To Hangar or Not to Hangar...

Rykymus

Rykymus

Line Up and Wait
Joined
Dec 24, 2014
Messages
647
Location
Allen, TX
Display Name
Display name:
Rykymus
That is the question.

Moved to McKinney TX area a few months ago. My 98 Archer III is currently tied-down at KTKI. Prior to moving, the plane had spent the last 3 years hangared in CA. I'm not crazy about being on tie-downs here, especially coming into storm season when hail is a greater possibility. (I do like the price, though, which is only $80/mo.) I also haven't enjoyed the additional complications of not being able to fly it because of the cold weather. (Being outside, options to preheat are fairly limited.) What I do like is that it's only about 15 minutes away from the home we are currently renting. (We are still getting to know the greater DFW area, and will be buying sometime this year.) However, the plane spent pretty much all of it's life (prior to me buying it) outside, so it's not like it's paint is wow. (Pretty much average, I'd say.)

Between the cold weather, not being terribly familiar with the area and weather patterns, and just being busy with work and settling in, I haven't been able to fly as often as I'd like. (Went a whole 2 months without going up, which sucked, as I used to fly at least once per week.) I am getting more time to fly now, so I expect to get back to flying at least once every other week.

Thing is, I just got an email from Arlington Airport stating that I was #2 on the list, and a 41ft T-hangar with power is coming available, and they want to know if I'd be interested if the guy ahead of me passes. About this, I am conflicted.

First, Arlington is an hour drive from our current home, and I fear that the driving time will equate to less flying for me. (I should state that I am self-employed and work from home, so I can pretty much fly at whim.) But that drive would definitely make me less likely to fly. However, I've always wanted to have a hangar with electricity, and I very much like the idea of keeping the plane better protected. I also like the idea of being able to dump our storage space and use the back wall of the hangar for storage of the things that don't fit in our rental at the moment. That would offset $220 of the hangar cost, meaning that overall I'd only be paying about $30/mo more than I am right now. I've already changed my insurance coverage and paid the extra $300 due to the plane no-longer being stored in a hangar, but I imagine I'd get that back relatively soon. (And it's not that big a deal anyway.)

So my question (finally) is should I take the hangar or not. The waiting list at TKI is long, and I'm far down it. I'm open to other options, such as sharing a hangar, or even renting something larger than what I need. (The list for larger hangars at TKI is considerably shorter.) I'm seriously worried that the driving time will dissuade me from flying. Then again, the plane would be protected and out of the elements, and even on cold days, the driving time would give me time to preheat the plane. (Using a remote trigger) The driving time would also force me to plan my flights more, and do less "flying on a whim" which I've always felt is a bad way to fly. Another plus, is that (at 41'x30'p"x12') the hangar in question is big enough to hold what I hope to buy next. (A Cessna 310).

I'd appreciate all of your thoughts on this, especially those of you who have to drive far to fly, as I'm very conflicted.

Thanks,

Ryk
 
Hangar=good in hail country. Take the far hangar and stay on the wait-list for hangar at near place.

I have to drive across Denver to get to my hangar. It sucks sometimes. Oh well.
 
I'd take it; worst case is you decide it's not worth it and go back to outside. It's 42 deg there now, you don't need a preheat. But you can always get one of them propane deals, or the top of the line Reiff and an inverter for your car to power it up, or a portable generator. I gotta think in Dallas you won't need it much.

I took a hangar that's 4x a tiedown and a half hour away (vs 15 min when I had it outside), yes it's a luxury but I don't worry about it being vandalized, hailed on (happens here once in a while) or touched by anyone other than me or my mechanic. Check the 310 dimensions, it might be tight.
 
One consideration is how well the tie down airport keeps gawkers from the tie down area. I've seen the curious do things to planes -- walk into the pitot tube, stop to talk to some one and take notes using the elevator as a table (did the pen roll unnoticed into the elevator gap?)

Another consider is how hard is the hour drive? Do you get on a divided highway, put the car in cruise, and zip along. You'll arrive still fresh and happy. Or is it stop and go, lot of traffic lights, lot of changes in speed limits? You'll arrive exhausted and out of sorts.

What kind of flying do you do? If you fly three or four hours, or multiday, at a time, a two hour drive (to the hangar and back) might not be do bad. But if you can only get away for an hour flight, it might be discouraging to drive two hours to fly for one hour.

Except for hail, most damage for being tied down outside is UV on the interior, which can be mitigated with canvas covers.
 
Last edited:
My plane was tied down for the first 12 years I owned it. I lucked into a hangar about 2004 and I'll never go back (of course, I have one I own now).
 
All of the inspection appointments I have flown as of a month ago. McKinney is under the top right corner's markers. Arlington is in the bottom center.

3gvdW4x.png


This was me starting ~6 months after the hail season and they are still working on claims mind you. YMMV but I would hangar it. KGKY is a long drive but to me it'd be worth the extra cash not to be hailed on.
 
The possibility of fitting the next plane in there is just icing on the cake, and not really a deal breaker. Right now, there's only a 50/50 chance I'd change planes sometime in the next few years.

