Hangar cost worth it?

[sufferingcadet]

I have been on the hangar wait list forever at KART.  One just opened up.  It is $325 a month which I believe is highway robbery.  A tie down is $75 a month.  I would say go with the tie down except it snows a LOT in upstate NY. 

However, $3900 a year is a lot.  Sitting outside would not cause $3900 worth of damage to the plane per year.  I could get a new paint job every 3 years!  This is for a T-hangar.  Only other benefits I see would be not having to brush snow off, being able to preheat in the hangar vs outside (hangar is unheated, but at least out of the wind), and potentially working on the plane/storing plane stuff at the airport. 

How does everyone deal with this? 

[Ron McBride]

I have a hanger in CA. I would not be without it.  Getting a plane painted is a pita.

Ron

[rbridges]

there's a forever wait list for a reason.  My advice would be to take the hangar.  Use it for a few months and see if you think it's worth the cost.  Obviously you can go back to a tie down if you don't.  Personally, I love having a hangar to keep my stuff.

[Mooneymite]

Personally, I think a hangar is more important than a plane.

You can drink beer in your hangar, but drinking beer in your plane is frowned upon.  

All kidding aside, a hangared airplane is much less maintenance intensive than one stored in the elements and the "intangible" benefits of a hangar are pretty signifcant.  You've got the additional issue of snow...."snow" is a four letter word here in Georgia!

[carusoam]

It is tough to be a plane that belongs to a young guy.  You get left outside, your maintenance isn't MSC level and the one gift you get is a lovely cover from some guy named Jim Cancil...

If highway robbery is $300. Airway robbery is $500, in NJ.  This is still less than typical apartment rent for a girlfriend.

At least fuel is down for a while.

Stay strong young buck,

-a-

[Yetti]

I am still trying to figure out why 6 or 10 grand Annual from a MSC is worth it. The way I see the annual inspection list is a really through pre flight.

[xrs135]

I'm with everyone else. I, personally, wouldn't be able to own a plane if I didn't have a hangar. It's a pride of ownership thing.

In the big scheme of things, $325 a month is nothing! Personally, I think that's actually a pretty good price for a hangar (but that totally depends on where you live.) You can't look at in terms of "I could get a paint job every 3 years!" Remember financial rule #1 in aviation - you can't look at anything too closely or logically because it never makes sense!!

In all seriousness though, I'm with Mooneymite in that I believe hangaring plane really cuts down how maintenance intensive your plane is. I believe not having your plane exposed to the elements with huge temperature swings does wonders!

[TWinter]

I've had a chance to see how quickly a plane can go "down hill" by outside vs. in a hanger. Prior to my Mooney life I had a Cherokee. I sold it to a guy at my field. I had always kept it in a hanger when I owned it. The plane remained in excellent cosmetic and mechanical condition when I had it in a hanger. When I sold it to him he did not have a choice and had to keep it outside. There were no hangers available. It's been outside for four years now. It has deteriorated over the years..It only took about two years for it to start to show outside wear. At one time I was proud to tell people I had owned that plane..not so much anymore. Looks pretty rough now.

I say take the hanger, you won't be sorry.

 

-Tom

[carusoam]

My favorite MSC is not that high for an annual.  But, when I brought my fully worn in M20C there, it didn't stay to be refurbed at an annual...

Best regards,

-a-

[bonal]

Kept my 150 outside for 41/2 years in an area with not very severe winters but brutal summers. If I had to say what was harder on it I would say the summers. Had our Mooney out for the first year I owned it and now that it's been inside for a couple years I would Hate to take it back outside. Every time we go to fly it's always clean dry and ready to go. I think if you get yours inside you will feel the same way it's not just about the long term but the daily use. Having  your plane just the way you left it when you go to fly is a big thing. Also the extra security, our field has ZERO security I hated that my airplanes were exposed to vandals or thieves. I definitely experienced some fuel theft over the years outside. 

[M20F]

Financially you never come out ahead on a hanger (it is a negative ROI).  I like the fact you can store stuff in them, makes it easier to work on your plane, no need to brush the snow off, etc. and a lot of other pluses to having one.  In terms though of additional maintenance or costs that come from being outside, 27yrs of parking outside haven't shown me any difference and that is a lot of money.

10yrs on the paint and parked outside.

 

 

[co2bruce]

That price will get you 2 weeks in a hanger in South Florida. The sun here is brutal. Hanger is a necessity. 

[rbridges]

5 minutes ago, co2bruce said:

That price will get you 2 weeks in a hanger in South Florida. The sun here is brutal. Hanger is a necessity. 

do you think hangars help any with corrosion in S Florida?

[DonMuncy]

No one knows your financial status but you.

Howerer;

1. Maintenance - Actual cost (paint resale value), a place to change oil, minor repairs, etc.

2. Weather - Ice removal

3. Storage - Tools, Oil, etc.

4. Convenience - Getting into a dry relatively warm/cool airplane

5. Security - Less worry about theft or damage

6. Pride - It is just nice to be able to go out to, or invite someone to the hangar. I know I just enjoy washing, waxing or tinkering with  my plane more if able to do it inside.

