Hangars

[Crawf]

Here's something to ponder over the forthcoming holidays - hangars!

I've recently gone down the rabbit hole of searching for a small hangar space which, not unsurprisingly, has been not all that fruitful.   I've now found a great hangar space, however its a 1.5 hour drive from my residence.  I think this is a little too far when I want to be flying as often as I can, read once or twice a fortnight.

 

Interested in what sort of time/distance are people traveling to get to their plane?

[FlyingVizsla]

I spent most of my career in outback Western Qld where the airstrip is beside the town.  I could walk or ride the push bike the 1km or less to the strip.  Then we moved.

 

Now we have the makings of an airstrip on the property, but haven't used it.  Our planes are hangared just over an hour's drive from home.  It means a fly is a considered excursion, needing to pack everything needed.  Not as much fun.

[CT9000]

Before I moved home I had a 45-50 min. drive. Now the Darraweit Guim international airport is 200m from the front porch to the hangar. Visitors welcome but ring first on  0408 103868            strip is 650m fence to fence 18/36 grass 12m wide.

[rgmwa]

It takes me an hour and 10 minutes to get to mine. It would be nice if it was closer, but I can live with it.

[skippydiesel]

For about 12 years I was spoilt rotten by having the free,  exclusive use of my next door neighbours( 50m walk) very large shed & dodgy one way, 400m grass strip (which I maintained).

 

All good things come to an end and my neighbour sold - first new owner happy to have me there BUT they sold up within 2 years.

 

Property now an investment/rental. Renters very nice BUT running a horse agistment business - shed & airstrip given over to nags.

 

New accommodation - patch of grass, surrounded by rusting wrecked vehicles (which provide a measure of protection from the strong SW winds and also harbour some intimidating reptiles).  Nice strip long grass strip and great people.  Have to drive the 5 km with all my flying stuff (eg fuel, tools, records, etc) and now pay a  monthly parking fee - such is life!

[pmccarthy]

I have tried 50 min and 60 min, both too far to be practical, now 20 min is just fine.

[Bosi72]

I had dilemma: 30mins $5k vs 15mins $10k  p.a.

Happy to drive longer.

[sfGnome]

Used to be about 50 min which was ok(ish). I could drive up before work, do an hour’s circuits or whatever and get to work before morning tea (it’s ok, I worked late 😛). THEN, we moved to a 2 hour drive, meaning an hour’s circuits meant 4 hours of driving. My flying tapered off pretty drastically and we sold up. ☹️ 

 

My advice, 30 min good, >60 min bad, 5 min ecstatic!

[kgwilson]

30 minutes drive for me, mostly on 110kmh highway. This is no problem. I also do a lot of aerodrome maintenance work so am there usually 3 days a week.

[rodgerc]

I can see the threshold of an airport from my front door where hangars cost 6 times more than the one that I drive 1 hour to/from at least once a week. Happy to drive. 

[IanR]

I live 5 minutes from one airport where no hangars available, 15 minutes from another where hangarage is about 800+ per month - bought a hangar about 50 minutes away will have to see how that effects my flying. 

[Neil_S]

About 45-50 minutes. Closer would be nice, of course, but I've been doing the drive for about 14 years now, so I am used to it.

 

Neil

[Farmpilot]

I am super lucky, have a farm and 50m from house to hangar and airstrip. Look out bedroom window to check windsock.