To Hangar or Not to Hangar...

overdrive148 said:
I have driven over 100 miles a day since I started with this job. Resonates with me on a personal level!
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You want a seat in my delivery truck? Not uncommon for the day's route to be Denton > Keller > FTW > Mineral Wells > South FTW > Arlington > Grand Prairie > Dallas > Plano > Addison > Gainesville > Denton.

@Rykymus -- Trader Joe's not withstanding, see if wife will investigate Denton area, or Justin. Decent home deals, and the hangar availability hasn't been too bad at DTO. Know of at least two owners who got into a T-hangar within 4-5 weeks wait time. And we have tower controllers nearly as fun as what you know at KTKI.
 
I think hangar is worth it. I had the plane tied down for just a week (still awaiting my bruce's covers) and was petrified every wind storm and snow storm. By the end of the week my fear was diminishing right when one of my contacts for a hangar got back to me. I put the Skywagon in a nice heated hangar and BOY did I feel instantly better - Hangar gets me peace of mind and that is worth a lot.
 
@overdrive148’s map is good evidence for your situation...

And here are more images from the past 12 months about why you want a hangar.

These are US Aviation Academy planes that are stored outdoors at KDTO.

2A993C80-4801-415E-87B0-2990FAF6DE80.jpeg 93B1153F-D515-4DBF-AD24-16A76331F040.jpeg
 
AggieMike88 said:
You want a seat in my delivery truck? Not uncommon for the day's route to be Denton > Keller > FTW > Mineral Wells > South FTW > Arlington > Grand Prairie > Dallas > Plano > Addison > Gainesville > Denton.
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JGYSRXf.gif
 
If just leasing now, keep looking at options where to live. That’s a newer plane, I’d try to find a hangar. The birds will be ramping up soon too, nest building. I’d be out of CA too.
 
Take the hangar, they really aren't optional in TX. You might get lucky for a season or two, but statistics will catch up to you.

Have you actually driven that route? If there is any traffic, I have a hard time believing this is just an hour drive. Maybe its an hour drive at 3am, but what is it when you want to fly.

I second the notion above, if I were in the area, McKinney would be one of the last places I would look at, it is so far out that it is hard to get anywhere. Maybe Grand Prairie or Arlington itself.
 
Just wanted to say I am envious of the low price you are paying for the hangar. I just found one thats about double yours and I had to take it asap before the next guy did.
 
charheep said:
Just wanted to say I am envious of the low price you are paying for the hangar. I just found one thats about double yours and I had to take it asap before the next guy did.
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^ This, plus even being able to get a hangar. There's not many in the Atlanta area, and none near me.
 
MetalCloud said:
You can’t keep beer cold at a tie-down
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Yep.

Hangars are nice for more than just storing your plane. Storing oil, cleaning supplies, making it nicer to change the oil on your plane, keeping your car inside while you are on a trip, storing the cover for trips where you can't hangar it, and more.
 
I'll reiterate what has been said several times:

1) Get the hangar at Arlington, even if just temporarily. Hail season is two months away, and high winds from those Spring storms aren't to be messed with either. McKinney is in a prime spot for heavy t-storm activity, so I wouldn't be taking that risk.
2) Stay on the list for KTKI so that you can transfer closer when it comes available. You will not want to make that drive to Arlington very often.

Hwy 75 gets congested just south of McKinney, I-35 is a pain south of Denton, 635 is a nightmare most of the time. The Sam Rayburn tollway/Hwy 121 is about the best option, but it's still not much fun during peak traffic hours especially once you get to the Grapevine area. You will want to move to an airport closer to you. I may have missed the suggestion by someone else, but have you looked at T31 (Aero Country Airport) in McKinney to see if they have any open spots?

Edit: Nvm, saw that you had reservations about Aero Country due to lack of instrument approaches. I'd still consider it over Arlington if they have immediate space available, and just deal with the lack of instrument approaches until you figure out where you are going to settle down permanently.
 
