Keeping light aircraft out of the elements is more challenging in some areas of the country than others. The cost and complexity of acquiring permits and building hangars of all sizes varies greatly. The AOPA’s Airport Support Network recently published online a step-by-step Aircraft Hangar Development Guide that can help bring a project through to completion.

The guide cites five crucial steps to success in a hangar-development project. Unfortunately, according to AOPA, many projects fail because airport operators neglect the first three–determining the need, creating a sound business case and carefully planning the project. Instead, eager developers tend to jump straight into the fourth step, breaking ground and beginning construction.

The guide walks would-be developers through the five steps and offers at the end of each section a helpful checklist that makes it easy to determine if the project is ready to move on to the next phase. Three appendices offer insight into vital aspects of the plan–completing a financial analysis of the airport’s revenue and expense; projecting the effect of the new hangars on the financial health of the airport; and putting together a strong business case for the new hangars.