A friend of mine has made a proposal that he would like to build a hangar on our airport that would store at least 3 airplanes. As he doesn't live in the local area I suspect he is thinking about renting out two spots. The best part is that the third spot would be available to me for free for as long as I wanted for doing the leg work getting the building up (act as the contractor) and managing the building once it's built. Not a big deal as I already manage the airport along with the Flying Club board of directors. What size would be required to house three airplanes? I'm thinking 45 X 60 for whatever it's worth.
Thanks,
Mikeb
Hanger Size???
Re: Hanger Size???
What 3 airplanes (or what size and configuration?) and how much hassle are you willing to accept getting airplanes in and out? For instance, if you have the right high/low wing mix, you can probably get by with 25% less area than if you had all high wings or all low wings. Also, you have to consider if *just anyone* will be allowed to put an airplane in there or if you'll restrict the hangar to anal-retentive types who will be extremely careful with ingress/egress.
All that said, I suspect 45' x 60' would be a very good size for 3 typical GA singles.
FYI, I have a 41x 24 rectangular hangar. It'll just barely hold my RV-6 and the Champ when it is done.
All that said, I suspect 45' x 60' would be a very good size for 3 typical GA singles.
FYI, I have a 41x 24 rectangular hangar. It'll just barely hold my RV-6 and the Champ when it is done.
Kyle Boatright
Marietta, GA
RV-6 Built and Flying
Champ Restoration Underway
Marietta, GA
RV-6 Built and Flying
Champ Restoration Underway
Re: Hanger Size???
Agreed! Things are just in the preliminary stage. I'm guessing it would have to be a mix of high wing and low wings and access would could be a problem. The guy is/was a pilot but has no plane and at his age doubt he'll get another. Can't see where it would be a paying proposition on his end but I know he can afford it and who am I to argue with a successful businessman?
We have a 40 X 40 hangar on our airport with both an Piper Arrow and a Champ in it. Tight squeeze but it does fit. My present hangar is 40 X32 and no way I can get both my Champ and the soon to be finished L16 in it. I think this might be where the above proposal came from.
mikeb
We have a 40 X 40 hangar on our airport with both an Piper Arrow and a Champ in it. Tight squeeze but it does fit. My present hangar is 40 X32 and no way I can get both my Champ and the soon to be finished L16 in it. I think this might be where the above proposal came from.
mikeb
Re: Hanger Size???
Mike,
My hanger was initially 50x50. On one occasion I had my Cherokee, a 172, a Baron and the Champ fuselage in it. It was packed. The 172 and the Baron were just temporary due to weather. You could not walk inside the hanger without running into something. If a tire had gone flat, something might have come together.
I have since added 15 ft to the side of the hanger. It is now 65 wide by 50. I have a Grumman Cougar twin, my Cherokee and the Champ. It is still packed but easy to walk around the three. It is a real chore getting the Cougar out. I can almost hear the hanger rash coming.
My next door neighbor has a 50 wide by 60 long. I have seen two in it with no problem and room to spare.
Something to keep in mind, once built, it is hard to increase the size of the building because your clear span stays the same and the builder will want to build a new stand alone building that opens into the old building. In other words, the square foot cost for a hanger plus an add on several years later is much more than just building it larger today.
If I had it to do over today, I would build 60 ft deep and at least 60 wide. I don't know if it is good or bad but you always seem to out grow a building no matter how large you make it.
Dennis
My hanger was initially 50x50. On one occasion I had my Cherokee, a 172, a Baron and the Champ fuselage in it. It was packed. The 172 and the Baron were just temporary due to weather. You could not walk inside the hanger without running into something. If a tire had gone flat, something might have come together.
I have since added 15 ft to the side of the hanger. It is now 65 wide by 50. I have a Grumman Cougar twin, my Cherokee and the Champ. It is still packed but easy to walk around the three. It is a real chore getting the Cougar out. I can almost hear the hanger rash coming.
My next door neighbor has a 50 wide by 60 long. I have seen two in it with no problem and room to spare.
Something to keep in mind, once built, it is hard to increase the size of the building because your clear span stays the same and the builder will want to build a new stand alone building that opens into the old building. In other words, the square foot cost for a hanger plus an add on several years later is much more than just building it larger today.
