Reposting in General Forum: Suggestions for Basing at Sarasota, FL for all of 2025

[joepilotmooney]

Folks:

We are moving from to Sarasota, FL for a year, basically 2025 (possibly a few months longer) and I need to tie/down or hangar somewhere, anywhere! I am hoping some of you might have suggestions or leads on where to start. Appreciate any help...

[ArtVandelay]

They just took a big hit this hurricane season, good luck.

[mike_elliott]

Florida hangar space has been premium $ for the last 2 decades, and is only getting worse. Inland, you might find a hangar that doesnt have a 3+ year waiting list and is under 899/month, but good luck with finding availablity and affordability in the high demand populated areas.

Might I suggest you start contacting all of the private air parks and see if some home owner might lease you his hangar if he isnt using it?

 

[joepilotmooney]

Yeah, I've kinda been resigned to the fact I will likely have to tie down and keep the canvas cover on it for a year, sans hangar. I will start poking around the few private fields outside Sarasota and see what I see though, good idea.

[A64Pilot]

16 hours ago, mike_elliott said:

Might I suggest you start contacting all of the private air parks and see if some home owner might lease you his hangar if he isnt using it?

 

We aren’t supposed to at mine, it’s prohibited in the covenants as in no aircraft are allowed to be based here that’s non resident.

Having said that I know it’s done as our neighborhood is 20 years or so old there are a few Widows living here, who is going to tell them that their hangar has to remain empty and they can’t rent it out to help make ends meet? Would you?

But unless you know the people that live here I’d say you have zero chances of finding out if you could or not.

From my experience living in Fl I think an aircraft tied down near the coast has less than a 10 year life expectancy, well less actually. Some aircraft types do much better than others, unfortunately I don’t think Mooney’s do well.

My advice that people don’t like is if your going to live on the coast of Fl, sell the airplane, it’s a great place to own a boat, or buy a Cirrus, they are still making those.

I’ve had people tell me rather irritated that I didn’t know what I was talking about, that hangar rent was so high that it’s cheaper to just scrap an airplane and buy another every so many years, that is upsetting to me that some are knowingly depleting a limited resource, but it is what it is. 

 

[LANCECASPER]

On 10/25/2024 at 7:54 AM, joepilotmooney said:

Yeah, I've kinda been resigned to the fact I will likely have to tie down and keep the canvas cover on it for a year, sans hangar. I will start poking around the few private fields outside Sarasota and see what I see though, good idea.

A year in Florida isn't going to ruin your airplane. Have it treated with Corrosion-X before. You might consider the best paint protection you can afford. If you have leather seats treat them before and every few months with Connolly Hide Care and buy reflective window shades and whatever covers are appropriate. Hit the rod bearings and the hinges with TriFlo a few times that year. Fly it often to many of the great spots to visit in FL, including the Keys!

[A64Pilot]

One year won’t kill it, especially if you keep up with it, but are you going to be able to get a hangar in Sarasota in a year? From what I hear that’s unlikely. 

I’d look inland, a couple of hours drive and maybe you could find a hangar, yes a couple hours drive each way Sux, but at least then your hangared and the day you get one in Sarasota you move.

My neighbor has built a house, apt or something in St Pete and has been looking for a hangar for a couple of years, no luck so far, and I believe he knows quite a few people as he used to own a few car dealerships there. 

Just did a quick internet search for hangar rental Sarasota Fl, https://flysrq.com/sites/default/files/2024-10/web thangar wait list 42' REV OCT 25 2024.pdf

Neat thing is you can check the wait list for each size hangar, for the 42’ wide hangar which I think we would want the highest guy on the list was put on the list in 2021 if I read the list correctly? After him there are I think 122 people on the list that would cycle through before you could get one?

I think there are 123 hangars so if yiu get on the list now your #123? Of course that’s just one place, I have no idea how many places there are.

For those that want to live in Fl, consider an Air Park. No they aren’t usually on the beach, but where I live in Central Fl the beaches are 15 to 30 min flight away, and my airplane is 50 ft away from the house so I don’t have to drive anywhere to fly, fuel is delivered to our in hangar tanks monthly, and from what I hear others pay for tiny T hangars it’s a LOT cheaper too. What I hear others pay for hangar rent covers half my house and hangar payment

Edited October 26 by A64Pilot

[LANCECASPER]

4 hours ago, A64Pilot said:

One year won’t kill it, especially if you keep up with it, but are you going to be able to get a hangar in Sarasota in a year? From what I hear that’s unlikely. 

