What owners, developers and airport tenants need to know about siting, codes and approvals before building a hangar
The short answer is no. The FAA does not have a building code for aircraft hangars. Construction is governed by the local building department, which may be a county or city. The FAA does have authority over where a hangar can be built on an airport and how it can be used. Missing either one can stall a project before it starts.
This white paper explains which agencies and codes control a hangar project, from site selection through fire protection, structural design and the hangar door itself, so owners can plan with fewer surprises.
| Topic | Who has authority | Key document |
|---|---|---|
| Where the hangar can be built | FAA and the airport sponsor | Airport Layout Plan (ALP); AC 150/5300-13 |
| Notice before construction | FAA (airspace review) | FAA Form 7460-1; 14 CFR Part 77 |
| Tenant and operator requirements | Airport sponsor | Airport minimum standards; AC 150/5190-8 |
| How the hangar may be used | FAA and the airport sponsor | FAA Policy on Non-Aeronautical Use of Airport Hangars |
| Fire protection | Fire marshal / local fire official | NFPA 409 |
| Building construction | Local building department | IBC Section 412 (FBC in Florida) |
| Structural and wind design | Engineer of record; building department | ASCE 7; Miami-Dade NOA in the HVHZ |
| Military hangars | Department of Defense | UFC 4-211-01; UFC 4-010-01; UFC 3-340-02 |
Table 1. Who governs what on a hangar project.
Deciding where the hangar can go is the crucial first step. Every airport has protected areas around its runways and taxiways, such as safety areas, object free areas and building restriction lines, that keep obstacles away from aircraft and help prevent incursions. These areas are shown on the airport’s long-range master plan and its Airport Layout Plan, or ALP, as it is called in the industry. The ALP establishes the available siting area for new buildings.
The FAA must be notified before construction on the field so it can complete an airspace review. When construction could create a hazard to aircraft operators, such as a taxiway tie-in or temporary cranes and equipment, the FAA may require NOTAMs (Notices to Air Missions, formerly Notices to Airmen) to be issued.
Planning tip: File early. The FAA generally asks for notice at least 45 days before construction begins, and cranes need their own review.
Each airport develops its own minimum standards. The airport sponsor, which may be a city council, an airport manager or an elected airport authority, writes rules and guidelines to protect aviation interests on the field. FAA guidance shapes these standards, and federally funded airports must apply them fairly to all tenants.
For example, an airport may require a licensed Airframe and Powerplant mechanic (A&P) to operate from a hangar of at least 5,000 square feet and carry a general liability policy of a set amount, such as $1 million. A Fixed Base Operator (FBO) may be required to have at least 20,000 square feet of ramp, sell Jet A and 100LL fuel, and maintain 10,000 gallons of fuel storage.
Even if your hangar is built entirely with private funds, the land and taxiways it uses may have been funded with federal grants. That brings the hangar under FAA use rules, and how your airport manager interprets those rules may decide what you can do inside. Get a clear understanding of what the airport will and will not allow before you build.
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) publishes life-safety codes that are widely adopted by building departments. For hangars, fire protection sits at the top of the list for one simple reason: aircraft hold fuel. Enclose them in a building and fuel vapors become a combustion hazard. Building officials typically defer to the fire marshal to determine the hangar group and the protection required.
The hangar and its door must also meet the International Building Code (IBC), as adopted locally. In Florida, the Florida Building Code is based on the IBC. Many IBC chapters apply to a hangar, including construction methods, life-safety egress, electrical and sanitary requirements. Section 412 is the one written specifically for aircraft.
Structurally, the building department relies on the engineers of record for the building and the door to meet ASCE 7, Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures. ASCE 7 sets the anticipated loads, including dead, live and collateral loads, and the allowable deflections used to design the structure and its components.
Why the door matters: The hangar door is often the largest moving structure on an airport, and it must carry full wind load while open, closed or in motion. Coordinating the door engineer and the building engineer early prevents costly redesign.
Beyond the general codes, the military sets its own requirements. The Department of Defense’s Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) give designers standards and criteria these structures must meet.
Well Bilt Industries USA, LLC is a Florida-based manufacturer of aviation hangar door and industrial door systems. Well Bilt engineers doors to meet NFPA 409, the IBC and ASCE 7 wind criteria, including Florida’s High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, and offers innovations such as TracDrain™ (Patent Pending) and drone defensive, blast-mitigating hangar doors.
Planning a hangar project? Contact Well Bilt early in design to discuss door sizing, code compliance and coordination with your engineer of record.
352-528-5566 | www.wellbiltdoors.com
This white paper is for general information only and is not legal, engineering or code-compliance advice. Codes, FAA policies and local requirements change and vary by jurisdiction. Always confirm current editions and requirements with the airport sponsor, the FAA, your authority having jurisdiction and a licensed design professional.
