Hangar or no hangar? Big dilemma.

[Fly Boomer]

I like knowing that I can just put down something I'm working on, or put down the tool in my hand and walk out the door.  When I come back (a day, a week, whatever), everything is just as I left it.

[Ricky_231]

I'm probably going against the grain here, but I've kept mine outside for the past 4 years. Cost is a consideration (where I am a hangar won't go for less than $600/mo), but the main issue is that the hangar waitlists around here are all 5+years long, so I haven't really had a choice.

I had the worst of both worlds until last week - I had to drive 45 minutes to get to my plane and it was still on a tie-down on the ramp! I feel your pain - those 1-1:30 hour trips stop making sense if you have to add 45 min each way to get to the airport.

I'm now in a much better location - 5 min from my house, and I'll tell you, it makes all the difference, especially in convincing my better half to go on an impromptu trip to get lunch somewhere.

I have a cover from Mac's covers, cowl plugs, I also bought some sponges at Home Depot and to close all the other bird attracting holes (the gap between elevator and tail cone, the little vent for the radiator on top of the turbo etc.).

I have a solar powered battery minder to keep that battery at 14v at all times, and spray Corrosion X religiously. It's the little things.

[FlyingDude]

5 hours ago, Ricky_231 said:

also bought some sponges at Home Depot and to close all the other bird attracting holes

So you didn't buy it from that annoying guy that infests the Mooney group on Facebook with endless posts?... interesting.

[PeteMc]

5 hours ago, FlyingDude said:

So you didn't buy it from that annoying guy that infests the Mooney group on Facebook with endless posts?...

Okay...  I guess I've tuned the guy out totally.  What is he selling????  Some super sponges for the tail or something??

[FlyingDude]

39 minutes ago, PeteMc said:

Okay...  I guess I've tuned the guy out totally.  What is he selling????  Some super sponges for the tail or something??

Plugs for air vents etc to keep bugs out. I'm sure it's a useful product but the frequency of the ads were annoying. I blocked them too...

[Ricky_231]

18 hours ago, FlyingDude said:

So you didn't buy it from that annoying guy that infests the Mooney group on Facebook with endless posts?... interesting.

Right?

I also straight up refuse to pay double for Bruce's amazing-yet-same-as-everyone-else's covers. Mac's cost me literally half the price, same materials, great customer service. Four years later and it looks just as they did when I bought it.

[AndreiC]

Okay, since I'm the one who started this popular and controversial topic, let me tell you the final decision. I managed to negotiate with the owner of the hangar down to $200/month. (Hope I don't get killed in a crime of passion by some envious person paying $600/month...) The hangar as of yet is unheated, but the owner, who is a house builder, is working to put insulation and a heater in. (The other option was to get into a hangar that is already heated and insulated, for $250.)

The drive was not so bad when I tried it, about 32 minutes one way. I hope the 17 minutes difference is made up to some extent by not needing to put on/take off a cover, tie plane down, added maintenance.

Wish me luck! I am moving in next week.

[DanM20C]

Congratulations on the decision.  I know keeping it outside and close is doable.  But having a hangar has so many benefits, you will love it.

What airport did you end up at?

Cheers,
Dan 

[M20F]

2 hours ago, Andrei Caldararu said:

and a heater in.

Real men run JetA in a torpedo heater with all the doors closed. 

[hypertech]

Why choose when they are that cheap - get both.  When there's a streatch of good weather and you have time off, move it to the tie down.  If its going to be a couple weeks or bad weather move it to the hangar.

[ZuluZulu]

3 hours ago, Andrei Caldararu said:

Okay, since I'm the one who started this popular and controversial topic, let me tell you the final decision. I managed to negotiate with the owner of the hangar down to $200/month. (Hope I don't get killed in a crime of passion by some envious person paying $600/month...) The hangar as of yet is unheated, but the owner, who is a house builder, is working to put insulation and a heater in. (The other option was to get into a hangar that is already heated and insulated, for $250.)