The idea that my plane would be protected really appeals to me. I was spoiled by my hangar in CA being so close to home. It didn't have electricity though, and I often regretted that. I just really like knowing that my plane is exactly the way I left it. I also want to start doing some of my own maintenance, and that's awfully difficult on tie-downs.

It is month-to-month, only requiring 30 days notice to vacate, so I could just use it temporarily. And I can afford it even if I am unable to store any of my non-aviation related stuff there. (Especially since I'd probably be flying a bit less, so I'd be spending less money on avgas.) I'm okay with the flying less frequently, as I've completed my IR and only plan to fly to brush up my skills, and to take trips to explore greater Texas and surrounding states for now. And there is the chance that the house we buy will be about 20 minutes closer, so...
 
Ryk,

With spring comes spring thunderstorms and possible hail. You are renting in McKinney - when is your lease up? Could you find a rental in Arlington? When I got my plane, she was rough, but, it was a dream come true - I had to have a hangar - I keep my car in a garage, why would I do something that is more expensive and harder to fix than my car?

If you work from home and have flexibility, you can drive over to Arlington during off peak hours, perhaps wrap up a conf call at the FBO and go fly, that would help negate traffic.

Have you checked bulletin boards and online postings for shared hangars at KTKI? What about Aero Country Estates - they are near you. A lot smaller and lacking some of the aspect of KTKI.

Good luck in whatever you do.

Dean
 
I probably should start actively checking around. I thought about Aero Country, but they don't have any instrument approaches. That's the other thing about moving to a hangar far away...I truly love going out and shooting approaches in low ceilings. Being far away would make that more challenging.

ETA: Our home lease is up in Sept. We are looking to purchase before then. Currently focusing in the Plano/Addison/Richardson area. (Wife has to be near Trader Joes.)
 
There might be some shared hanger space at Aero Country. Its a good airport and convenient for you. During the trips where you return home and need an approach you can divert to TKI and Uber home. Then re-position the plane another day.
 
Having driven from that exact airport to Plano last friday in the afternoon, I'd suggest driving it at the times of day you would expect to fly to get a sense of the impact of traffic. On your approach point, why do you have to do that at your home airport? There are ton's of airports in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area.
 
I've never debated storing a plane outside, heck I often try to weasel into a hangar for anything more than a single overnight away from home.
 
Hang 4 said:
Having driven from that exact airport to Plano last friday in the afternoon, I'd suggest driving it at the times of day you would expect to fly to get a sense of the impact of traffic. On your approach point, why do you have to do that at your home airport? There are ton's of airports in the Dallas/Fort Worth metro area.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was planning on making the drive as a test. As to the approaches issue, I suppose I could depart from a field without instrument approaches, but if nearby fields are IFR, it's likely that Aero Country would be as well. Not crazy about taking off IFR from a field I couldn't turn around and land at in an emergency. Also, not crazy about untowered fields, as every close-encounter I've ever had has been at one. (And yes, I know stats don't back that up.)
 
Take the hangar, keep name on the TKI list, and get your name on any other potential airport lists.
 
Much nicer to sit in the hangar and drink beer while looking at your plane than at the tie down. :)
Especially if it's raining.

And if the wife kicks you out for the night, you're that much happier.
 
Last edited:
I feel a little guilty, to be honest. My wife has been complaining about the driving time to some of her favorite stores, and I keep telling her "If you want to live in a big metroplex, longer drive times are part of that." I guess I should practice what I preach.
 
Firstly, in this part of the country, I would NOT tie-down for any length of time. T-storms, hail, microbursts, tornadoes, brutal heat, etc, are inevitable, and airplanes are too expensive to leave out in that crap.

Secondly, If the closest available hangar was an hour away, I'd sell the plane or move. If I was self employed and worked from home, that would be one heck of an easy decision.

Did hangar availability and proximity to the hangar not factor in when you moved? Got to plan for that, brother.
 
This shouldn't even be a discussion.
If you can afford a hanger, and there is a hanger available, get the hanger.
 
Rykymus said:
I feel a little guilty, to be honest. My wife has been complaining about the driving time to some of her favorite stores, and I keep telling her "If you want to live in a big metroplex, longer drive times are part of that." I guess I should practice what I preach.
Click to expand...

I have driven over 100 miles a day since I started with this job. Resonates with me on a personal level!
 
hindsight2020 said:
I'd sooner give up airplane ownership than drive an hour to one.
Click to expand...

In my opinion, this is the right answer in most areas of the country. Airplanes which are well maintained and securely tied down do fine outside. See other threads on this from many of us Alaska pilots. I would absolutely hate to drive an hour just to get to my aircraft. After you park, get the airplane out of the hangar, preflight, fly it, and then put it away, you are looking at a 3-4 hours out of your life for a short currency maintenance flight. You are definitely going to fly less, which is not good for your skills, or the airplane.