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You are in North Texas - you will get the worst of every type of weather - extreme heat, thunderstorms, hail, wind, and even some severe winter storms and cold. It really is a "lively" area for weather.

Get the hanger, but stay on that wait list for KTKI. You may be surprised about how quickly you work your way up the list. I have had friends who were #15 on the list where I am and they ended up getting a call within a few months.

Good luck and enjoy the flying in the DFW area!
 
SoonerAviator said:
Hwy 75 gets congested just south of McKinney, I-35 is a pain south of Denton, 635 is a nightmare most of the time. The Sam Rayburn tollway/Hwy 121 is about the best option, but it's still not much fun during peak traffic hours especially once you get to the Grapevine area.
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Accurate representation.

But if I am in McKinney and need to get GPM or GKY, I'd suggest avoiding the SRT west of I35E. As you said, the transition around the northside of the airport will be a parking lot during rush periods.

Better is to shift over to the PGBT and take that south bound. Newer and wider roads, faster speed limit, and rarely a parking lot.


And I agree that GKY is a good choice for the time being. You have a lot invested in a nice airplane. Putting it in a good hangar, even if 45 minutes from home, is worth doing.

Is your name on the list for hangars at Denton?
 
Well, Arlington offered me the hangar, and I'm going to take it for now. $330/mo for a 41ft T-hangar w/electricity seems pretty reasonable to me, and I'm only going to be flying every other week or so for most of this year anyway, so the drive won't kill me. I'll just plan all my flights to be off-peak to avoid traffic, and make sure I'm flying someplace a few hours away. Thanks for everyone's responses, and thanks to the people that offered me connections. I was tempted to go for the shared hangars at Aero Country, but I'd feel better in a private hangar for now, even if it's further away.
 
Rykymus said:
Well, Arlington offered me the hangar, and I'm going to take it for now. $330/mo for a 41ft T-hangar w/electricity seems pretty reasonable to me, and I'm only going to be flying every other week or so for most of this year anyway, so the drive won't kill me. I'll just plan all my flights to be off-peak to avoid traffic, and make sure I'm flying someplace a few hours away. Thanks for everyone's responses, and thanks to the people that offered me connections. I was tempted to go for the shared hangars at Aero Country, but I'd feel better in a private hangar for now, even if it's further away.
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images
 
Rykymus said:
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.)
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Aero Country also doesnt have any vacancies. At least I’m still on the list for one there. I *did* get offered a group hangar for $550. Didn’t go for that ‘deal’.
 
Good grief!!! Have u checked w the FBO there?
Stay in McKinney and park your plane w the FBO and let them do the work.
In the meantime you’ll meet all the yocals and probably find a hangar.

Edit to add: there’s plenty of places to put a plane indoors at Addison.
No way would I drive to Arlington.
U need to be more creative.
Heck parking it in Denton at US aviation would be better than Arlington!
 
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I checked with the FBOs at McKinney, and they didn't have any space. I am on the waiting list there, but it's long. I also called Addison, and there was no space. (That was in November, so perhaps I should call Addison again.) I could put it in covered park on the cheap at Rockwall, but that's still 45 mins away. If I have to drive far to fly, I'd rather have the piece of mind knowing that my plane is locked up tight and safe when I'm away. I can keep her nice and clean, freshly waxed, and ready to fly. And I am looking forward to doing my own oil changes and such. Now to just find an AP/IA in Arlington that will allow owner-assisted annuals.

Meanwhile, Arlington is month-to-month, so if something better comes along, I can move.
 
