Delays, Mistakes All Part of Building a Dream Hangar

An aviation homestead becomes a sort of finishing school for a commercial pilot, acquiring some of the more practical skills missed out on whilst building a flying career.

Sam Weigel

Monday, August 07, 2023 at 02:35 PM ET

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Building the dream hangar starts with a frame. [Credit: Sam Weigel]

Key Takeaways:

The author and his parents are building a hangar/apartment complex on their grass-strip aviation homestead, encountering numerous delays and setbacks due to contractor issues and unforeseen circumstances.
Despite the delays, the author embraces a DIY approach, learning practical skills and enjoying the process with his family, even incorporating them into the construction effort.
Significant progress has been made, including the completion of the pole barn's structure, the pouring of the concrete slab, and the installation of the hangar door, with the finishing stages planned for the coming months.
The project, while delayed, is viewed as a rewarding labor of love, offering a sense of accomplishment and a tangible representation of their shared vision.

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The January sun is low in the sky as we bank over Puget Sound, casting long shadows and bathing the icebound Cascades in warm, golden light. As I roll out on a southerly heading, downtown Seattle appears ahead, framed by bustling Lake Union and the distant floating colossus of Mount Rainier. “My goodness, that’s beautiful,” murmurs my father from the right seat. My mother silently snaps photos of the dramatically-lit cityscape from the Stinson’s spacious backseat. I turn to skirt downtown, eyeing the sun’s inexorable progress toward the southwestern horizon.

“Sorry guys, time to get back,” I announce as I bank towards the Kitsap Peninsula. Hooky is over—time to get back to work. Our scenic tour was a pleasant and well-earned break.