I’d look inland, a couple of hours drive and maybe you could find a hangar, yes a couple hours drive each way Sux, but at least then your hangared and the day you get one in Sarasota you move.

My neighbor has built a house, apt or something in St Pete and has been looking for a hangar for a couple of years, no luck so far, and I believe he knows quite a few people as he used to own a few car dealerships there. 

Just did a quick internet search for hangar rental Sarasota Fl, https://flysrq.com/sites/default/files/2024-10/web thangar wait list 42' REV OCT 25 2024.pdf

Neat thing is you can check the wait list for each size hangar, for the 42’ wide hangar which I think we would want the highest guy on the list was put on the list in 2021 if I read the list correctly? After him there are I think 122 people on the list that would cycle through before you could get one?

I think there are 123 hangars so if yiu get on the list now your #123? Of course that’s just one place, I have no idea how many places there are.

For those that want to live in Fl, consider an Air Park. No they aren’t usually on the beach, but where I live in Central Fl the beaches are 15 to 30 min flight away, and my airplane is 50 ft away from the house so I don’t have to drive anywhere to fly, fuel is delivered to our in hangar tanks monthly, and from what I hear others pay for tiny T hangars it’s a LOT cheaper too. What I hear others pay for hangar rent covers half my house and hangar payment

As the title of this thread mentions, he's only going to be in FL for all of the year of 2025

 

[M20F]

Hangars don’t fix salt and humidity.  I do however recommend against the canvas cover.  They aren’t great in the best of conditions, add a little sand and they really excel at taking paint off. 

[ArtVandelay]

Hangars don’t fix salt and humidity.  I do however recommend against the canvas cover.  They aren’t great in the best of conditions, add a little sand and they really excel at taking paint off. 

Salt doesn’t remain airborne very long unless you have tropical storm winds. The salt attracts water and becomes heavy, this is how they seeded clouds to make rain. Assuming it’s a mile or so inland you won’t get salt, hangars do protect against humidity (dew). Unless it’s windy I don’t get salt on my car that’s parked 200 yards from the beach, but always covered in dew.
Like I said before, I have an old camshaft (clean, dry, not oiled) that sits on my hangar floor that is not rusting. The humidity inside a hangar in the air remains in the air unless it condenses out, and if that happens it’s going to be on the hangar sheet metal that’s being cooled from the outside…I have never seen this happen in south Florida, we don’t get temperature drops.

[exM20K]

10 hours ago, M20F said:

Hangars don’t fix salt and humidity.  I do however recommend against the canvas cover.  They aren’t great in the best of conditions, add a little sand and they really excel at taking paint off. 

Yes, they dew (see what I did there?). On our little island in Florida and across the bay on the mainland, everything metal is dew covered most mornings. That dew is salty. Evidence is the many older, parked-outside cars with paint corroding off the hood, roof, and trunk. Carrier has a separate line of compressors for coastal installation.

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The salt may be in a lower concentration inland, but your plane is is getting wet, then drying out daily. You’ll quickly see it in the rusty fasteners throughout, even the stainless ones.  I’d do everything possible to find a hangar or at least a shade port to keep the salty dew off. 
 

I agree that covers are not a good solution, but cowl plugs will help to keep humid air outside of the engine compartment.

-dan

[cliffy]

Question- Why do buyers always look for an airframe that hasn't sat in a coastal area or even one that has no Florida residency in its history?

Maybe a year won't hurt it but then maybe a year there might impact the sales price later on.  

[1980Mooney]

On 10/24/2024 at 3:47 PM, joepilotmooney said:

Folks:

We are moving from to Sarasota, FL for a year, basically 2025 (possibly a few months longer) and I need to tie/down or hangar somewhere, anywhere! I am hoping some of you might have suggestions or leads on where to start. Appreciate any help...

 

12 hours ago, cliffy said:

Question- Why do buyers always look for an airframe that hasn't sat in a coastal area or even one that has no Florida residency in its history?

Maybe a year won't hurt it but then maybe a year there might impact the sales price later on.  

This raises a couple points.  In "the good old days" (before ADS-B), sellers could be more "creative" in describing where their planes were located during their life.  Maintenance log entries and the Seller's FAA Registration address were about all you had.  Now a perspective buyer can fairly easily search the location history.  At some airports, ADS-B tracks are so good that you can trace the taxi to a hangar building vs. a tie down area.

