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Fabric T Hangar


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Does anyone know of a manufacturer of a fabric T Hangar that could be used at a tie-down location?  So small and possibly adjustable so that you could adjust the footprint to just cover your space.

I had seen one years ago, but I can't find anything online. 

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I remember what you're talking about, little hangar tents in the tie-down area.  I saw one in person once in Fullterton I think.  It didn't look very robust.  I haven't seen those advertised for maybe the last 10 years.

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I figured I can probably go to a local supplier and have one designed.  But I'd like to find someone that has on on the market. 

Having documented wind tests to present to the airport management and to the insurance company would be a big help.  I know they're going to make you carry insurance due to the potential damage to those around you, but it shouldn't be that much if there is test data. 

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The hangar Bill had, the cover was about 8k, and would last only a few years without repair.  Hail, falling tree limbs were hard on it.  Another there at Wilgrove, vandals cut an opening at the rear and stole a lawn mower (?!).  Steel support structure was pricey too.  Over a 20 year period, the Port-A-Port hangars would be more cost efficient.

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I can't find a picture of the one I remember on the internet at all...But it looked like this, only big enough for a plane...  The front hinged up to get the plane in and out.  Looked kind of flimsy but the ads claimed it could withstand a hurricane.  Sporty's used to sell them.

 

 

images (1).jpg

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How about “THE” tent?

We had one in the unit I was in, in the 80’s. Everything in the Army is an acronym. THE stands for “Transportable Helicopter Enclosure”

Thing was tied down with probably 50 anchors that looked like arrowheads with steel cables attached, you put them on the end of a pipe, drove the in and removed the pipe, the arrow head would turn sideways when you pulled on the cable, problem was you couldn’t get them out so you had all these steel cables that would play hell with a lawnmower if you moved THE tent.

https://picryl.com/media/a-view-of-a-transportable-helicopter-enclosure-developed-at-the-us-army-natick-57d0c7

 

In the desert we used clamshells, and they held up amazingly well, UV radiation there is unbelievable and the winds have to be experienced, this seems to be a civilian version, I went back for a couple of rotations over the years and the same clamshells at Camp Doha held up for at least 5 years.

https://en.liri-tents.com/product-details/eyelid-hangar-tent/

Edited by A64Pilot
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I'm actually really looking for (or may design and create) a "T" Hangar.  All the dome tents would extend into the tail space of the planes in the row behind - if it's a bigger airport with back to back tie-downs just like traditional back to back T Hangars.  So the footprint would only cover the actual tie-down space.

If multiple people want them, then they can be lashed together for additional strength.  But the design itself will need to be able to sustain high winds.  Which is easy enough with cutouts and slants so that there is little or no flat surfaces against the winds.  Also to help the snow slide off.

 

 

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A decent fabric structure sounds pretty expensive…

Existing small layout metal structures are built by port-a-port….

Use that for comparison…

Port-a-ports are near impossible to pick up and move… and expensive when the time comes…

So… if you see a free port-a-port…. Know it isn’t really free….

:)

-a-

https://www.portaportparts.com/index.html

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Port-a-port type hangars were in use at Hidden Lake Airport where I used to be based. The one I was in was notorious for leaking during rainstorms so the plane was always getting wet and dirty. Other tenants had the same experience. My hangar also lacked a roof vent like you would find in most modern hangar structures. It would be like a hot and humid oven environment in there, just great for an airplane and it’s avionics.

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In a manner of speaking there are a couple of different types of hangars, one type is a sun shade. The auto comparison if you live down south is “carport” as opposed to a garage.

If your down South or especially in the desert a sunshade is way better than nothing and actually pretty good, in Fl for example a sunshade is probably better than a leaky hanger.

Edited by A64Pilot
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I'm thinking more enclosed, but I don't expect it to be the same as a hard side hangar.

It would need lots of gust vents and maybe some strange angles for wind and snow weight in the north.  But similar to the carport, it would definitely keep the sun off.  And also (if designed right) keep the birds away and the rain and snow.  Sure, the ramp would very possibly still be wet pending how the runoff goes by you or the snow melting under the edges.  But for those that can't get a "real" hangar, it might be a viable solution.

I would need a non-penetrating type at my airport (at least I'm *assuming* they would not let me go into the ramp).  But I could see a penetrating type to for those at airport where they are either on the grass or they just have a pad or strip off the taxiway for the planes and grass everywhere else.

 

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Only way I think you could pull off any kind of building, tent or whatever without firmly attaching it to the ground is to water ballast it.

‘One way often used for exhibition tents etc is plastic barrels, but 55 gl steel drums can often be found cheap and you can weld attachments on them.

‘Finding an airport other than a private strip that would allow you to do so may be more challenging than finding a hangar?

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No...  Actually you do not want to use water due to the freezing potential.  If the water freezes and expands, it may break the container it is in.  Then all the water would leak out as it melts.

I do know some people that have used liquids that do not freeze.  But blocks or other commercially available weights work much better.  Also for a structure like this, there would be multiple weights that could be moved by hand.  So if you had to slightly move it or do repairs, you can un-weight the structure without any machinery.  (May not be the funnest job, but doable.)

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Farmers put calcium in their tractor tires, and I have heard car dealerships and oil change centers etc will give away used antifreeze.

But I guess it depends on where you live.

Good luck with it, fabric wise Sunbrella will last a decade on boats, but I think I’d look at place that makes truck tarps, ought to be real durable and handle winds well and be way less $$ than Sunbrella.

I think if allowed you may end up self fabricating.

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