Cheapest way to build a hangar

Chrisgoesflying

Chrisgoesflying

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Chrisgoesflying
My local airport is currently almost giving away land leases to private aircraft owners. I am considering to lease a land and build a hangar. What is the cheapest way to build a hangar? Little background: It’s in the Canadian Prairies but I won’t need heat or anything fancy. I’m only here during the summer and the only purpose is to keep the plane out of the elements when it’s not flying. It’s not intended to be a hangout spot or anything.
 
Chrisgoesflying said:
My local airport is currently almost giving away land leases to private aircraft owners. I am considering to lease a land and build a hangar. What is the cheapest way to build a hangar? Little background: It’s in the Canadian Prairies but I won’t need heat or anything fancy. I’m only here during the summer and the only purpose is to keep the plane out of the elements when it’s not flying. It’s not intended to be a hangout spot or anything.
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Do You need a hangar that can handle a snow load?
 
Chrisgoesflying said:
My local airport is currently almost giving away land leases to private aircraft owners. I am considering to lease a land and build a hangar. What is the cheapest way to build a hangar? Little background: It’s in the Canadian Prairies but I won’t need heat or anything fancy. I’m only here during the summer and the only purpose is to keep the plane out of the elements when it’s not flying. It’s not intended to be a hangout spot or anything.
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Well, keeping your plane " ... out of the elements ... " could run the gamut from a shade hangar to a climate-controlled fully-enclosed hangar. From what you've written, I believe that what you're thinking of is a shade hangar, which at the low end ($$$) could be a membrane/fabric, open-sided structure. Of course, some options will be taken off the table due to airport restrictions and local building codes. I think you're first step is to look at the airport's existing hangars, then consult airport officials and local zoning folks. I would imagine that local zoning would take into consideration such things as snow loads as pointed out by Gary Ward, above. Good luck and keep us posted.
 
Canada? I'm picturing pole barn. Side it with whatever is cheapest, maybe even just leave one side open. I know a couple of places around here where they hanger planes and the door is always open, and it seems to work fine. It keeps the rain and sun off, and if you face it right nothing will get blown around.
 
There are currently a few fancy, pantsy, new type of, large hangars, mostly used by commercial operators, mechanics or people who stuff 5 planes into a 3 plane hangar and collect $450 in monthly rent lol. There are no requirements in regards to size or building in the airport or local zoning laws from what I can tell. It does need to adhere to snow and wind load requirements though.
 
If’n you only need it in the summer, are there people who might use it in your absence during the winter?
 
A ton of money goes into the door. Eliminate? While a electric bi - fold is great it is also pricey. Research other options such as the EAA door or a simple slider.

A concrete pad is another nice but costly feature. Gravel is easy but I’ve also seen wood floors that worked well.

Suggest you determine your course of action on these before starting construction.
 
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Power pole uprights. Chicken house trusses (usually 40’ 4/12 pitch), used chicken house roof tin.

gravel floor.

OR

Find a used Port-a-hangar, dismantle and move. Got one of those for free, it’s going back up now. Working great.
 
RyanShort1 said:
If’n you only need it in the summer, are there people who might use it in your absence during the winter?
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I may put my car in there over the winter but don’t expect anything more from it as if I left it outside which is what I currently do throughout winter.
 
I would be willing to bet airport is going to want to be involved with what you put on leased land.
 
Racerx said:
I would be willing to bet airport is going to want to be involved with what you put on leased land.
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They said that it simply has to adhere to the "national building code" - whatever that means. I see pretty basic hangars at other city owned airports in the province and assume those must also adhere to the "national building code", hence the bar can't be too high.
 
Building code is merely adhering charts that dictate maximum spans depending on loads, ability to withstand certain winds, sizes of stuff used in framing, how it’s anchored, stuff like that.

Sometimes this means getting an architect to sign off on a set of custom plans, that can get pricey.

Sometimes it means do what someone else got signed off…. Much easier.

Sometimes you buy a set of plans that already has been approved by an architect… this is somewhere in the middle.
 
The building code is going to dictate the structure so that it stands up in the wind and snow and is safe. Making it look nice usually costs more. As someone mentioned the door is a big part of the cost. I would be surprised if you didn’t have to get an engineer and or architect involved at some point.
 
So you can speculate about this, or ask a local builder or the code people, whomever they are, or if there even is anyone. I don't know Canada works, but I bet it's not terribly different from the US. Here, it's not exactly true that you have to build "to code". What you have to do is build to suit the interpretation of code by whomever approves the structure, which may include an exception process. It may vary a lot by jurisdiction, with the same code. In Albany County, City of Albany, if you have a set of plans for a building a commercial building stamped by a local engineer, it's going to pass and be fine. Same county, Town of Colonie, there's a good chance the Town guy is going to take a look at it, and he might want changes, just because he can. No lawyer will help you out if they have their mind set on something, even if it's not in the code..they will find a way to stop you. Go outside Albany County a bit, and have a discussion with a planning guy, and he may say "hey, if you do this and this, then we're going to be cool. I just need to see a drawing."

My long winded point is that even more than aviation, it matters who is interpreting the regs. Maybe shouldn't be, but that's how it is everywhere I've ever been.
 
Same thing by me in the Chicago suburbs. The county building and planning department is the worst to deal with. But if you're incorporated you deal with the local townships which can be hit or miss. Some rubber stamp things. Others want to flex their muscle because they can. The county is the latter. Some twits with power, and they're gonna let you know.

When I I built my house I had engineer stamped drawings for the trusses. Theres 7 or 8 different people building plans go through. If one person doesn't like something, they get rejected and you get some vague explanation. And it wouldn't go to the next level. So then the next level would reject it for some other trivial reason. The trusses needed an "energy heel". But it already had said heel. Building department just wanted a taller heel, but they wouldn't say how much of a heel.

The people sitting behind the desk that approve or disapprove plans were a hassle. They largely have never built anything and have had no real life application of the 'codes they deal with. And codes, especially energy codes change all the time. The inspectors however were great. They were guys that actually worked in the field. And since I built the house myself, they actually gave me some tips along the way.
 
The problem with airplane hangars are the wings. You need a 35 or 40 foot open span with only the end upright supports that also has to hold the weight of a door (or doors)
That's the biggest challenge, the rest is pretty straight forward.
 
Cheapest way to build a hangar...

three-little-pigs-straw-house.jpg


...but there are drawbacks...
 
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