And while the OP has focused on finding a tie down/hangar, he needs to be asking about finding an A&P for his next Annual.  He said he would be there all of 2025 and maybe more.  Registration shows that he is an almost 2 decade long term owner.  I bet he has been using the same A&P at his home drome for years.  Finding a new A&P for an Annual can be traumatic.  Also a "new set of eyes" could result in an "Annual from Hell".  

[LANCECASPER]

18 hours ago, 1980Mooney said:

 

This raises a couple points.  In "the good old days" (before ADS-B), sellers could be more "creative" in describing where their planes were located during their life.  Maintenance log entries and the Seller's FAA Registration address were about all you had.  Now a perspective buyer can fairly easily search the location history.  At some airports, ADS-B tracks are so good that you can trace the taxi to a hangar building vs. a tie down area.

And while the OP has focused on finding a tie down/hangar, he needs to be asking about finding an A&P for his next Annual.  He said he would be there all of 2025 and maybe more.  Registration shows that he is an almost 2 decade long term owner.  I bet he has been using the same A&P at his home drome for years.  Finding a new A&P for an Annual can be traumatic.  Also a "new set of eyes" could result in an "Annual from Hell".  

Also will there be tax implications?

[Paul Thomas]

32 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

Also will there be tax implications?

If there is no ownership change in the past 6 months, Florida doesn't tax an airplane as far as I know (I last talked to the tax department earlier this year).

[1980Mooney]

On 10/24/2024 at 3:47 PM, joepilotmooney said:

Folks:

We are moving from to Sarasota, FL for a year, basically 2025 (possibly a few months longer) and I need to tie/down or hangar somewhere, anywhere! I am hoping some of you might have suggestions or leads on where to start. Appreciate any help...

Is this a temporary move where you return to Minnesota in 2026 or are you permanently leaving, giving up your current hangar in Minn., establishing residency in Florida etc?  If temporary I assume you will be paying to keep your current hangar in order to avoid being unable to find a hangar back at your home drone upon return. 

Edited October 29 by 1980Mooney

[A64Pilot]

12 hours ago, Paul Thomas said:

If there is no ownership change in the past 6 months, Florida doesn't tax an airplane as far as I know (I last talked to the tax department earlier this year).

This IF your a Fl resident.

However I believe they go after out of State aircraft if they stay some short period of time. (20 days maybe and I think that time is cumulative)This annoys me because they don’t go after Motorhomes, Yachts, cars etc, just aircraft.

Scan down to aircraft temporarily in Fl, good luck on the training /repairs etc. exemption for a year.

https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/gt800008.pdf

It does seem to allude to the 6 moth time line but I have heard that’s not relevant that they go after all visiting aircraft, but am unsure

Edited October 29 by A64Pilot

[Paul Thomas]

2 hours ago, A64Pilot said:

This IF your a Fl resident.

However I believe they go after out of State aircraft if they stay some short period of time. (20 days maybe and I think that time is cumulative)This annoys me because they don’t go after Motorhomes, Yachts, cars etc, just aircraft.

Scan down to aircraft temporarily in Fl, good luck on the training /repairs etc. exemption for a year.

https://floridarevenue.com/Forms_library/current/gt800008.pdf

It does seem to allude to the 6 moth time line but I have heard that’s not relevant that they go after all visiting aircraft, but am unsure

My understanding is that residency has nothing to do with it. Bring it in during the first six month post of a change of ownership (transferring the airplane I already own from a DE LLC to a FL one would trigger the tax even though I've "owned" the airplane and it's been FL based) and you may be on the hook for taxes.

I could register the airplane to me personally or to a FL corp and, as long as I keep it out of FL for 6 month, I wouldn't owe a penny.

The tax people are actually friendly and easily reached if people have questions. They are not as kind afterwards though...

[A64Pilot]

I think you’re right about the taxes, but as you say I’d call because they contradict themselves. For instance if your a resident of fl and are basing your aircraft out of State the you can fly into Fl for repairs /training does not apply to you. One flight and they say you owe taxes. 

[exM20K]

Tax planning of this nature is best done with the assistance of a qualified professional who has E&O coverage.

In Illinois, if they catch you "evading" use tax, whether or not it is a willful "evasion," you may be subject to 3x damages.

