Hangar Talk on "Hangar Talk"

CharlieD3

CharlieD3

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CharlieD3
So... Has anyone seen one of these up close and personal?

Interesting concept for home fields, fields with adequate space but no hangars available...

Hail is about the only concern.... High winds maybe but susceptible to the same winds as metal hangars...

Locking won't happen... Nothing a utility knife can't defeat...

But otherwise, what thinkest y'all?

https://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1;ft_fabric_buildings-ft_airplane_hangars;pg107552.html
ab41a1f3e87d53dc6ae58385bc2f6abc.jpg
 
There's a bunch of them at 08R in Rhode Island, they seem to be holding up well.
 
That is for fabric planes. :D

...looks cool to me. The big cost in a hangar is the concrete pad I thought? This seems to be economizing the wrong thing.
 
schmookeeg said:
That is for fabric planes. :D

...looks cool to me. The big cost in a hangar is the concrete pad I thought? This seems to be economizing the wrong thing.
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They have ground anchors as well... No need for a pad.

As a temporary structure, many areas don't tax them.
 
schmookeeg said:
That is for fabric planes. :D

...looks cool to me. The big cost in a hangar is the concrete pad I thought? This seems to be economizing the wrong thing.
Click to expand...
The link says "little to no foundation cost". I guess you could pour a concrete pad if you want to.

I though one of the big expenses of a hangar were the doors. In the right place, this could be a very cost efficient alternative. But I would still buy a "real" hangar if I had the opportunity. Everyone that I know that bought either sold it for a profit, or think they could sell it for a profit. I suspect these would be more depreciating.
 
Some of the fabric hangars at 08R have pads, some are just on dirt.
 
Wonder about snow and wind loading. Might be ok for southern climates but a tornado would sure have some fun with one of these.
 
I feel like the true cheapo wiseacre would get a pull-thru tiedown space, pay the $50/mo, and sneak one of these plane tents over it, either with concrete weights or drilling anchors into the landlord's tarmac. :D

Double troll points if it's at one of those metro airports with multi-year hangar waiting lists and 4-figure/mo t-hangar costs.
 
Jumpmaster said:
Wonder about snow and wind loading. Might be ok for southern climates but a tornado would sure have some fun with one of these.
Click to expand...
So what kind of hangar would you consider tornado proof? I'm thinking a tornado would have fun with my steel T-Hangar.
 
CharlieD3 said:
But otherwise, what thinkest y'all?
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I think it's a nice looking Grumman. :)

But otherwise, a neat idea if a conventional hangar just can't be done for whatever reason.
 
CharlieD3 said:
So... Has anyone seen one of these up close and personal?

Interesting concept for home fields, fields with adequate space but no hangars available...

Hail is about the only concern.... High winds maybe but susceptible to the same winds as metal hangars...
Click to expand...

Friend of mine with a B36TC Bonanza keeps his airplane at a private airport that won't allow permanent structures. A number of them got together and built several hangars similar, but I think a quite a bit more robust than this one.

Extruded aluminum frames with a tension membrane system (they used a hydraulic jack to tension in vertical and horizontal directions). Tamped gravel floor with patio blocks where the wheels run. Precast concrete anchors to hold it down. Works really well.

No issues with snow loading or hail, and these buildings meet the hurricane code for Dade County, Florida.

The one the OP posted has a polyethylene cover. Condensation inside might be a concern if it isn't ventilated.


Jumpmaster said:
Wonder about snow and wind loading. Might be ok for southern climates but a tornado would sure have some fun with one of these.
Click to expand...

There's not much that is tornado-proof, including most people's homes.
 
One appeal is its presumed portability in the event that an airport lease expires and can't be renewed (which would also apply for an airport closure).
 
Rather heavier than I would have imagined, with one that will hold a Skyhawk weighing nearly 1.5 Skyhawks! Can't bundle it up and toss it in the plane, at least any plane that it will hold.
15-year guarantee on the fabric brings it to a fairly low monthly hit, if you can find a place where you are allowed to set it up.
 
Different brand, but in the early 2000's I had one of those in my backyard where I kept an Ultralight. Those structures are ok, but should be thought of only as a temporary solution. After 2 or 3 years of use I started to have problems with the zippers, and eventually issues with holes in the cover due to the flexing of the frame in the wind. Eventually I sold the UL, removed the front and back panels, and used the open ended arch to store my tractor and lawn equipment. After maybe 6 or 7 years I made the eyesore go away.
 
Jumpmaster said:
Wonder about snow and wind loading. Might be ok for southern climates but a tornado would sure have some fun with one of these.
Click to expand...
I’m not sure of any structure that’s tornado proof. We had a few extreme tornadoes come through here back in 2012. The aftermath from an aerial perspective, looked like someone used a weed eater that totally slaughtered anything in its path. Mother Nature looks at steel and iron like twigs...

I agree though that these might only be practical in certain areas of the country - Southern California for example. Joplin? Probably not as much. :)
 
They've got a couple of huuuuge ones up in Dyersville, Iowa, one of their home locations... When I lived there, we had lots of snow, occasional straight line tornadic winds, tornadoes and hail... They stood the test of time. Now, I don't know if they've recovered them, but if they did, it woulda made the news up in those parts.... Never saw it in the 13 some odd years of being close by...

I think it might be a viable option for airports with the need for hangar space.
 
Dana said:
Some of the fabric hangars at 08R have pads, some are just on dirt.
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I looked at Google maps satellite view and see like 5... With one that awaits recovering, and a steel building (apparently) being built....

Lots of folks on tiedowns, too.
 
JOhnH said:
So what kind of hangar would you consider tornado proof? I'm thinking a tornado would have fun with my steel T-Hangar.
Click to expand...
Just make sure you don’t put one up near a mobile home park. Those places are tornado magnets!
 
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