Runway 3/21 at the Casper airport is 10,165 feet long and 150 feet wide, Runway 8/26 is 8,679 by 150, and the field sits at 5,344 feet. In 2022 it logged 43,126 operations, 71 percent of them general aviation, with 131 based aircraft. Every one of those aircraft needs somewhere to sleep, and at 5,000 feet in Wyoming weather that somewhere needs a roof, a door that opens in wind and a floor that does not heave.
We build aircraft hangars: individual T-hangars and box hangars for owners, larger bays for operators, and maintenance hangars with shop space. A hangar looks simple. It is a big box with a very big door. But the door, the span and the fire protection make it one of the more demanding building types we put up, and every one of them has to fit the airport's rules as well as the building code.
Most hangar buyers know their airplane and not much about construction. We start with the aircraft: wingspan, tail height, weight and how many you plan to store. Those numbers set the door width and height, the clear span and the slab, and they set the budget before we draw a line.
A hangar at a public airport sits on leased ground, so the first step is the airport's approval, not the building permit. The airport sets where a hangar may go, what it may look like and how it ties into taxiways and utilities. Construction near a runway can also trigger federal airspace review, so the height of the building and any crane we bring matter. We handle that paperwork alongside the design.
Then comes the building review. The City of Casper lists the 2024 International Codes and points to Title 15 for amendments. Hangar fire protection has its own special requirements, and the use of the building (storage only, or fueling and maintenance) sets which ones apply. Commercial permits often call for a life-safety plan, engineered drawings and planning approval, and an issued permit is good for 180 days.
The hangar door is the defining element. Bifold, hydraulic and sliding doors each have trade-offs: bifold doors are fast and weathertight, hydraulic doors are simple and seal well, and sliding doors suit very wide openings. A door that is 60 or 100 feet wide has to be framed with a header that carries snow and wind without deflecting, or the door will bind. We design the header with the door manufacturer's reactions in hand.
Clear span matters because airplanes park wing to tail. Most hangars use a pre-engineered metal building with a clear-span frame, which is why our clear-span rigid frame buildings work is the closest cousin of hangar work. The slab is reinforced and thick enough for aircraft wheel loads and tugs, with a sealed surface that resists oil and fuel.
Aircraft carry fuel in their tanks, so fire protection in a hangar is serious. Sprinkler systems, foam systems and detection are tied to the size and use of the building. In many hangars, drains and curbs have to contain fuel spills. We bring the fire protection engineer in before we price the shell, because the water supply and the pump room can change both the site and the budget.
On site, we work inside an airfield environment. That means escort rules, vehicle restrictions and care about foreign object debris, because loose material on a ramp is a hazard to an aircraft. We brief every crew member on the airport's rules and we keep the work area clean.
Five choices shape a hangar. First, what you will store and how many aircraft. Second, whether you want heat, and how much. Third, whether you want shop or office space inside. Fourth, the door type. And fifth, whether you will build for yourself or for lease, since a lease building should be flexible enough for the next owner's aircraft.
The state's wildland fire helibase on airport grounds, with fueling, parking, maintenance and crew housing, shows the range of facilities an airfield supports. Owners of government and public sector projects often want that mix, and we plan for its parking, fueling and utility needs. The town of Bar Nunn, whose street pattern follows the old Wardwell Field runways, is a reminder that airfields change over time, so we build hangars that can be re-tenanted.
We schedule and supervise the trade partners for site work, concrete and, on many jobs, the erection of the building frame. The slab and the apron are the parts that matter most to an aircraft owner. A hangar floor that is out of flat makes a tug struggle and a door track bind, so we pay attention to the finish.
Our pre-engineered metal buildings scope covers the frame, and our concrete scope covers the slab and the footings. The door and the fire protection are specialty trades that we coordinate closely. The same approach applies to a larger project such as a light industrial building next to the airfield.
Hangar doors and large frames often have the longest lead times on the job. We order them as soon as the design is settled. The foundation and slab go in during the open season, and the frame follows. A hangar closed in by early winter lets interior work continue.
Wind is a hazard while a large door is being hung or a frame is going up. We plan erection around forecasts, and we avoid lifts in high wind. If the airport has a seasonal schedule, such as fire season operations at the helibase, we coordinate work areas with it.
Tell us the aircraft, the number you will store and the airport. We will return a design concept and a budget range.
Wider than the wingspan with room to maneuver, usually by several feet on each side. We confirm the number from your aircraft and the tug you use.
Yes. The airport leases the ground and approves location and design, and federal airspace review may apply. We work with the airport on your behalf.
It depends on size and use. Storage-only hangars have fewer requirements than maintenance or fueling hangars. We confirm with the fire official early.
Yes. Radiant, forced-air and in-floor systems all work. The City of Casper lists a three foot frost line and a 3,000 air freezing index, so insulation is worth it.
A simple T-hangar or box hangar can be built in a few months once the lease and permits are in place. Larger hangars with maintenance bays take longer.