G

Geeman

Well Known Member
Does anyone have a hanger door that uses a standard residential metal garage door using panels that are turned vertical with a track in the concrete and a track at the top of the door. There are two panels that meet in middle and as the door is opened it turns and goes down the side walls. Looks like a cheap alternative to some of the other designs. I am looking for a supplier or details on how they did it. Are they reliable?

Thanks in advance for your comments.
 
No, I have only seen traditional roll up garage doors

Traditional roll up garage doors with a removeable center post I have seen. They work just like regular garage doors but when you need to get your aircraft out, you remove the center column. The center column can be removed by hand, that's what my neighbor does, or I have heard of them being set up with a hinge at the top and an electric winch to lift them.
You might contact your local commercial roll up door installer. They see a lot of different things and might be able to help.
 
Why not set them up on top hangars, arranged to fold/stack accordion-style to the left/right as you open them?
 
PS - if your rolling your own...

Be carefull of wind loading and code concerns. I am currently going through this on my new Hangar. Them are big doors and they can catch a lot of wind. Wouldn't want to ruin your day, your life, or your airplane, if a door comes down!
Wilson will be doing my door, and yep, it is expensive.
 
I use these same type doors in hurricane areas in the homes I build so I know they can meet windstorm. I am looking for people that have this type of set up. I know they are out there, I have seen them.

Thanks.
 
Windload

Residential garage doors and comercial sectional garage doors are windloaded to a certain PSF rating with additional hardware. The hardware would eliminate the accordion type fold option and the structural load for a slider type in a high windload area would not be easy to get approved if an inspection is required.

It requires testing in a windborne debris testing lab that is certified. The last testing we had done was a little over $100,000 for the series we tested and that went up to about a 20 wide by 14 high as the biggest.

You would also have to have engineers report of windpressure for the load on the jambs if you could get sections approved.
 
Hanger doors!

I have the same type doors on my Shop/Hanger. I can't remeber the name of mine, (not Horton) they are 3 years old now and have done a good job for me. 40ft clear opening, Bi-fold design. I don't have the track at the bottom but probably a good idea.
 
Go out to..........

Dunham Field 1xs1 over in Crosby, TX. It's about 3 miles from you. They have been using what you describe for a long time. Seems to work well. Terry Dunham thought up this idea and it works great.
 
Could someone explane why we need a hangar that is three times taller than the aircraft?

Maybe the hangar, but why the door?
 
Geeman said:
Does anyone have a hanger door that uses a standard residential metal garage door using panels that are turned vertical with a track in the concrete and a track at the top of the door. There are two panels that meet in middle and as the door is opened it turns and goes down the side walls. Looks like a cheap alternative to some of the other designs. I am looking for a supplier or details on how they did it. Are they reliable?

Thanks in advance for your comments.
Click to expand...

Kyle,

I have Stacker Doors, might have been the ones Greg saw at Stead. They work well. They are not the brand in the video, but work the same way. Pretty easy actually, but ya need to watch out for the folds in the wind...a friend lost a fingertip in one a few years ago. I just keep my piggies out of the folds!

The hangars across from us have the kind of doors you asked about. They roll to the side and then back along the side walls. I hear some complaints about the doors getting hung up, and to be honest, I think it robs a lot of potential storage space on the sides of the hangar. Any racks or other items placed along the side walls will have to leave a space for the doors, and then would be a hinderence if you had to jiggle a door that was hanging up partway down the wall.

Granted, this is the only door of this type I've seen, there may be some that are better. I'll take pics of both types tomorrow, and see if I can get a contact on each from the labels.

gasman said:
Could someone explane why we need a hangar that is three times taller than the aircraft?

Maybe the hangar, but why the door?
Click to expand...

That's easy...its to get the pilot's head in the hangar! :p

Flight attendants tell me the cockpit door is designed the same way! :rolleyes:

Cheers,
Bob
 
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Thanks Bob for your help. No big hurry, just evaluating my options. I am looking at building a grass strip, my own hanger house, and about 10 to 15 hangars to rent. I am trying to keep costs down and make the hangars affordable. I do not want to spend $5000 for each door.

Thanks.
Kyle
 
hangar door

Kyle,

I'm not trying to change your mind, but have you considered a hydraulic door? I also have a grass strip and I built my own hangar. I bought a hydraulic lift gate system for the rear of a delivery truck and two hydraulic cylinders and I fabricated a very nice door that is 40' by 10.5'. I use a 12 volt auto battery to power it which is charged by a battery tender. You could also use a small solar panel to charge the battery if you don't have electricty yet. The battery also powers an auto stereo system for the hangar and an aircraft radio base station. I've got $2,000.00 in it. It is covered with the same metal sheeting that covers the hangar. So far it has been trouble free. If you can weld and fabricate, you certainly ought to consider it. You'll need a forklift to hang it, but they can be rented for a few hours at a reasonable cost.

David Watson
49FD
 
DAGO said:
I've seen wind catch these doors while open and move them rapidly closed. The post lock wasn't completely engaged in the floor. The most serious incident I witnessed was the tug being wacked just before the SNJ it was towing.

While moving these doors under windy conditions. The potential for injury is great.

When closed, the doors seem to rattle more in the wind. At least for me, it was a bit nerve racking trying to work in the hangar with the doors rattling in their tracks.

When open, the doors take up valuable entry width. This will limit the size of aircraft that can utilize the hangar space. It could affect the potential salability of the hangar and/or rental lease rates.

However, these type of doors are more affordable, just be careful.

Regards,
Click to expand...

If you are talking about the Horton doors...

Wind is OK, but you do need clip on safety chains to hold them open - I use my chains every time, one wind gust could ruin your day.

The doors are designed to be attached to the front face of a building, so the "thickness" of the open doors does not detract from the framed opening.

The rattling in my doors is pretty minimal, and I do like the added light through the smoke colored panels - not good in AZ though if they face South or West due to heat entry...:)

Also make sure you have the recessed lower rail option, the angle iron bolted to the floor option is a trip and fall just waiting to happen.

Installation was really easy, just took a few hours including installing the upper track for a 46 ft wide door.
 
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