If I had it to do over today, I would build 60 ft deep and at least 60 wide. I don't know if it is good or bad but you always seem to out grow a building no matter how large you make it.
Dennis
-
flyboy1964
- Posts: 97
- Joined: Sat May 22, 2010 21:54
- Location: wisconsin
- Contact:
-
Jerry Jackson
- Posts: 104
- Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2008 07:59
- Contact:
Re: Hanger Size???
I built a 50 X 60 hanger and walled of the back end (50 X 20) for a closed shop, leaving the hanger size to be 50 X 40. The 45 foot door is on the 50 foot end of the building. It is possible to get two high-wing planes in there but it is tight. If you want it to handle three airplanes then I suggest minimum of 60 X 40 but 60 X 50 would be better. Use doors that open the full 60 foot side. You will never regret using the larger size.
Powered doors are really nice but really expensive. The method of suspending folding doors from T-track is much less expensive and can work well >IF< the track and rollers are well-chosen and properly installed. A mistake that is often seen is for the T-tracks to be welded to the hanger. Welding the tracks invariably causes warping that will interfere with smooth action. It is much better to passively suspend the tracks from hanger clips.
Jerry Jackson
7ECA
8T8
Powered doors are really nice but really expensive. The method of suspending folding doors from T-track is much less expensive and can work well >IF< the track and rollers are well-chosen and properly installed. A mistake that is often seen is for the T-tracks to be welded to the hanger. Welding the tracks invariably causes warping that will interfere with smooth action. It is much better to passively suspend the tracks from hanger clips.
Jerry Jackson
7ECA
8T8
Jerry Jackson
San Antonio
7ECA 65TC
8T8
San Antonio
7ECA 65TC
8T8
-
Nathan K. Hammond
- Posts: 2371
- Joined: Wed Nov 17, 2004 00:22
- Location: Danville, KY (DVK)
- Contact:
Re: Hanger Size???
For what it's worth...
Our 50x50 can hold 3 high wings (Cub, Champ, C172) but it's really tight.
A 60x60 can hold 4 high wings and still have room along all 4 walls for storage, benches, tools, etc...
nkh
Our 50x50 can hold 3 high wings (Cub, Champ, C172) but it's really tight.
A 60x60 can hold 4 high wings and still have room along all 4 walls for storage, benches, tools, etc...
nkh
7AC-5691
Super 85-12F @ DVK
Super 85-12F @ DVK
Re: Hanger Size???
We have two hangars on the airport with the hanging doors that roll around the inside of the hangar wall. That would be my preference rather than a 60 foot bi-fold door. A liitle more work to open but the cost is much less along with less weight.
Mikeb
Mikeb
Re: Hanger Size???
Don't know what the building permit situation is over there but be careful what you say to the local and state guy. In Wisconsin any hangar over a certain square foot or meant to house more then one airplane has to be built to state commercial code. Which means getting the plans approved by the state, inspections, bureaucracy, etc., etc.
Ways to get around it but get your ducks in a row. Over here at Neillsville Our building permits are good for two years so the last hangar built the guy made it 40x30 initially to comply with square foot restriction to satisfy the state guy then added on 30 more feet the next spring without getting an extra building permit. Our city engineer and airport manager just looked the other way, they know how the game is played.
On hangar size, mine is 42x60 and before I turned the last 18 feet into a shop I could fit three with lots of room to spare.
Ways to get around it but get your ducks in a row. Over here at Neillsville Our building permits are good for two years so the last hangar built the guy made it 40x30 initially to comply with square foot restriction to satisfy the state guy then added on 30 more feet the next spring without getting an extra building permit. Our city engineer and airport manager just looked the other way, they know how the game is played.
On hangar size, mine is 42x60 and before I turned the last 18 feet into a shop I could fit three with lots of room to spare.
Re: Hanger Size???
Al,
Thanks....don't think the local guy would be a problem but the state might. We have a number of 40 X40 hangars on the field, two just built recently. The flying club owns the airport and we require a local building permit to prevent someone from throwing up a 'quick and dirty shelter' (like some of the old hangars on the airport....one that I used to own
). I'm not sure this is going to happen as I can't see any benefit for him but I need to follow up on it anyway. I suppose technically we can call a 45 X 60 building aircraft storage for two and the rest a place to store his tractor/ old cars, etc. He actually resides in Arkansas but has local business interests so he's back and forth several times a year. Eau Claire airport requires buildings to be built to commercial standards (trusses, etc).