There’s space at these airports. U need to be put there on good wx days and weekends and start knocking on doors.
Have u checked w all the A&Ps?
I’m sure there’s space at DTO but it’s your choice
 
Rykymus said:
Well, Arlington offered me the hangar, and I'm going to take it for now. $330/mo for a 41ft T-hangar w/electricity seems pretty reasonable to me, and I'm only going to be flying every other week or so for most of this year anyway, so the drive won't kill me. I'll just plan all my flights to be off-peak to avoid traffic, and make sure I'm flying someplace a few hours away. Thanks for everyone's responses, and thanks to the people that offered me connections. I was tempted to go for the shared hangars at Aero Country, but I'd feel better in a private hangar for now, even if it's further away.
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Nice choice. The peace of mind that your plane is safe from the elements and possible tampering are priceless. I've got about an hour's drive to my hangar, but I'll often do morning flights to beat the traffic...on the road at 6 a.m., fly to breakfast and back, and be home by 11 to 11:30.

As you said, flying a little less often makes each flight more of a special occasion. And longer flights give you a chance to explore more areas.

I had a few chances to rent a shared hangar at Chino (about a 45-minute drive), but I am soooooo glad I opted to have my own space at Cable for very similar to what you pay ($338/mo). On top of that, a nontowered field suits me much better.
 
Sierra Victor said:
There’s space at these airports. U need to be put there on good wx days and weekends and start knocking on doors.
Have u checked w all the A&Ps?
I’m sure there’s space at DTO but it’s your choice
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I double-checked at current airport (TKI) yesterday. I also checked Addison and Rockwall again. Aero-Country is all shared, which I'm not interested in. Everywhere else is just as far a drive for me, so not much point.

Wife seems to have her heart set on the Plano area for our next house, so that would put us 15 minutes closer.
 
So, today I moved the plane from KTKI to KGKY. I started by driving my truck to GKY (at around 10 AM) and locking it up in the new hangar. (Very nice hangar, BTW.) Then I walked to the opposite end of the airport and picked up a rental car and drove back to Allen, where my wife picked me up. (She is just not ready to drive the DFW highways by herself. She hates highways.) Then she took me to TKI and dropped me off. I filed IFR ahead of time, just in case, as the forecast reported scattered clouds. By the time I departed, the ceilings were overcast at 3,000, and my FP was for 4,000. So I got nearly half an hour in IMC on the way! (Score!)

When I pulled my plane up in front of the hangar, I could swear I heard her ask "Is that for me?" Then, after backing her in, I'm pretty sure she was crying and saying, "I don't have to be homeless any longer? Thank you."

The drive back was at around 5:30 PM, and other than a couple slow downs at some interchanges, it wasn't that bad. I like driving, and an hour is really nothing to me. I won't be doing any last minute fights, but that's okay. My flights will just be more planned events. I really like having electricity and lights too, and I plan on building up a good tool set, and starting to do as much owner-approved maintenance as possible. First up is doing my own oil change.

Now I can sleep at night. And I think I love Texas more than I did a couple days ago.
 
I'm on the list to get a hanger. Been tying down for 2 yrs @ $35 per month. Hangers are about $300 per month. When I ask the airport manager when a hanger will be available he doesn't have an answer and says in a few more yrs I will have saved enough to paint. I cringe every time storms roll thru the area, so far I've dodged them.
 
Well it's good that the plane is safely tucked away. Next steps for you.

1) Check the personal property tax rules at that airport, and start looking for a hangar elsewhere.

2) Fort Worth has Trader Joe's. Fort Worth is also NOT Dallas. Look for homes on the "good side" of the Metro-mess. I moved from SoCal to this area in 1999. Richardson, Plano, Dallas. Didn't stop hating Texas until I escaped to the West. (Fort Worth)

YMMV, but the tax implication is something you need to understand. It's one of the main reasons the club has stayed at Meacham with $450/mo per T-hangar instead of moving to Arlington.
 
