Whether you're building a private hangar or planning a commercial facility, the right design inclusions can improve functionality, future-proof your investment, and make day-to-day operations significantly easier.
Here are some of the most popular and practical features to consider in your hangar:
Your door selection plays a crucial role in how the hangar operates. From vertical bifold doors to sliding or horizontal bifold systems, the door must suit your aircraft type and your site's layout.
We also recommend considering:
Aircraft are high-value assets, and hangars are often in secluded areas. That makes a robust security setup essential.
In some cases, security can even positively impact insurance. Don’t forget document storage requirements, you may also require secure areas for sensitive files.
Not all lighting is equal, especially in an aviation environment.
Wall-mounted lighting can also prevent shadows at workbenches. Roof clear lights may also seem like a good idea, but UV exposure can degrade aircraft parts over time.
The right floor system is important both for function and aesthetics.
Popular options include:
Polished Concrete
Epotread 1000 Epoxy Coating
Densified concrete systems
Each option has its pros and cons depending on whether your hangar is for display, maintenance, or parking.
For hangars involved in aircraft maintenance, a service rail (also called a monorail or gantry beam) makes routine servicing significantly easier and safer. Installed under a main portal frame, this rail supports block and tackle or hoist systems capable of lifting 1 to 5 tonnes.
Monorail systems typically use structural steel beam mounted overhead, with motorised or manual trolleys running along the rail. They allow precise positioning of heavy components like engines, without obstructing floor space. Whether electric, air powered, or manual crank, these hoists are essential for operational efficiency and compliance with safety protocols. Modern kits include overload protection, limit switches, wireless remote controls, and failsafe braking.
Birds nesting and perching on hangar rafters can cause corrosive droppings to land on your aircraft leading to extra maintenance or costly repairs. A “perch-free” rafter and purlin design eliminates nesting opportunities.
Using Attika’s closed section RHS rafters with SteelBone enclosed steel purlins, (or timber purlins in smaller bays), creates a deliberately perch-free overhead space.
Read more about Bird Proofing here.
The apron is the paved, transitional area in front of the hangar, and its quality impacts everyday operations. A smooth, level apron-to-floor transition prevents trolley jolts especially critical for helicopter hangars where the trolleys may have smaller wheels that are more susceptible to bumps.
With properly detailed thresholds, chamfers, and expansion joints, movement becomes seamless. You minimise damage and operator fatigue, especially in frequent use hangars.
For fixed-wing aircraft, the apron-to-threshold transition is typically more forgiving due to pneumatic tyres, which can better absorb small height differences. However, careful detailing is still important to protect landing gear, maintain comfort, and support smooth operations.
Integrating offices, briefing rooms, and workshops provides flexibility and efficiency.
These ancillary rooms should be designed with proper insulation, lighting, ventilation, and fire separation. They allow multi-use turnover, where the hangar becomes a comprehensive, purpose-built aviation space.
A well-designed hangar is a purpose-built facility tailored to your needs today, and your vision for tomorrow. At Attika, we work with you to get the details and features tailored to you right up front, because that’s what ensures longevity, efficiency, and usability.
Learn more about building a hangar with Attika
Or explore: How much does an aircraft hangar cost in NZ?