Hangar design for 2-3 airplanes

robin ardoin

robin ardoin

Pattern Altitude
PoA Supporter
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Location
Lafayette, LA
Display Name
Robard
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KOPL
I have a ground lease that would accommodate a 80x80 hangar. I desire to build a hangar that has room for at least two airplanes with 42' wingspan and a small office/storage/bathroom. My idea is to have my 210 hangared with room for one other to help defray costs of the lease and taxes and recover some of the build costs. I can build without having to depend upon additional income but it would be a little perk. Any ideas on the floor space required to not require mobilizing any craft other than the one being pulled in or out? Any design rules to follow for such a layout. I am completely ignorant to hangar design so all ideas are welcome.
 
2 planes or 3 planes? 2 Planes you can maneuver them in without having to move the other with one door. 3 planes, you're gonna have to move at least one, to get the one in back or put in two doors on either adjacent or opposite walls. Unless you have a mix of high and low wings.
 
EdFred said:
2 planes or 3 planes? 2 Planes you can maneuver them in without having to move the other with one door. 3 planes, you're gonna have to move at least one, to get the one in back or put in two doors on either adjacent or opposite walls. Unless you have a mix of high and low wings.
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I guess 2 vs 3 depends upon the size of the hangar and door. I plan on a 45-50ft bifold door. I am thinking I would need at least a 60x60 for three assuming a high wing backed straight in and a pair of low wings flanking it angled toward the sides??? The lots total 12,00sqft and the dimension of the pair together are 120'w x 100'd so plenty of latitude in design. Of course, cost will factor in. A builder in my area (KOPL) has recently put in two 80x100's with 60ft hydraulic doors and I was told by the airport manager that he thought they had around $200K in each (including a side roll-up door and small office with bathroom. I'm still waiting to speak to the owner directly but that seems incredibly cheap. My budget is anticipated to be around $250K max.
 
Some of our neighbors get three planes in 60x60 hangars. It takes some juggling and parking them like a jigsaw puzzle, but it can be done. I’d think with 80x80, three planes would not be difficult at all.
 
Put the planes on dollies and you can move them in any direction. I had a garage with 4 cars (40x20 with shop space/machines) and the only way it worked was that I had them all on dollies and could 4D-chess them around. A G503, G506, G508 and enough spares for another G506. A G508 is 8,000lbs.. moved it around by myself.
 
At one time I was in a shared hangar at the old Colts Neck (NJ) airport that held 4 planes. It was square, I don't know the dimensions, with sliding doors on all 4 sides so everybody had their own door and nobody had to move another's plane. There were two such hangars (on the left side of this picture).
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So, print the top view drawings of 3 or 4 representative airplanes to a convenient scale, cut them out and play with the arrangements on a square of paper?
 
Bay door in the back that can accommodate a class A RV so min 14’ door.
 
My hangar is 55’ x 60’ with a 45’x14’ door. Last winter I had two Cessna 180s, a long wing Supercub, two cars, one pickup, a 4-wheeler, and a lawn tractor inside and still had room to move around and work at my bench.

I have a pair on Gojacks and didn’t use them for the three planes.
 
Stewartb said:
My hangar is 55’ x 60’ with a 45’x14’ door. Last winter I had two Cessna 180s, a long wing Supercub, two cars, one pickup, a 4-wheeler, and a lawn tractor inside and still had room to move around and work at my bench.

I have a pair on Gojacks and didn’t use them for the three planes.
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60' deep, I presume, with the door on the 55' side?
 
Keep it simple, and lower the chances of hangar renters hitting/hangar rashing planes. Plan on two planes maximum, or maybe a third IF that plane is very infrequently used / stored over the winter, etc.
 
mandm said:
Bay door in the back that can accommodate a class A RV so min 14’ door.
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Regardless of what size door, don’t underestimate the value of an overhead door in the back wall or corner. It is a hassle to open the hangar door just to get a lawn mower, snow blower, or car out. Even more of a hassle to take airplanes out of the hangar to get access to those ground vehicles. I wish I could pull my car into the back of the hangar and load the plane in the heated, well-lit hangar before opening the big door.

As far as fitting planes in, I think the goal should be to pick 2 planes that can go out without moving any others and then minimize how many need to move to access the rest. Some luck and creativity go a long way there. For example, you can roll an RV wing under a 310 wing with quite a bit of overlap, but be careful if the 310 gear strut has deflated. And the direction and even small changes in the angle you put a plane in can make a huge difference on clearance.
 
WDD said:
Keep it simple, and lower the chances of hangar renters hitting/hangar rashing planes. Plan on two planes maximum, or maybe a third IF that plane is very infrequently used / stored over the winter, etc.
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That is the direction I am leaning...two aircraft that can be moved individually. Less rash risk.
 
Get a 50-foot door. For me, 45' door with 42' wingspans is just too close, asking for hangar rash. (I know, plenty of operators get by with that.)
And, a further note, for when you get that King Air, the C90-series wingspan is slightly over 50'.
 
I have a 80 x 80. You can put 4 planes in there but only 2 without moving one.

