Salt of the Earth - Yet another Hangar vs tie-down question

[Robert C.]

Please take it as a given that i understand the general benefit of hangar over tie-downs. This question post is about the impact of coastal factors i.e. corrosion risk on a choice I have to make.

 

I'm shopping for a parking spot, hard to find here in CT, and so far I have 2 likely options with a 3rd one possible anywhere from 2-12 months from now.

 

1) FBO's main hangar, "climate controlled" about 1/2 mile from the Long Island Sound - $770/month (KBDR)

2) Tie-down with electrical outlet 20 miles inland. $135/mo (KDXR)

3) maybe at some point a T-Hangar 20 miles inland (no heat, basic hangar) $550/mo (KDXR)

 

Does a "climate controlled" main hangar really impact humidity enough to lessen the corrosion risk of being right at the coast? During the hurricane 3 years ago the airport flooded and I believe most FBO hangars had a few inches of water inside which would negate all the benefits of course.

 

Not having to worry about the (other) elements, snow and ice on the aircraft, cold starts and pre-heating, warm cabin, etc. make the hangar option sound very attractive, but so close to salt water?

 

Your thoughts? Thanks in advance!

 

Robert

[Andy95W]

Strictly my opinion, but here goes:

Pick the airport closest to you, as long as the price is in your range.

All else being equal, I'd pick KDXR for three reasons:

1.) farther away from salt water

2.) farther away from coastal fog

3.) eventually you will probably want the individual t-hangar. If you already have a tie-down lease, you may move up the wait list over someone who isn't based there yet. Maybe that isn't proper, but I've seen it happen.

I think it's good that you are concerned about corrosion, but a properly applied treatment of Corrosion-X or ACF-50 every 2 years does wonders. As far as flooding goes, a few inches of water won't even affect the wheels and is still far superior to finding your airplane upside down or swept out to sea.

[carusoam]

Most Mooneys are allowed to leave town before the hurricane blows in...

Depending on your insurance company, they even may pay you (expenses) to move it...

Chicago make a nice getaway, take the whole family when you go...

$6k per year is a lot of dough spent protecting a machine...

If I kept my C indoors for a decade... I could have bought it twice over for what I spent storing it...

If it's your favorite machine, store it indoors.

Best regards,

-a-

[1964-M20E]

The closer the plane is to you the better.  you will fly and visit the plane more which is good for the both of you.

[triple8s]

Moisture is the enemy. Look on controller, barnstormers, aso, any place aircraft are forsale. For example............................................ (1970 Cessna 150: $17,900 1100 SMOH, 4550 TT, Arizona - Colorado history, dry country airplane, very clean, NAvComm, Transpponder,wheel pants, polished spinner)

They tout this for a reason! Moisture and UV are the enemy. Not to mention hail !

[Hector]

Almost $800 for a communal hangar only two miles from the ocean? Not what I would choose. I would take the airport 20 miles inland with a more reasonably priced T-hangar. At least the T-hangar will give you a lot more options for performing owner maintenance to offset some of the cost of the hangar. I do owner assisted annuals which in my case means I do nearly all of it in my hangar. I'm 20 miles inland as well in Florida and my Mooney has no corrosion issues at all. It is kept in my T-hangar and gets a full corrosion-x treatment every two years (which I also do myself). I will say that my hangar is only $250 a month so it's really a no-brainer. I figure the $3K a year I spent is easily offset by the savings in environmental damage (corrosion, paint, acrylic surfaces) and all the owner maintenance that would be nearly impossible to do without my own hangar.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[NotarPilot]

I spend quite a bit on my hangar as well but it doesn't bother me one bit when I look at all the tied down planes and see the difference in paint, tires, interior, glass, etc.

[tbrickey]

We moved our Mooney from Bridgeport to Martinsburg when Sandy approached. The attached picture is from the North Ramp area where a flying hanger took out a Mooney Lean Machine. That said I prefer KBDR to the approach over the ridge into Danbury.

[Robert C.]

Thanks guys, that is helpful.

 

@tbrickey: are you on a tie-down at BDR, or in a hangar, any color you can give me on the FBOs and the people renting out T-hangars there?

 

Robert

[tbrickey]

tie down at BDR. PM sent.

[takair]

The hangar situation in CT is terrible. A group of us proposed some affordable ones in Oxford, but the authority was not interested. Would have been a win, win; in my opinion. Airport would make the same amount of money as they make with the others....if not more, and owners would have affordable housing. Very frustrating situation. I am personally much more comfortable hopping in a hangared aircarft than one kept outdoors. There is less chance of water in the fuel, wind damage, snow damage, ice on wings, ice in other places, animal damage, bug damage, corrosion, water damaged radios, etc. That said, I am outdoors for the first time in years....UGGGGH!

[Robert C.]

Yep, it sure is.

 

I have no choice but to start at a tie-down, but will keep calling folks at BDR and DXR to see if a hangar (spot) opens up. I do know an Acclaim driver who is hangared at Oxford and really likes it there, but it's just too far from where I live (North Stamford) to be practical.

[aaronk25]

Ouch expensive! Truly makes me think $135 for a new large hanger in the MN tundra is a good buy.....not sure what I would do but the expensive option doesn't seem right considering the value of the plane....maybe lot of dough though!

[Piloto]

Caveman opted for the caves. And those with no caves around opted for the huts. A hangar will protect the plane against sunlight, hail, rain, blowing debris and theft.

