Posted: 6/14/2012 6:57:07 AM EDT
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I'm stuck with a Goldilocks problem. I'm in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and have just purchased a pristine old airplane. I want to do everything possible to keep it that way. I know Florida has a reputation for being tough on airplanes, though I have seen planes here that have spent their lives in inland hangars and show little to no signs of corrosion.
The most convenient airports for me at Peter O'Knight (KTPF) and Albert Whitted (KSPG). The negatives are that I'd be in shared storage until a T-hangar opened up. I'm territorial and don't want my plane to be any more accessible to others than necessary. Both of those airports are right on the gulf and I assume would accelerate corrosion. A third option is Tampa Executive. It's a much easier airport to get to by air (though road traffic is a gamble); it's got better lighting, an ILS approach and a 5000ft runway. T-hangars cost half as much and are available and it's several miles inland. There are three types of T-hangars available. I can go with small, cheap and hot (it's been suggested to me that this may be the best as the hotter one will also be dryer). There's another option that's a little more expensive, a little newer, insulated and cool (I personally liked this one because I wasn't dying as soon as I stepped into it). And there's a third option that's still only a little bit more, which is uninsulated and big enough for a King Air. I could park a couple cars and a boat in there if I ever recover from the airplane purchase. |
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I'm stuck with a Goldilocks problem. I'm in the Tampa Bay area of Florida and have just purchased a pristine old airplane. I want to do everything possible to keep it that way. I know Florida has a reputation for being tough on airplanes, though I have seen planes here that have spent their lives in inland hangars and show little to no signs of corrosion. The most convenient airports for me at Peter O'Knight (KTPF) and Albert Whitted (KSPG). The negatives are that I'd be in shared storage until a T-hangar opened up. I'm territorial and don't want my plane to be any more accessible to others than necessary. Both of those airports are right on the gulf and I assume would accelerate corrosion. A third option is Tampa Executive. It's a much easier airport to get to by air (though road traffic is a gamble); it's got better lighting, an ILS approach and a 5000ft runway. T-hangars cost half as much and are available and it's several miles inland. There are three types of T-hangars available. I can go with small, cheap and hot (it's been suggested to me that this may be the best as the hotter one will also be dryer). There's another option that's a little more expensive, a little newer, insulated and cool (I personally liked this one because I wasn't dying as soon as I stepped into it). And there's a third option that's still only a little bit more, which is uninsulated and big enough for a King Air. I could park a couple cars and a boat in there if I ever recover from the airplane purchase. The first two are better for your own skills because you will be more apt to go take her around the patch on a nice eveing. The last choice is better for your pristine old airplane. |
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Who told you "hotter is dryer" Warm air holds more moister, add to that the lack of climate control.... maybe I miss interpreted the statement? ETA: have you checked PIE or is that too far from your house? PIE is full, but would have been ideal. I'm paying for utilities in the hangar, so I figure I can plug the holes, throw in a dehumidifier and let it drain to the outside. ETA: As for the "hotter is dryer," it was the theory that the hangar that was heated more by the sun during the day would help to keep the humidity down inside of it. Then again, some guys that I know who are right on the water say that so long as you're in a T-hangar, you're fine. It's the daily vertical column of moisture that descends on the airplane and then the salt that's in the air sticking to the wet airplane. |
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You would need one HELL of a dehumidifier to make a meaningful impact on a hangar-sized space in Florida...
Your primary goal is to get the airplane out of the rain and sun. Any hangar will do that. If the hangar isn't climate controlled, then the more air circulation, the better. I'd rig up some industrial circulation fans that exhange with the outside, if possible. (If they'll let you punch holes in the hangar...) A hot, moist, static environment is rough on aluminum, long-term. What kind of airplane? All-metal? Wood and fabric? |
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You would need one HELL of a dehumidifier to make a meaningful impact on a hangar-sized space in Florida... Your primary goal is to get the airplane out of the rain and sun. Any hangar will do that. If the hangar isn't climate controlled, then the more air circulation, the better. I'd rig up some industrial circulation fans that exhange with the outside, if possible. (If they'll let you punch holes in the hangar...) A hot, moist, static environment is rough on aluminum, long-term. What kind of airplane? All-metal? Wood and fabric? You say you have utilities at the hanger. Who paying the bill? I say this in that if electric is included in the rent then its usually for a single light bulb or to charge the battery or to vacuum the plane out. It most certainly not for air cooling, dehumidifying, filtering. I'd just make sure the roof doesn't leak and let it go at that. |
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You would need one HELL of a dehumidifier to make a meaningful impact on a hangar-sized space in Florida... Your primary goal is to get the airplane out of the rain and sun. Any hangar will do that. If the hangar isn't climate controlled, then the more air circulation, the better. I'd rig up some industrial circulation fans that exhange with the outside, if possible. (If they'll let you punch holes in the hangar...) A hot, moist, static environment is rough on aluminum, long-term. What kind of airplane? All-metal? Wood and fabric? It's a 1960s vintage Mooney that's spent its life in the midwest/southwest. It seriously looks like a brand new airplane in spite of the fact that it hasn't been painted in 20 years. |
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The hot hangar will have the same moisture content as the cool one as neither are sealed or climate controlled However, the relative humidity could be higher if the air is cooler. In fact condensation could occur more easily if the aircraft is cool. One would need to determine relative humidity in each, through a period of time. Things could be different at night, for example. As the non insulated hangar could cool off more. The easy solution is a moderately warm and dry hangar, via a big dehumidifier, That way, condensation never occurs when the doors are opened.
Any closed, private hangar is going to be better than a shared hangar. |
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You would need one HELL of a dehumidifier to make a meaningful impact on a hangar-sized space in Florida... Your primary goal is to get the airplane out of the rain and sun. Any hangar will do that. If the hangar isn't climate controlled, then the more air circulation, the better. I'd rig up some industrial circulation fans that exhange with the outside, if possible. (If they'll let you punch holes in the hangar...) A hot, moist, static environment is rough on aluminum, long-term. What kind of airplane? All-metal? Wood and fabric? It's a 1960s vintage Mooney that's spent its life in the midwest/southwest. It seriously looks like a brand new airplane in spite of the fact that it hasn't been painted in 20 years. Did you happen to buy it out of KCFD? |
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You would need one HELL of a dehumidifier to make a meaningful impact on a hangar-sized space in Florida... Your primary goal is to get the airplane out of the rain and sun. Any hangar will do that. If the hangar isn't climate controlled, then the more air circulation, the better. I'd rig up some industrial circulation fans that exhange with the outside, if possible. (If they'll let you punch holes in the hangar...) A hot, moist, static environment is rough on aluminum, long-term. What kind of airplane? All-metal? Wood and fabric? It's a 1960s vintage Mooney that's spent its life in the midwest/southwest. It seriously looks like a brand new airplane in spite of the fact that it hasn't been painted in 20 years. Did you happen to buy it out of KCFD? Nope. |