An 80' wide hangar will allow for a 60' wide door. Don't go any narrower. Also - go with a single panel door. No bi-fold. I have two hangars - one with each. I have a Schweiss and HATE it. Overly complicated and does not seal as well as my 60 x 18 single panel door.
 
Stephen Shore said:
I have a 80 x 80. You can put 4 planes in there but only 2 without moving one.

An 80' wide hangar will allow for a 60' wide door. Don't go any narrower. Also - go with a single panel door. No bi-fold. I have two hangars - one with each. I have a Schweiss and HATE it. Overly complicated and does not seal as well as my 60 x 18 single panel door.
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Hydraulic doors can be glacially slow in cold weather. That is, as far as I can tell, the only downside of a single panel.
 
Hydraulic doors work great here in Alaska. No speed difference in summer or winter. One-piece hydraulic is the popular choice up here as they seal better. My 50’ x 14’ is a Schweiss.
 
Hydraulic doors work fine in winter - I am in North Texas and have never had any problems even on sub 20 degree days.

Another benefit to a single panel door is that you have a nice large shaded area to work under when the door is open.

If you don't want to go hydraulic, some companies offer pure electric opener options (Iron Bridge Doors).

I own a commercial building with one of these (Iron Bridge).
 
It seems like maybe I just got lucky and the one time I had to open a hydraulic hangar door in the winter it was in the minority that are slow, and/or need maintenance.
 
Stephen Shore said:
Hydraulic doors work fine in winter - I am in North Texas and have never had any problems even on sub 20 degree days.

Another benefit to a single panel door is that you have a nice large shaded area to work under when the door is open.

If you don't want to go hydraulic, some companies offer pure electric opener options (Iron Bridge Doors).

I own a commercial building with one of these (Iron Bridge).
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Dang Stephen, I was about to tell Robin to contact you since you had recently built two new hangers. I think he would like the one you have pics of on Commander.org.
 
All the single panel doors in my area seem to be hydraulic. The bifolds are all electric drum/cable units like a boat lift. I definitely want to go hydraulic single panel.
 
Chris Mixon said:
Dang Stephen, I was about to tell Robin to contact you since you had recently built two new hangers. I think he would like the one you have pics of on Commander.org.
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Looks like a good reason to fly up to Longview. ;) Right now my plane is AOG at SHV waiting for a mechanic to sort out an electrical failure.:(
 
A local hangar door contractor uses Powerlift hydraulics and adds a twist. The first/last 18” or so the pump slows to a crawl to avoid pressurizing the hangar. I wish my door had that. If I open my door without opening other doors first it knocks pictures off the wall inside the house from the pressure change.
 
Stewartb said:
A local hangar door contractor uses Powerlift hydraulics and adds a twist. The first/last 18” or so the pump slows to a crawl to avoid pressurizing the hangar. I wish my door had that. If I open my door without opening other doors first it knocks pictures off the wall inside the house from the pressure change.
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WOW, most hangars I've seen would leak air like a poorly maintained P210!
 
robin ardoin said:
WOW, most hangars I've seen would leak air like a poorly maintained P210!
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Where I live in Alaska is famous for winter winds. Sealing our structures well is imperative. My hangar is very easy to keep comfortable in cold outside temps. If you use air conditioning, the same will apply.
 
Stewartb said:
A local hangar door contractor uses Powerlift hydraulics and adds a twist. The first/last 18” or so the pump slows to a crawl to avoid pressurizing the hangar. I wish my door had that. If I open my door without opening other doors first it knocks pictures off the wall inside the house from the pressure change.
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That is outstanding. I’m going to call our area Powerlift dealer and see what it will take to have ours modified. The first few inches of opening it causes the side door to slam shut. And when closing, that last foot is like using a leaf blower to blast dust and dirt inside.

Other than that, I am very happy with Powerlift.
 
ateamer said:
That is outstanding. I’m going to call our area Powerlift dealer and see what it will take to have ours modified. The first few inches of opening it causes the side door to slam shut. And when closing, that last foot is like using a leaf blower to blast dust and dirt inside.

Other than that, I am very happy with Powerlift.
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This...
My last two hangars and last commercial building I put in single panel Power Lift doors with this feature. I actually didn't know that any were installed without it. When that door closes your building will be sealed like a cooler - tight.

My hangar with the Schweiss bi fold door when adjusted correctly (and constantly) seals just enough to keep large birds out.
 
Bifolding doors aren’t difficult to seal up. Stop blaming Schweiss and fix yours.
 
Stewartb said:
Bifolding doors aren’t difficult to seal up. Stop blaming Schweiss and fix yours.
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SA - I have - multiple times - 8 total straps need to be adjusted at least every 6 months.

But with a single panel door I don't have too adjust ever - like since they were installed.

This is my opinion from having built 3 hangars and multiple commercial buildings with these large opening doors - bi-fold and single panel.

If you like your bi-fold that is fine. Just my opinion on mine.
 
My Schweiss door is one piece hydraulic, but I have friends that have tightly sealing bifolds. My comments are from 40 years in the door business in Alaska.
 
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