The Best Place to Build a Kitplane

Two popular choices for most builders are to either utilize available space at home or a hangar at the airport.

Thursday, November 21, 2024 at 10:35 AM ET

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This Sonex fuselage, one wing, tools and a small fridge are ready for the journey to the airport via snowmobile trailer. [Credit: Jon Croke]

Key Takeaways:

Airplane kit builders must choose between a home workshop or an airport hangar, with each location offering unique benefits and drawbacks.
Building at an airport hangar provides abundant space and eliminates final transportation issues, but often lacks ideal climate control, adequate facilities, security, internet, and can be inconvenient due to travel distance.
Home workshops offer comfort and convenience for frequent, short building sessions; space limitations are manageable by building components modularly and transporting them via trailer to the airport for final assembly.

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You and your airplane kit deserve a comfortable workshop area for the many days of building that lie ahead. If you are a first-time builder or are considering an aircraft kit purchase, one of the very first questions you may be asking yourself is, “Do I have enough space to build this thing?”

The two popular choices for most builders are to either utilize available space at home or to build in a hangar at the airport. Everyone’s situation is different so there is no “one size fits all” here. For example, let’s be jealous of those who live on an airport property as their building and flying all take place in the same location.