But, tornado and hail country like Texas, Oklahoma, etc., definitely changes the calculation. I don't know the statistics, and I haven't spent a lot of time living in the lower 48, but it seems that hail damage is a fairly high probability in TX. It is a tough decision. Still, in your situation, if the airplane was "less than pristine", I would probably just insure it and tie it down until a local hangar became available. If you fly 10 times a month, you are looking at 15-20 hours sitting in a car to/from the airport. What is your time worth?
 
If the drive is too far,you can always get a set of custom covers ,to cover the entire airplane.
 
Since there’s a waiting list, you could easily sublease the hangar if you decide you don’t like the drive, or one in McKinney opens up.
 
It sounds like the hour drive is the only negative.

So,......

Take the hangar, sell the house, buy a new home near the new hangar.

Simple.
 
Get in the Hangar. It's not just hail, what about crazy straight line winds, twisters, heavy/driving rain water leaks and of course people messing with your baby. Oh yeah, has your plane ever sat out in the Texas style heat for months on end.

We drive just under 30min to a large t-hangar at $100/month. With hands free cellphone in the car, I usually call the briefer on the drive there. Gives my brain time to switch to pilot mode.

Knowing it's out of the elements and having electricity is awesome. A small air compressor has been especially handy.

I would think preheating would be a distant concern where you are?

Reasons to avoid it would be no fuel or high fuel costs on the field and/or crappy runway direction vs winds.
 
Rykymus said:
so I expect to get back to flying at least once every other week.
Click to expand...

An hour drive is an hour drive, but if it were 2 or 3 times a week, then the hour drive would be a lot tougher imo.
Right now I'm driving about 45 minutes or so one way just to rent.
I almost always use that time to make phone calls, so it's still fairly productive time.

Where'd you move from?
I know even just around here getting in a plane that's been on the ramp all day in the summer sun ain't no fun...much less TX.
 
frfly172 said:
If the drive is too far,you can always get a set of custom covers ,to cover the entire airplane.
Click to expand...

Time spent dealing with those covers will be more than time spent driving to the hangar.

I was a "Hangar: why?" guy. Until I had a hangar.
 
I moved from central CA. We had 110 degree days in the summer. Even with the reflective window shades, it was brutal if the plane was outside more than an hour.
 
i guess I am one of the lucky pilots. I had my small hangar built for me about 20 or so years ago...construction, concrete work,all materials ran almost $15K. Now a feral cat that shares the hangar with my RV-12 enjoys it as much as I do.
 
I'm based right next door, at Grand Prairie. If you don't know Texas weather, you will panic (with good reason) every spring and summer storm that blows through if you stay on the ramp. Hail is random, common, and can be really nasty. Check all the local airports for hanger space, you might find one that might be closer. Even a patio hanger is protection, until you can get in a full hanger. Your investment will thank you.
 
The club I’m joining here in Miami uses tie downs. We cover the windows to protect the interior, but everything else is exposed. It seems fine, and I would consider doing the same if I owned a plane personally here.

That said, I spent most of my high school years in Arlington (Martin HS), and experienced baseball sized hail on multiple occasions. My car in high school was white, and it looked like a Titleist by the time I left. There is no way I would leave a plane outside in that area.

Hopefully when you buy a house it will be closer, or otherwise hopefully you can get into a hangar closer to home soon. But please don’t leave her outside in the mean time!
 
Rykymus said:
I feel a little guilty, to be honest. My wife has been complaining about the driving time to some of her favorite stores, and I keep telling her "If you want to live in a big metroplex, longer drive times are part of that." I guess I should practice what I preach.
Click to expand...
Maybe a dumb question, but why are you living in McKinney? Coming from California, home prices will seem very reasonable to you anywhere. Live in east Dallas and hangar at Executive. Or live in Sunnyvale or Rockwall and hangar at Mesquite. You could even go west. If I could live anywhere in the metroplex and didn't have to commute to work, the northern suburbs are the last place I'd live.
 
Last edited:
Think about how much you spent on your airplane. Protect that investment and hangar it. Not much about aviation is cheap.
 
Make the hangar your office, write it off on your taxes and fly after work.

When I bought my plane I had a choice and I always considered the difference in cost for the hangar to be part of my insurance. And as a bonus, what I've saved in owner assisted annuals more than pays for the hangar.
 
Lindberg said:
Maybe a dumb question, but why are you living in McKinney? Coming from California, home prices will seem very reasonable to you anywhere. Live in east Dallas and hangar at Executive. Or live in Sunnyvale or Rockwall and hangar at Mesquite. You could even go west. If I could live anywhere in the metroplex and didn't have to commute to work, the northern suburbs are the last place I'd live.
Click to expand...

To be honest, neither my wife nor I are committed to any particular location within the DFW metroplex. Her only stipulation is being close to Trader Joes, and most of the major department stores. Mine are being close to an ice rink, a golf course, and an airport, all three of which are pretty much everywhere around here. I had been trying to get her to quit her job and move out of CA for years, and when she finally decided she was ready, I had to act fast. We narrowed it down to DFW based on temps and humidity, and then she chose McKinney. We came out for a week to recon, and didn't have time to look around much. Actually, we ended up in Fairview, right under the approach to 36 at TKI.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top