If you have an aircraft hangar, chances are you want to get the most out of it. After all, a good hangar can provide a safe and secure place to keep your aircraft. But what many people don’t realise is that the door to your hangar is just as important as the actual structure itself.
These doors are big and heavy, and they need to be able to open and close smoothly to protect your aircraft from all the elements. To ensure your hangar door is as effective and efficient as possible, we’ve compiled five tips to help you get the most out of your aircraft hangar door.
But first, let’s start by answering a simple question – What’s an aircraft hangar door?
A brief about aircraft hangar doors
Aircraft hangar doors are an essential part of the aviation industry, allowing for secure and efficient use of spaces for aircraft storage. Aviation hangars come in a variety of sizes and styles to accommodate many different types of aircraft. From larger traditional structures to smaller free-standing hangars, these doors are made with reliable materials like aluminium or steel that can handle heavy daily use.
Quality hangar door designs feature high-strength opening mechanisms designed specifically to withstand harsh weather conditions, along with seals that can keep strong winds and dust out while maintaining temperature control inside the building. We’ve written a detailed blog on aircraft hangar doors where we explore every facet of these doors. You can read it to get more insights.
Now that you know what an aircraft hangar door is, let’s go ahead and look at five ways you can get the most out of your aircraft hangar door.
5 Ways to make the most out of your aircraft hangar doors
1. Keep your doors calibrated.
Most doors were created to provide easy access, but if they are not correctly calibrated, they can be hard to open and close. This can lead to sticky door handles, loud noises, and frustrating circumstances.
To ensure your door is in proper working order, it’s important to pay attention to the calibration. Not only will a properly calibrated door open and close smoothly, but it will also last longer and be more reliable overall. Make sure you take the time to check that any moving parts are properly aligned and see if any components need maintenance or replacement. Although an easy task, calibrating your door can give you peace of mind for a long time.
2. Make safety your priority.
By investing in safety features such as sensors and alarms for your hangar, you can help make sure that any potentially dangerous accidents are avoided. With the additional overhead of modern hangars typically reaching higher heights, adding protective measures is more important than ever to keep workers safe and secure.
When combined with proposed precautions such as follow-up inspections, regular maintenance, and close supervision of staff, these advancements can ensure that your hangar remains a work environment free from unnecessary harm. With the right motion detection devices, temperature sensors, fire alarms, and other key systems operating at their highest capacity, you can rest assured that your hangar will be well taken care of.
3. Focus on insulating your hangar doors.
A hangar door is a crucial and essential part of any hangar space, but it’s often overlooked in energy efficiency considerations. Not properly insulating the hangar door can have serious consequences when it comes to fuel bills, as a lot of heated air can escape through an uninsulated door if the hangar is heated regularly.
Even if there isn’t regular heating, insulation can help reduce drafts and make sure that temperature changes don’t affect the plane inside too much. If you’re insulating your hangar for maximum efficiency, don’t forget about this important but often-overlooked detail. Installing an insulated hangar door will ensure minimal energy waste and cost savings in the long run.
4. Automatic door operators are your friend.
Operating large aircraft hangar doors can be a tricky and laborious task, making it all the more attractive to use an automated door operator. By doing so, the door will open and close quickly and effortlessly, allowing for convenient access to the hangar.
Not only does this free up resources that would normally be used for manning the entrance, but it also ensures safety for both people who operate the door as well as those who enter and exit through it. Once installed, a door operator will work reliably day in and day out with minimal maintenance – meaning high-quality manual operation of your hangar door is just a few clicks away!
5. Service your door regularly.
While it may seem like a hassle to have a qualified technician service the hangar door annually, it’s one of the best things you can do for your garage. Not only will regular maintenance keep the door working effectively and efficiently, but it can also reduce repair costs and help extend the life of your appliance.
Not only that, getting a professional checkup for your garage door is an ideal way to ensure the safety of everyone in your warehouse. Furthermore, taking preventative measures, such as scheduling annual service throughout the year will help give you peace of mind knowing that your hangar is always secure.
With these five tips in mind, you can make sure that your aircraft hangar door is functioning at its peak and ensure maximum safety in the process. While you’re busy implementing these tips, don’t forget to keep these three criteria for proper hangar designs in mind.
3 important design criteria for aircraft hangar doors.
Criteria 1 – Comply with all the building regulations.
Building a hangar door is no easy task, and it’s important to be aware of the rules and regulations that come along with it. Proper installation of a hangar door can mean the difference between having a durable, safe structure or one riddled with potential safety problems. Installing a hangar door is not only cost-effective but could even save lives in extreme cases where aircraft such as small planes are being housed in the facility.
The building regulation requirements differ depending on the type of hangar door you’re installing, so make sure to find out what regulations apply to your specific project in order to ensure your hangar door meets all standards for safety and performance.
Not adhering to building codes when replacing an existing hangar door or constructing your own from scratch could result in costly penalties, so doing it correctly from day one is essential.
Criteria 2 – Fitting floors are a must.
When it comes to aircraft hangar design, it is important for the floor to be fit for purpose. The floor needs to be strong enough and also have non-slip properties in order to withstand heavy vehicles and protect workers from slips and falls. A fitting floor is not only important for safety reasons but can also help keep the hangar organised by making sure items don’t slide around unnecessarily.
Furthermore, a fitting floor surface can make cleaning the hangar easier, thereby improving working conditions and reducing maintenance costs. All of these factors combine to show why good aircraft hangar design starts with a fitting floor.
Criteria 3 – Be accurate with the hangar entrance slope.
Adding an adequate slope for your aircraft hangar is essential for proper drainage. Without the right slopes, moisture can accumulate and cause damage to the structure. This should be a priority when constructing an aircraft hangar, as any issues will require costly repairs. Additionally, adding sufficient slope will ensure that your hangar is up to engineering standards and able to support the weight of an aircraft.
With the right amount of slope, you can maximise the lifespan of your aircraft hangar while also ensuring its structural integrity. Don’t be afraid to consult with an engineer or professional builder in order to find the best solution for your project – creating a safe and reliable aircraft hangar is worth the extra time and effort!
In closing
If you have been thinking about installing an aircraft hangar door or making changes to your existing one, remember to keep the above 5 things in mind for smooth functioning and safety. Also, make sure your door design meets the 3 essential criteria for a practical and useful space.
If you need help with hangar door installation or repairs, reach out to us at Virtual Bridge Contracting. We have the experience and expertise to help you choose the right door for your needs and budget. So don’t wait any longer, give us a call today!