[Sabremech]

Being an aircraft mechanic, I wouldn't own my airplane if I couldn't have it in a hangar. Every one of us has a different situation, so do what's best for you. 

[wishboneash]

Where else would I store the beer? :-)

Seriously though, the main reasons as given by many (and in no particular order): insurance reduction, a clean plane, less damage to avionics/paint from weather and animals (bird droppings, nests etc), ability to heat the plane (engine longevity), can do owner assisted annuals or minor maintenance, a workshop to do other stuff besides plane maintenance, place to hangout or get away, etc. If you added up all these, it might actually be cheaper in the long run to put the plane in the hangar. The more expensive the plane, the more important it gets IMHO.

[Wakeup]

I have been fortunate to be in a heated community hangar for the last two years.  The price is cheaper then a T-hangar and they pull it out for you with a simple phone call.   

[DXB]

In my neck of the woods I would jump on a private hanger for $325.  They run 400-450 for a very basic one around here.

[Mooneymite]

1 hour ago, M20F said:

Financially you never come out ahead on a hanger (it is a negative ROI). 

Mmmmmm. 

I'm hoping that's not true in my case.  I built a hangar where I live.  It cost X to build it 17 years ago, but it now costs almost 2X to build the same hangar this year.  I'm hoping when I (or my heirs) sell the hangar, I can at least say I stored my planes (and all my other toys) rent free for the whole time.

If that's not true, don't tell me.  I'm blissfully ignorant.  

[cnoe]

No hangar?!! Where do you propose that the hangar fairies work/sleep at night?

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[bradp]

I needed to justify the hangar cost to my missus given I am young in aviation years and we have a little one at home that has cut the flying budget significantly.   However, I made the case that I could make it neutral for the pocket book and wife gave me a look like - yeah right.  So here's how.. 

 

It also just so happens that the new home drone has a very experienced independent mechanic that knows and loves Moonies (and owns one), is pro owner assist annual, and is very much about discerning airworthiness items from discretionary.  Per my neighbor that just did an entire top overhaul with supervision, he wouldn't be able to fly without being able to participate and budget accordingly.  It wouldn't have happened without availability of a hangar in which to work  

 

So my plan now that I'm in a hangar is to save several thousand a year for a few years and annual the plane at the home base.  Then go to a MSC every 3-4 years and drop the 5-8k that most MSCs tend to ask for.  The calculus also depends on how much tinkering you like to do.  I've spent so much more time with my aluminum mistress in the last couple of months since I got into the Hagar precisely because it's clean, dry and private.   (In full disclosure there are no hangar fairies allowed ever in my hangar.  I don't even know what a hangar fairy is.  Don will have to fill me in on that.)  

 

It's also a good place to store beer.  My wife is liking the extra storage (moving lawn and other furniture in there but by bit) and I got a big smile out of her the other day when plane was ready to go in 15 min and put away in less than 10.   That would never have happened in the outdoor environment.   We'll probably make the in laws happy by taking my wife's 66 Ford falcon off their hands and sticking it in there.   Hangar has many uses...

 

I think Parker can chime in on taking care of a bird properly outside.  I did it for three years meticulously but suffered a consequence while on a wait list (hail).  Right there my contribution to the repairs (hickey) is a year in a hangar.   

 

To summarize, if a spot opens and you like spending time with and improving your plane, by all means take it...  

[M20F]

10 minutes ago, Mooneymite said:

I built a hangar where I live.  It cost X to build it 17 years ago, but it now costs almost 2X to build the same hangar this year.  I'm hoping when I (or my heirs) sell the hangar, I can at least say I stored my planes (and all my other toys) rent free for the whole time.

It wasn't rent free it took a lot of money to store them there and doubling your money in 17yrs isn't the best return on that investment either (and I hope you included insurance, property taxes, utilities, cost for your heirs to sell, taxes, etc. in determining your rate of return on the initial investment).  I have nothing against hangers and think there are a lot of reasons to own one (same reason I own an airplane which costs me a lot of money each year that I will never get back).  Let's not kid people though into thinking it is some kind of great investment or a financially required investment to own an airplane.  

[ArtVandelay]

That price will get you 2 weeks in a hanger in South Florida. The sun here is brutal. Hanger is a necessity. 

If you can get one...there is a waiting list at most, I would jump at a hangar for $325

[ArtVandelay]

5 minutes ago, co2bruce said: That price will get you 2 weeks in a hanger in South Florida. The sun here is brutal. Hanger is a necessity. 

do you think hangars help any with corrosion in S Florida?

Yes, no water, no corrosion. We get some wicked thunderstorms with 50k winds, you can imagine where the water can end up.

[Mooneymite]

9 minutes ago, M20F said:

It wasn't rent free....

I asked you NOT to tell me.