to solve one maintenance challenge at Holloman and is growing into a broader partnership, according to the 49th Wing Public Affairs story on the NMSU partnership, published October 5, 2026.
On September 28, 2026, leaders from the 49th Wing, including wing commander Col. Michael Mullin, visited NMSU's Aggie Innovation Shop in Las Cruces. The shop is a student-managed makerspace with tools for 3D printing (additive manufacturing), electronics, robotics and computer-aided design.
The idea is simple. Airmen know where the problems are, but they do not always have the time or engineering resources to design and test a fix. NMSU students do.
What did the students build first?
The first project is called OMNI seals, also known as the ShinkaSeal project. Maintainers were managing more than 200 legacy cap-and-seal part numbers. All those separate parts added to inventory needs, supply headaches and foreign object debris concerns on the flightline.
Working with the maintainers, NMSU engineering students used computer-aided design, materials know-how and rounds of prototyping to come up with a five-size seal concept meant to simplify the whole system.
| Partnership at a glance | Details |
|---|---|
| Who | Holloman's 49th Wing and NMSU College of Engineering |
| Where | Aggie Innovation Shop, NMSU, Las Cruces |
| Key visit | September 28, 2026 |
| First project | OMNI seals (ShinkaSeal) |
| The problem | More than 200 legacy cap-and-seal part numbers |
| The concept | A five-size seal system |
| What's next | Hoped-for recurring senior capstone projects |
What do the people involved say?
Master Sgt. Davion Dale, the 8th Aircraft Maintenance Unit support section chief, put it plainly: “Our Airmen know how to identify problems.” He said NMSU can help with the design, build and test work that busy Airmen do not always have time for.
Dr. Gabe Garcia, NMSU College of Engineering associate dean of academics, said the students get real experience. “These are not textbook problems with predetermined solutions,” he said.
Col. Mullin said the wing has to find creative ways to stay ready with the resources it has, and he encouraged Airmen to share ideas that work.
What comes next?
The wing hopes to set up recurring NMSU engineering capstone projects built around 49th Wing needs. The long-term goal is a pipeline where Airmen identify challenges from the flightline and maintenance shops, and university teams handle the research, design and testing.
What does this mean for families moving to Alamogordo?
Partnerships like this one are part of what makes Holloman such a strong neighbor for our town. For military families, it is also a reminder that New Mexico State University is in our region, which can matter for spouses and teens thinking about college or a career change.
If you are getting ready for a move to Holloman, my Holloman AFB relocation guide is a good place to start. You might also like my roundup of Holloman AFB job openings and the story of the Civil Air Patrol cadets in Alamogordo.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Holloman and NMSU engineering partnership?
Holloman's 49th Wing and New Mexico State University are working together to solve real maintenance and logistics challenges. Airmen identify the problems, and NMSU engineering students help design, build and test solutions.
What is the OMNI seals project?
OMNI seals, also called the ShinkaSeal project, is the partnership's first project. NMSU students developed a five-size seal concept to simplify more than 200 legacy cap-and-seal part numbers.
Where is the Aggie Innovation Shop?
The Aggie Innovation Shop is at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. It is a student-managed makerspace with 3D printing, electronics, robotics and computer-aided design tools.
When did 49th Wing leaders visit NMSU?
Wing leaders visited the Aggie Innovation Shop on September 28, 2026. The 49th Wing Public Affairs story about the visit was published October 5, 2026.
What are the next steps for the partnership?
The wing hopes to set up recurring NMSU senior engineering capstone projects built around 49th Wing needs. The long-term goal is a steady pipeline from flightline problems to tested solutions.
Facts in this post come from the 49th Wing Public Affairs article “49th Wing, NMSU turn Airmen's challenges into engineering solutions,” published October 5, 2026. Information is current as of 17 October 2026.