And whoever rats you out gets a bounty.

And snitches get stitches.

And wind up in ditches. Or so I'm told.

-dan

 

[joepilotmooney]

On 10/28/2024 at 7:02 PM, 1980Mooney said:

Is this a temporary move where you return to Minnesota in 2026 or are you permanently leaving, giving up your current hangar in Minn., establishing residency in Florida etc?  If temporary I assume you will be paying to keep your current hangar in order to avoid being unable to find a hangar back at your home drone upon return. 

Actually, we are leaving Minneapolis permanently (TOO cold!!), will be in FL for a year probably temporary and then move up to Baltimore area or perhaps stay somewhere in Florida, for good. We'll see what happens. In any case I want my plane with me, so it may have to be hangar less for some period until I figure things out.

I will say finding a hangar around these parts , especially around Mpls., finding affordable hangars is not too difficult. There are so many public use airports surrounding the Twin Cities, all with tons of privately owned and airport owned hangars, plus all the private and residential strips. And at Anoka airport where we are, people are building new hangars all the time. I am not sure why that is not happening in places out east and in Florida, I guess due to land costs and availability?

[Jetpilot86]

On 10/29/2024 at 10:20 AM, Paul Thomas said:

My understanding is that residency has nothing to do with it. Bring it in during the first six month post of a change of ownership (transferring the airplane I already own from a DE LLC to a FL one would trigger the tax even though I've "owned" the airplane and it's been FL based) and you may be on the hook for taxes.

I could register the airplane to me personally or to a FL corp and, as long as I keep it out of FL for 6 month, I wouldn't owe a penny.

The tax people are actually friendly and easily reached if people have questions. They are not as kind afterwards though...

This.  I kept mine out of FL for roughly the first 8 months, just to make sure.

[Jetpilot86]

On 10/30/2024 at 4:32 PM, joepilotmooney said:

Actually, we are leaving Minneapolis permanently (TOO cold!!), will be in FL for a year probably temporary and then move up to Baltimore area or perhaps stay somewhere in Florida, for good. We'll see what happens. In any case I want my plane with me, so it may have to be hangar less for some period until I figure things out.

I will say finding a hangar around these parts , especially around Mpls., finding affordable hangars is not too difficult. There are so many public use airports surrounding the Twin Cities, all with tons of privately owned and airport owned hangars, plus all the private and residential strips. And at Anoka airport where we are, people are building new hangars all the time. I am not sure why that is not happening in places out east and in Florida, I guess due to land costs and availability?

On the East Coast of FL, they are bulldozing T-Hangars to build more Corporate Jet hangars.  I just got an offer in either FXE or PMP for a T-hangar for my Bravo at $1260/month.  I passed for now as I don't spend much time there in the Summer and am only there for a week or so at a time before flying back out.  I hangar in KY for 1/3 of that, and in CO for 1/2.

[A64Pilot]

Issue with Fl is many that move down from up North that can afford it want to live on the coast in big cities, and the money there is in bizjets, not little old antique airplanes, from my limited observation more and more the little airplanes aren’t even wanted as I think they take up the space that the big money airplanes want. Fl population is expanding and assets of all types are limited. So it pretty much means that if you want a roof, especially if you want walls for your little antique, that means going inland, and if your willing to do that I’d recommend you looking into a fly in community, airpark whatever you call it. It’s not as expensive as you may think, I always thought it was out of my price range until I looked into it, and if you enjoy flying it’s a complete game changer, so much more convenient that you will fly much more often, but if you have to live near the beach, especially if you want to live in a big city and have your airplane nearby, it’s going to be tough to have a single engine piston, there I guess the idea of I’ll scrap the airplane every x number of years and buy another comes from, there just isn’t many other options. I’ve even seen PC-12’s, King Air’s etc tied down permanently or at least during “Season”. Season meaning snow bird season, not Hurricane season. It’s sad to see almost every year a Hurricane chew up airplanes tied down on the coast. I’ve heard several times, “Oh well that’s what insurance is for”

As a general statement Fl is growing too fast and beginning to outstrip its infrastructure, if you buy in Fl be darn sure you check out the flood potential for wherever you buy, subdivisions that didn’t used to flood now flood easily as developments are being built so fast they overwhelm the drainage system, and the truth is if you build in a swamp don’t be surprised if you flood, but that’s becoming common and I don’t believe the people moving in know that flooding is a concern because that’s new to them.