New Hangar

For a while I've wanted a second airplane, something a bit more suited to cross country travel than my 12. But I couldn't see getting one without a place to put it. So, I decided to build another hangar as well. But first, let's get the irony out of the way, by building another hangar I just spent whatever money I had to put towards the plane, so there is that. I scoured the SC.org site looking for discussions and advise on hangars. He's what that lead to.

60x60 post frame; 16' sidewalls, 14x48' clear opening door (14' will handle any RV on the market was my logic); Higher Power hydraulic door-with remote control of course; concrete floor; 8x8 bathroom stubbed in the rear corner-which won't be installed for a while; insulation in the future when I can afford it; 2 pedestrian doors on gable ends kitty corner to each other for cross ventilation; 4-4x4 windows. It has electric and natural gas. When the time comes, I'll drill a well, septic will be handled by a 1000 gallon holding tank with a high-water alarm. Pure south facing big door. It's in Helena Mt, HLN. I wanted a lot near the main taxiway because I hate when adjoining owners block my way in or out. The building and the lot will allow me, or more realistically a future owner, to expand it to 60x100 if the need should ever arise. The double irony is that until I get another plane I don't really have a use for it so I'll end up renting it out.

The lot I picked needed about 500 cubic yards of fill to give me an 85x120 level building pad. It was put in in 9" watered and compacted lifts, that took 2 days. A drainage culver had to be extended, that took a day.

My builder, got right after it. It took him 6 days to get the building up and finished. The 4-person crew did it all with a skid steer and a scissor lift.

Bathroom stubbing will occur early this week. Followed shortly by a 4" gravel lift for a concrete cushion. Concrete is scheduled for August 1. Asphalt ramp to taxiway to follow shortly thereafter. The Higher Power door won't be here for a few months yet, but what can you do... Here's a couple of time lapse photos...

That's the way to do it, says the guy with a crane service, that spent ALL DAY Friday working with a "crew" that took 4 times as long as they should have to set trusses, and I STILL have to go back Monday. As long as one end of the building is still open the skid steer with a cherry picker is a good combo, though it takes money out of my pocket! If me, I'd sheet the ceiling with 5/8" rock, paint it white, then blown in insulation, and foam the walls. Then paint the foam.

My ceiling is ready for blown in insulation when that day comes.

2 inches of blue board under the concrete and in floor heat will pay for itself in a very short time. DENNY

I’ve never built a hangar. I bought one. The only thing I’d change would be to double the electrical outlets, including 220v. And add outlets and a switch for ceiling fans. That would have been easier done from the beginning than it was to add!

Maybe add some compressed air outlets on the walls as well.

I have a Morton just like that. In the months of talking to and visiting other shops/hangers we liked, people said they planned to insulate later. Most had been in for years without it. We put it on the walls and blew in the roof. It keeps every kind of weather: cold, hot, loud and windy out of mind. We are not made of money either but it is the one thing I appreciate most.

Another suggestion is spray foam insulate the walls then cover with sheet metal rather than sheetrock. While the initial cost may seem high for the spray foam, it works well. Really strengthens the building and provides superior insulation. Sheetrock seems less until you figure the labor applying the mud and painting, unless you DIY. Metal is one and done. We also placed dairy panel for the first 4 feet on the interior walls and the entire bathroom walls. Easy clean and so somewhat abrasion proof. Also LED lights and an epoxy floor is nice.

Blue foam the 5 for the concrete floor is a must. Prevents floor from heaving/moving. Especially needed in Norhtern MN.





Before After

They have the new Morton facility almost finished out at KPIH, on vacant ground, vacant since WW2 ended anyway and they quite training bomber crews there. It is huge, several hundred feet long, 100' wide. I need to get out there and eyeball it, and see what kind of struture a company that manufactures steel buildings puts up for its own use! I had my foot in the door months ago for doing some of the crane work, but passed as it would have tied me down too long, but the Morton rep I was dealing with was very friendly and gave me a good overall impression of the company.