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Hangar thoughts....

Pave Tim

Active Member
I am sure a lot of you have your won hangar either built, bought, or rented. I am looking for some opinions on building one with limitations.

A local airport has a 64x60 cement pad with a 15' height limitation, which in my opinion, is pretty short for that large of a hangar. I have told them that leaves only about 12' for the door..depending on the door....but no more than 12'. Also, I am being told the longer the door, the more head room for support which will encroach even further into the already limited door height.

The pad has gone unused for nearly 20 years. The airport thinks someone will come along and build a six figure hangar even with those limitations. I disagree. I would assume a potential hangar builder would want to "future proof" the building....meaning, ten years from now they want to sell it but they have a very limited market because of the door.

The rest of hangars in that row are all 18-20' doors.

Would you spend the money building a hangar with those limitations?
 
Four Hangars?

Seems like with that height limitation, you're only really going to fit a standard single-engine GA plane. In that case, depending on taxiway access, why not break it into four 30x32' hangars? A 12' door is plenty for an RV, Cessna, Piper, etc. Use one and rent out the other three.
 
They want a 64x60...

And there is only taxiway access on two sides


Seems like with that height limitation, you're only really going to fit a standard single-engine GA plane. In that case, depending on taxiway access, why not break it into four 30x32' hangars? A 12' door is plenty for an RV, Cessna, Piper, etc. Use one and rent out the other three.
 
12 feet overhead will allow for singles and light twins, and some motor homes will fit. You might get a little more height if you were to go with accordion doors vs a hydro lift type door. Bifold doors will cost you to much head height.
 
I had a steel building guy look at it and even with a mostly flat roof and hydro door of 60', he needs more headroom for support. Accordion doors are an option their hangar construction needs larger beams for a 64' wide building.

Again, considering that hangar would be sold at some point in the future, I am trying to consider the next buyer.


12 feet overhead will allow for singles and light twins, and some motor homes will fit. You might get a little more height if you were to go with accordion doors vs a hydro lift type door. Bifold doors will cost you to much head height.
 
Can you put a turntable in it and rent space on the turntable?
Only one door is needed that way, although access height may be an issue, unless you build the turntable even with the ground. But if you do that, you don't need the existing pad.
 
Most restrictions and requirements can be modified with an offer. In development we do this all the time. Treat the deal like you are developing the site and to get the best use, you need some help from them. Everybody wins.

Go for a 20' height - on one end and slope to the back to lower height. That will give you room for a taller door if you want.

They have to realize a 60x64 hangar owner that wanted it for 1 plane will most likely not make it in a 12' door so the height limit will not get them what they want. If you can make it work for 4 planes, they have 4 people they are selling fuel to, buying candy bars, and supporting other airport businesses.
 
I'd lobby for an increased height limit. My airport has a 22' minimum sidewall height. Find out why the low height, preserving someone's view, keeping out jets or big twins, ??? Then find an alternate way to deal with whatever the reason.
 
Quonset ?Hut? Building with square bypass doors on cable ?stays? stabilized framework. Relatively cheap....doors on both ends....partnership or rental potential. Search will give you many options.
Don?t like the curve down low...no problema....Wide span Quonset on 4? concrete riser wall. 15? easy peezy....
You can assemble with a rental forklift and if you live near Sedona, AZ....well
it?s on my bucket list.
I forgot...how wide is an RV...24-28?...?
Piece of cake....concrete epoxy anchors...
Hard part is done....slab.

You can thank the Sumerians 8000 years ago.

R
 
Higher power door

Check out the higher power doors. A 48? door only requires about 13? of overhead...and the doors are self supporting so the building doesn?t have to...

It?s an impressive door...
 
Multi-panel sliding doors.

Picture is just so you know what I'm talking about

Top-Hung-Sliding-3-Leaf-Unidirectional-Gaillard-Center-SC-2.jpg
 
The limitation is imposed by the control tower. Anything higher than 15 feet will obstruct the view of one of the taxiways. I fly business jets for living And have been to airports with the tower cannot see every taxiway. Not sure what?s going on with this one. It is what it is.
 
I have a 50x50 that is less than 15' tall. 40' door on one side, Horton stack door (slider, no support needed from above). You could build a smaller hangar and add a workshop, garage, etc. on one side with a lower roof height. Just a thought.
 
Thanks for all the replies.

My personal needs for a door are 50x14 which is a stretch.

My immediate concerns are a challenge but I am also thinking about down the road when and if I sell the hangar. How many people are going to want to drop decent money on a building with those limits? I would have to find another me..which for the sake of all mankind, there is only one of! :p
 
If you could get it built with a 50x14 door, you could easily store multiple small aircraft in there. RV next to Cessna, etc. If it were a multi-tenant building it might be easier to sell later?
 
Standard T-hangar is 40 feet wide. This slab offers plenty of room for the vast majority of GA airplanes.
I really liked the hangar I had with a garage door in the back.
Pull up inside right behind the airplane while flying, plenty of space for car oil changes, brake jobs, yada yada...

I'm building a new hangar in a few months, and once again going to add a garage door in the back.
With a couple airplanes inside, I'll still have room for parking, storage, and even keep the boat inside all Winter.
 
Rapidset Hangar Idea

I did a hangar through our online design system at https://rapidset.designbuildsystems.com/

I can do 60x64 (assuming that orientation) and I went 14' sidewalls assuming .4"/12" slope should get you very close. I was able to design it with a Schweiss style (bifold.com) door 12' tall which is 8" thick. And you can see from the drawing that you see part of the frame when the door is open. I think in detailing I can squeeze about 4 - 6" more inches in height you would net 12' 4" - 12' 6" and depending on drainage you can slope the slab a bit at the opening even if you need to cut it out and re pour it. I do not know your location so I designed it near where I live. Check loads and code then design one with the right shipping and loads. Give a call and I can walk a design to our steel detailers and they can tell you exactly the net height you would have.
The error on the quote is only telling me the minimal slope is not the best.
https://rapidset.designbuildsystems.com/getdbsimage.php?quote_id=64393&drawing_id=35&type=pdf
https://rapidset.designbuildsystems.com/getdbsimage.php?quote_id=64393&drawing_id=33&type=pdf
printablequote.php



And you want to visually see it
Walk around;
https://rapidset.designbuildsystems...3&project_name=height+test&location=CO,+80903
Walk through;
https://rapidset.designbuildsystems...3&project_name=height+test&location=CO,+80903

Glad to help if I can.
Thanks, Larry
 
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