Great Aircraft Hangers Home is Where Your Plane Is... Most Aircraft hangars are utilitarian in nature, but a few owners have created theme-based hangars as tributes to the world of aviation, turning aluminum siding and steel trusses into aviation theme parks. The following is a collection of images and information found around the web. We hope it inspires more owners to provide better nests for their birds. If you come across a cool FBO or aviation inspired hangar, we welcome photographic contributions of aviation's best garages. First up: The Nike Air Hangar is a 40,000 square foot facility located at Hillsboro Airport, just outside of Portland, Oregon. It is pivately owned by Nike, housing three Gulfstream jets with the infrastructure supporting flight planning and airplane maintenance. Nike's Hangar also provides amenities such as a lounge, exercise facilities, executive suites and a gourmet kitchen.
Next up is Dan Shaw's 1940's era-themed hanger affectionately known as DanVille, located just outside Geneva, FL. This 3,000 sq. ft. self-contained city holds an Irish pub, a phone booth, streetlights, a one-room City Hall, a movie theater and a single-occupancy bed-and-breakfast. The hangar door is painted to look like a regular house, but raises up via remote control revealing Dan's contribution to aviation art.
Shaw is a pilot (obviously!) and a retired contractor who decided to build an airplane hangar that would also serve as a guest home for aviation friends on his 25-acre property.
Over the years, Dan put up walls, added rooms and set up a kitchen inside the hangar. He brought in antique furniture, phones, desks, typewriters, fans and other mid-century items he sourced from Craigslist, eBay, salvage yards an even a few items from the old Rosie O'Grady's jazz emporium in downtown Orlando.
When it come to theme-based hangars, Santa Paula, CA is an aviation enthusiast's nirvana. Robert Banman's "Mystery Hangar" set the tone and fellow pilots lined up to turn base. Banman's personal pad is a throwback to a time when the King of Cool; Steve McQueen made Santa Paula airport his home away from Hollywood. Banman's wings include a 1930's era Piper Cub, while his wheels are one of Stuttgart's latest pushers. With the ignition switches off, his friends belly up to a wing shaped kitchen table and reminisce about yesteryear.
Getting Back To The Future of jet hangars, this is Paradise Aviation's modern interpretation of an FBO...
No Aircraft Hanger thread would be complete without including the Smithsonian Air and Space Hangars...
The Mac Daddy of all aviation theme-based hangars has to be John Travolta's private FBO at Jumbolair, located in Ocala, FL...
For the time this was built...this was insane! A bit ahead of its time i'd say in terms of having it on his private property.