Mike
Thanks....don't think the local guy would be a problem but the state might. We have a number of 40 X40 hangars on the field, two just built recently. The flying club owns the airport and we require a local building permit to prevent someone from throwing up a 'quick and dirty shelter' (like some of the old hangars on the airport....one that I used to own
). I'm not sure this is going to happen as I can't see any benefit for him but I need to follow up on it anyway. I suppose technically we can call a 45 X 60 building aircraft storage for two and the rest a place to store his tractor/ old cars, etc. He actually resides in Arkansas but has local business interests so he's back and forth several times a year. Eau Claire airport requires buildings to be built to commercial standards (trusses, etc). Mike
Re: Hanger Size???
Aircraft storage for one, don't say it's for two, that will put you in state commercial code again.I suppose technically we can call a 45 X 60 building aircraft storage for two and the rest a place to store his tractor/ old cars, etc.
Re: Hanger Size???
Understood. We have our usual Saturday morning airport loafers coffee get together tomorrow (Saturday) morning and I'm sure the topic will come up. Has to be approved by the Board of Directors anyway although that's not really a problem as the guy is already a life time member of the club. I'm going to put my thoughts together this weekend (+ and -) and get a email to him for his reaction.
Presently we have a real active group at our airport and have made numerous improvements over the years. We are somewhat limited as we only own about 10 acres with a possible option on the north 30 if needed. Anyway, another nice building would be a real asset if it comes about. Grass roots airports like ours with reasonable costs are fast disappearing. I always remember the group flew in and camped overnight a few years ago on their way to Oshkosh. We fed them beer and Wisconsin brats that evening and one remarked "We'd kill for a place like this in California".
Mikeb
Presently we have a real active group at our airport and have made numerous improvements over the years. We are somewhat limited as we only own about 10 acres with a possible option on the north 30 if needed. Anyway, another nice building would be a real asset if it comes about. Grass roots airports like ours with reasonable costs are fast disappearing. I always remember the group flew in and camped overnight a few years ago on their way to Oshkosh. We fed them beer and Wisconsin brats that evening and one remarked "We'd kill for a place like this in California".
Mikeb
Re: Hanger Size???
Wow Mike,
Free beer and brats??????????? I wish you were on the way for me.
Dennis
Free beer and brats??????????? I wish you were on the way for me.
Dennis
Re: Hanger Size???
I mentioned to my wife once that I thought it would be nice to have a small camping trailer for summers at the airport (beautiful place and next to the river, etc.). She mentioned it would only have to sleep one 
so I guess that idea didn't go that far.
(Sorry...posted to the wrong topic. Should been under the home runway airport topic)
mikeb
so I guess that idea didn't go that far.(Sorry...posted to the wrong topic. Should been under the home runway airport topic)
mikeb
Re: Hanger Size???
Mike,
Your trailer for one made me think of this (I took the libery of changing a few words from the original story):
Once upon a time, a Pilot asked a beautiful Lady Will you marry me? The Lady said NO...
And so the Pilot lived happily ever after and rode motorcycles and flew many different airplanes and made love to skinny big breasted woman and hunted and raced cars and went to naked bars and dated women half his age and drank whiskey, beer and Beefeater Gin and never heard bitching and never paid child support or alimony and ate what he wanted and s****ed cheerleaders and kept his guns in his house at the airport and never got cheated on while he was at work and all his friends and family thought he was cool as hell and had tons of money in the bank and left the toilet seat up...
Of course, we all recognize the story as a fairy tale.
Dennis
Your trailer for one made me think of this (I took the libery of changing a few words from the original story):
Once upon a time, a Pilot asked a beautiful Lady Will you marry me? The Lady said NO...
And so the Pilot lived happily ever after and rode motorcycles and flew many different airplanes and made love to skinny big breasted woman and hunted and raced cars and went to naked bars and dated women half his age and drank whiskey, beer and Beefeater Gin and never heard bitching and never paid child support or alimony and ate what he wanted and s****ed cheerleaders and kept his guns in his house at the airport and never got cheated on while he was at work and all his friends and family thought he was cool as hell and had tons of money in the bank and left the toilet seat up...
Of course, we all recognize the story as a fairy tale.
Dennis