Hi everyone,

This is actually my first post on here, newly certified PPL and while I have been renting I am open long term to owning my own plane, however the biggest barrier for me is actually hangar availability and cost

Without driving 45 mins away or more you can’t find a hangar to buy (or maybe I just haven’t found one) or rental can work out at $1500+ per month. I read guys complaining around the country that they pay $2,000-3,000 per year, that would be a good problem to have for me.

Also a local airfield were selling hangars but as the conversation developed it became more like putting a large sum of money down, I think $60,000 just to get on the waiting list and then when they have a few people they build it, and then you still have to pay ‘condo’ fees of a few hundred a month, plus utilities and then I believe after 15 years your occupation is up. So it made just as much sense to rent

While I would love to get into the hobby you need a barn to house the horse. I’d have no problem with a tie down, especially if I was a daily user but here in New England it would get ruined with the ice and snow and it’ll become another chore on my long list to take care of with property

Any suggestions or is this the dull reality ?

There’s no easy answer to this one.

A good hangar makes airplane ownership substantially easier and simultaneously more expensive.

Sounds like you’re in the pricey eastern part of the state. Are there any other airports ‘close enough’ to home if you’re not a daily user?

In my silly part of NY the priciest airports are also the most congested so any time you think you’re saving on the drive gets eliminated by regular departure-delays. It makes the more distant fields more competitive in terms of end-to-end cost & time.


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Well one airport is ten mins away with no traffic, and it’s definitely busy but I actually like the fact there’s always a buzz about the place, the airport is owned by the state so you can’t buy and the rent is $1600 I believe a month and you can’t get them at that

The other place is a small airfield family owned but like I said you’ve to put down a large sum and it’s really just ‘upfront rent for the next 15 years’ as you never own it. And then you still have to pay what I call condo fees

Is it just that MA has the most expensive hangars around?

Welcome. Under $200 per month in most smaller towns in the Midwest. Still need to fly a couple hundred hours per year for ownership to be less expensive than renting. Even with training, how many hours did you fly last year.

I’ve 100 hours

One potential offset to living in a high-priced metro is that there may be lots of partnership opportunities.

If you get to know the community around your preferred field you may discover some older pilots (like me) who want continued access to their own plane(s) but would rather share some of the costs with another trustworthy pilot or two.


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At $1,500 per month for a hangar I'd just park outside and happily accept whatever happens to the airplane. I'm a big proponent of hangars, but that's just ridiculous.

In the situation you describe I'd just rent an airplane and do away with the whole issue. It might seem like a lot per hour, but at least you get to choose exactly how much you spend on flying any given day/week/month/year, and you only pay for the hours you actually fly. That's not true for owning...not true at all.

Find someone on the field who doesn’t fly their hangared airplane much and partner up or trade probably needed maintenance for flight/user time.
Join the local EAA chapter and aviation groups to find such persons. Hang out at coffee pot, introduce self to aviators on field and see where conversations take you...

Where in ma?


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A good set of Bruce’s custom covers for the whole plane, and good quality tie down straps. Then with a sign on it, “searching for hangar space”. For every month you have it out side, just think the covers just paid for themselves In Two months at your $1500.00 rate, and any extra months you get outside, your making money. Ha!

I am not sure where you live but the prices you have quoted are not at all typical. I live in southern Ma and most hangers I have seen are in the $350-650. The 650 is a large FBO and that hanger is heated.

Where in MA are you? I pay $375/mo for a shared hangar at KLWM (a good deal to be sure, but nowhere near what you've been quoted). If you are north of Boston, shoot me a PM; I can ask around and keep an eye out.

If you don’t mind a bit of a drive; Orange might be a consideration it’s about 1.5 hrs of driving from Boston on Rt2 or Barnes (Westfield) is roughly the same distance from Boston via the Mass Pike (without traffic). Now it’s been ages since I was flying in that area but the prices of everything in W Mass are far cheaper than anything on the east side of the state.

FWIW Turners Falls 0B5 was the lowest cost place for hangar rental a dozen years ago. Probably a bit too far though from anywhere on the east side of the state.

If you’re out on the cape you’re probably screwed. As it takes hours to get anywhere from out there in a car.

Hey guys, I live in Boston and want to listen in on this one. I was with the EAA chapter at KBVY for a bit, but life got in the way. I might join back up soon. I want to build something, but I may just buy a something instead.

Personally I think I'd tie down at Beverly and use a full cover. Hailstorms seem to only happen once in a blue moon. I'm thinking about going with a PA28 instead of a Cessna to mitigate the danger of high winds. Not sure if it would actually make a difference though!

Steve

You just have to shop around. Hangars at concord nh are selling for 70-110,000. Same age t hangar at lwm sold for 35,000.


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lawndart wrote:Hey guys, I live in Boston and want to listen in on this one. I was with the EAA chapter at KBVY for a bit, but life got in the way. I might join back up soon. I want to build something, but I may just buy a something instead.

Personally I think I'd tie down at Beverly and use a full cover. Hailstorms seem to only happen once in a blue moon. I'm thinking about going with a PA28 instead of a Cessna to mitigate the danger of high winds. Not sure if it would actually make a difference though!

Steve

Cherokee or 172 in high winds makes no difference. Good tie down rope, knots (not the useless quickly knot most people use), control locks and orientation are the keys to tie down success in a windstorm.

Steve, have you been to Hampton, New Hampshire? If not, go up there and look around, cool place with great people.

Kurt

G44 wrote:

lawndart wrote:Hey guys, I live in Boston and want to listen in on this one. I was with the EAA chapter at KBVY for a bit, but life got in the way. I might join back up soon. I want to build something, but I may just buy a something instead.

Personally I think I'd tie down at Beverly and use a full cover. Hailstorms seem to only happen once in a blue moon. I'm thinking about going with a PA28 instead of a Cessna to mitigate the danger of high winds. Not sure if it would actually make a difference though!

Steve

Cherokee or 172 in high winds makes no difference. Good tie down rope, knots (not the useless quickly knot most people use), control locks and orientation are the keys to tie down success in a windstorm.

Steve, have you been to Hampton, New Hampshire? If not, go up there and look around, cool place with great people.

Kurt

Okay, I just thought the high wing might catch the wind a little more. It's really not a big difference in height though.

I'll have to visit. I think it's just too far to keep my aircraft there though unfortunately...