 

José 

[ryoder]

I also have to make a decision on this. I am currently in a 250/month shade hangar five miles from the coast. My next stop is tampa executive which is closer to me and offers tie downs for only 25 per month, shade for 150 and t hangars for 250. I am leaning toward the t hangar but it's awful tempting to only pay 25 per month for storage.

[DaV8or]

Here's the thing about hangars- don't let the wait list scare you. Often times if you walk around the field and talk face to face with people there, you will find a private hangar that is about to become available. I also believe that it is paramount to have your plane close, but at what cost? In the OP's case, I would go tie down at KDXR and then work aggressively at getting a hangar. That means move in, tie down and talking to everybody you see over there and getting to know people. I suspect you'll be indoors faster than you believe.

 

I have to say, if I were faced with really high hangar rents like you are and it wasn't possible to get inside easily, I would likely go back to renting, or just quit flying. Hopefully your reason to base in New England pays you well enough that the prices are easily absorbed. For me, $550-770 a month for a hangar would make me hang a for sale sign on my plane. IMO, the hangar is about 50% of the ownership experience and helps make all the other ridiculous expenses worth it. I don't think I would own a plane for any extended period without a hangar. Since I have bought my plane I have always had a hangar.

 

The hand writing is starting to become visible on the wall. In the not to distant future, if you want to own a plane, it will be kept either in a airpark community, or at a rural, club owned country airport. GA is becoming less and less welcome at urban airports and likely many of those airports will be closing.

[aaronk25]

Now that it think of it....without a hanger where do you store all the hanger supplies....rags, cleaners, tools ect? Every time you fly the windshield would have to be cleaned and the wings and fuselodge would never be clean....black streaks...no thanks....I'd sell before I did that or take a partner on. With a hanger on a crappy IFR rainy day you can change your oil.....how do you do that in the middle of a ramp with the wind blowing? Tied downs suck.....I was lookout at making a trade on a turbo plane until I found out it was on a tie down.....no thanks. Every night when things get dewy 1/2 the exhaust valves are open and exposing your nice shinny cylinders to moisture and in turn rust.....no thanks. Sun and salt fades your paint and shortens window life span. How to you pre-heat if necessary? In a hanger you could use cowl plugs and leave plugged in 24/7, if needed. To do a proper pre-heat 30 mins during pre-flight and loading/fueling is a joke. 4 hours + more like it... So how does $25 a month sound now? If you can afford it, go with shelter on all sides.

[ryoder]

Tampa Exec's hangars have free electric and water.  I am thinking if I pay the 250/month I might just buy some man cave items like a portable air conditioner, folding furniture, a folding table, posters, a mini fridge etc.  This would make my ownership experience much better as I could go out there and chill out with the airplane and do all the little maintenance things I want to do in peace and quiet and relative comfort.

[yvesg]

Now that it think of it....without a hanger where do you store all the hanger supplies....rags, cleaners, tools ect?

Every time you fly the windshield would have to be cleaned and the wings and fuselodge would never be clean....black streaks...no thanks....I'd sell before I did that or take a partner on. With a hanger on a crappy IFR rainy day you can change your oil.....how do you do that in the middle of a ramp with the wind blowing?

Tied downs suck.....I was lookout at making a trade on a turbo plane until I found out it was on a tie down.....no thanks. Every night when things get dewy 1/2 the exhaust valves are open and exposing your nice shinny cylinders to moisture and in turn rust.....no thanks.

Sun and salt fades your paint and shortens window life span.

How to you pre-heat if necessary? In a hanger you could use cowl plugs and leave plugged in 24/7, if needed. To do a proper pre-heat 30 mins during pre-flight and loading/fueling is a joke. 4 hours + more like it...

So how does $25 a month sound now?

If you can afford it, go with shelter on all sides.

I keep my cleaning supplies in my car trunk. Same for my flight bag, tools, engine pre-heater (winter only) and small ladder to reach the tail bird repeller gismo. In the winter I use wing covers. Cannot really afford hangar in my area... so cope with it by other means.

When I was partner with others, we had a small locked shed installed on the parking spot, where we stored the heater, grass mower...etc.

Yves

[Ned Gravel]

I keep my cleaning supplies in my car trunk. Same for my flight bag, tools, engine pre-heater (winter only) and small ladder to reach the tail bird repeller gismo. In the winter I use wing covers. Cannot really afford hangar in my area... so cope with it by other means.

When I was partner with others, we had a small locked shed installed on the parking spot, where we stored the heater, grass mower...etc.

Yves

 

+1

[BigTex]

Tampa Exec's hangars have free electric and water. I am thinking if I pay the 250/month I might just buy some man cave items like a portable air conditioner, folding furniture, a folding table, posters, a mini fridge etc. This would make my ownership experience much better as I could go out there and chill out with the airplane and do all the little maintenance things I want to do in peace and quiet and relative comfort.

That's pretty much what I do... I have an old over stuffed chair, beer fridge and a humidor full of cigars. I just hang out, tinker with the plane and enjoy watching the world go by.

[PaulB]

That's pretty much what I do... I have an old over stuffed chair, beer fridge and a humidor full of cigars. I just hang out, tinker with the plane and enjoy watching the world go by.

 

The only thing that could make that any better is a nearby MSC.  That's Don Maxwell's hanger across the runway from mine.