Best Hangar Designs by Airplane Size

When you decide to buy your own airplane, you need to find a place to store it. Many small airports will rent out hangar space to owners, or they will lease the land and allow the renter to build their own hangar on the property. Whether you need it for personal reasons or corporate use, buying a plane is an investment, so you need to protect that investment with a secure place to store it. Below are the average costs for the materials to build a custom designed hangar vs renting a similar space. The differences between low-end and high-end hangar rentals is explained in greater detail below.

Hangars come in many different shapes and sizes and finding the right one for your plane can be tricky. The two most common hangar designs are a T shape, which fits the plane snugly, or a rectangular shape that allows for a little more room in the hangar when the plane is parked. Both designs are good, so the best hangar design depends upon your specific needs. A hobbyist may prefer a T design, while a hangar from a corporate plane might find a larger rectangle hangar better because it gives them a little more room to move around. The right design also depends on if you are planning on parking multiple planes, in which case, a T design would not work as well.

Below are several common commercial, corporate, and personal airplane models along with the recommended hangar size and an estimate for the hangar’s cost.

While many airports will allow you to lease a parcel of land for your hangar, you will definitely need to measure the property to make sure your hangar design will fit and research how friendly the airport is toward privately owned hangars. The leases are usually around 25 years long, but some of them do not have renewable leases, so when the lease on the land runs outs the ownership of the hangar ends up reverting to the airport. This is why it is so important that you research the airports and thoroughly read the lease agreement before you decide to build your hangar.

The sliding hangar doors open by sliding to the side, which can mean your doors are limited by the width of your building. These doors can be difficult to open, especially if you live in a snowy area or somewhere that reaches freezing temperatures; the snow and ice can cause these doors to stick.

The hydraulic hangar door design is similar to a garage door. It all opens and rises as a single unit, and like a garage door, it can take up ceiling space. If you decide to go with this style of door, make sure you leave plenty of room in your hangar design to account for the door’s space when opened.