The drive was not so bad when I tried it, about 32 minutes one way. I hope the 17 minutes difference is made up to some extent by not needing to put on/take off a cover, tie plane down, added maintenance.

Wish me luck! I am moving in next week.

With insulation and heat you have a chance to have a really nice setup.  A durable couch, a coffee table, a small bar, maybe even satellite or antenna TV if you want to get crazy or at least a speaker or two, all of these things could make waiting out the weather much more pleasant.  

[Fly Boomer]

7 hours ago, Andrei Caldararu said:

Okay, since I'm the one who started this popular and controversial topic, let me tell you the final decision. I managed to negotiate with the owner of the hangar down to $200/month. (Hope I don't get killed in a crime of passion by some envious person paying $600/month...) The hangar as of yet is unheated, but the owner, who is a house builder, is working to put insulation and a heater in. (The other option was to get into a hangar that is already heated and insulated, for $250.)

The drive was not so bad when I tried it, about 32 minutes one way. I hope the 17 minutes difference is made up to some extent by not needing to put on/take off a cover, tie plane down, added maintenance.

Wish me luck! I am moving in next week.

You're going to spend way too much time in that heated hangar when the snow is a$$ deep on a tall indian.  You won't be able to get the airplane out, but the number of projects that become possible in a heated hangar is endless.

[MikeOH]

21 hours ago, hypertech said:

Why choose when they are that cheap - get both.  When there's a streatch of good weather and you have time off, move it to the tie down.  If its going to be a couple weeks or bad weather move it to the hangar.

Perhaps I’m missing an easy solution but I see logistical problems with that. Namely, you have to arrange for someone to drive 80 minutes round trip for them to drop you off at the hangar, then drive to pick you up at the tie-down airport. That’s going to get old every few weeks, IMHO.

Extra cars left at each end would work, I suppose

[Pinecone]

Airport car. 

 

[Echo]

On 10/4/2023 at 10:51 AM, M20F said:

Real men run JetA in a torpedo heater with all the doors closed. 

The AV8 CO does have a hang strap so....  

[Echo]

On 10/4/2023 at 4:04 PM, Fly Boomer said:

You're going to spend way too much time in that heated hangar when the snow is a$$ deep on a tall indian.  You won't be able to get the airplane out, but the number of projects that become possible in a heated hangar is endless.

I thought it was Canadian?     No wait, was it Eskimo?

[Fly Boomer]

3 hours ago, Echo said:

I thought it was Canadian?     No wait, was it Eskimo?

Much more PC.

[Echo]

27 minutes ago, Fly Boomer said:

Much more PC.

Just trying to reduce geographic confusion.  Not much snow in India?   

[EagleDriver]

This topic is my block to aircraft purchase.  I’m in the south, so it’s mild (generally) but there is ZERO local hangar space.  So it’s outside, or no airplane.  I’m starting to lean toward the former, or I’ll never own an airplane.  Not a great decision matrix.

 

(Note, local means less than an hour.  If I’m going to drive two hours round trip to get the airplane, the airplane is just gonna sit. Let’s be honest.)

[MikeOH]

1 hour ago, EagleDriver said:

This topic is my block to aircraft purchase.  I’m in the south, so it’s mild (generally) but there is ZERO local hangar space.  So it’s outside, or no airplane.  I’m starting to lean toward the former, or I’ll never own an airplane.  Not a great decision matrix.

 

(Note, local means less than an hour.  If I’m going to drive two hours round trip to get the airplane, the airplane is just gonna sit. Let’s be honest.)

I waited way too long to own an airplane.  If you can swing it, even if it sits outside, buy!  Life is short and all that.

And, you are spot on: If you have to drive an hour each way you'll be an airplane owner but not an airplane flyer!

[wombat]

Don't let the lack of hangar stop you from buying an airplane!

Sure, a hangar is better in so many ways, but if it's not available, you can still own and maintain an airplane.

It'll probably have some more maintenance required, but that's OK.   It's still your plane!!