Ravioli said:
2) Fort Worth has Trader Joe's. Fort Worth is also NOT Dallas. Look for homes on the "good side" of the Metro-mess. I moved from SoCal to this area in 1999. Richardson, Plano, Dallas. Didn't stop hating Texas until I escaped to the West. (Fort Worth)
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To be more precise, Fort Worth has a Trader Joe's. As I sit here in east Dallas, I have 4 within 5 miles. :p. If I was going to move someplace just for that (and it really does sound like a limiting factor), I wouldn't risk the only one nearby closing down. I'm also about 20 minutes from two towered fields, and all the civilization Dallas had to offer. ;)
 
I know some poo poo on the area, but to be honest, I'm fine up here in NE DFW. I rather like Fairview. McKinney and Allen are okay, but nothing special. I'm not a shopper, but I do like having golf courses and ice rinks all over the place. As we house hunt, I'm finding that the further south and west we go, the less house we get for our money, the tighter they are packed in, and they all have rear facing garages. (Really don't like those.) I also like the better traffic flow up here. Seems very well thought out, for the most part. We don't go into Dallas that often, as we both work from home. (Me for myself, and my wife part time for her old employer in CA.) So maybe once or twice a month to see a show, or go to an art gallery or something. I'd be happy with a hangar at TKI, but that is likely to take a few years. We will probably end up buying a new build (have our eye on one from Ashton Woods) just north of the 121. Nothing fancy, but a nice comfortable home that I know we can afford, even if I retired tomorrow.
 
Rykymus said:
So, today I moved the plane from KTKI to KGKY
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Congratulations on getting a hanger... Things you need (minimum equipment list)are a small frig to keep the beer cold a work bench and a tool box full of tools and a compressor...:) Oh and a couple of lawn chairs maybe a small grill...:)
 
Ravioli said:
YMMV, but the tax implication is something you need to understand. It's one of the main reasons the club has stayed at Meacham with $450/mo per T-hangar instead of moving to Arlington.
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Can you elaborate? I find nothing in the lease, and nothing on the county tax assessor's website in regards to this. That being said, I'll pay the tax if it comes to that, rather than leave the plane outside. I'm still on just about every waiting list in the DFW area.

AKBill said:
Congratulations on getting a hanger... Things you need (minimum equipment list)are a small frig to keep the beer cold a work bench and a tool box full of tools and a compressor...:) Oh and a couple of lawn chairs maybe a small grill...:)
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Work bench, tool box, and compressor I've got covered. Will probably go for the fridge as well, but it'll just hold bottled water, as I gave up drinking decades ago. The lawn chairs and the grill sound like a good idea though. I'm also trying to figure out how to get internet access there, so that I can setup remote on/off switch for either heat or cooling for the aircraft. Gonna have to get a whole new set of tools. (Oh darn.)
 
Rykymus said:
Gonna have to get a whole new set of tools. (Oh darn.)
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Well the good thing is you really don't need anything fancy, a tool set from Craftsman would be a good start. $200

Make a hard day's work easier with this 450-piece mechanic's tool set from Craftsman. From any project as complicated as spending the day under the hood to something as simple as tightening a bolt, you'll have what you need for the job. This set comes in an array of sizes and measurements that will ensure that you always have what you need on hand.

  • 3 quick-release ratchets in 1/4-inch, 3/8-inch and 1/2-inch drives
  • 6 extension bars to extend your reach
  • 191 sockets, 6-point, 8-point and 12-point, in both inch and metric
  • An array of 16 combination wrenches let you slip in where the ratchet won't go
  • A magnetic handle for easy nut or bit installation
  • Comes with 12 nut drivers
  • 175 screwdriver bits give you a nice variety
  • Features a selection of 40 hex keys
  • 6 adaptors are included
  • Includes a 3-drawer case
 
Rykymus said:
Can you elaborate? I find nothing in the lease, and nothing on the county tax assessor's website in regards to this. That being said, I'll pay the tax if it comes to that, rather than leave the plane outside. I'm still on just about every waiting list in the DFW area.



Work bench, tool box, and compressor I've got covered. Will probably go for the fridge as well, but it'll just hold bottled water, as I gave up drinking decades ago. The lawn chairs and the grill sound like a good idea though. I'm also trying to figure out how to get internet access there, so that I can setup remote on/off switch for either heat or cooling for the aircraft. Gonna have to get a whole new set of tools. (Oh darn.)
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There's no personal property tax for individuals in Texas.
 
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