Hangars are buildings used to store and maintain aircraft, as well as other forms of aircraft such as blimps and spacecraft. The word “hangar” comes from the French word for cattle barn. Hangars are typically made of strong materials like steel and concrete to protect aircraft from bad weather. Specialized hangars were built for airships in the early 20th century, and hangars for spacecraft are among the largest in existence.
A hangar is a building used to store aircraft while they are not in service. Hangars are large buildings with plenty of open space so that multiple aircraft can be maneuvered and stored inside if necessary. In addition to storage, hangars are also used as aircraft maintenance and repair locations. While hangars are most often used for aircraft, specialized hangars store other forms of aircraft, such as blimps and even spacecraft.
Early aviators used barns and cattle pens to store their aircraft because such structures were usually large, enclosed spaces accessible through large doors. In fact, the word “hangar” comes from the French word for a cattle barn or pen. As aviation became more widespread and important in the early 20th century, manufacturers of such buildings began to design them specifically for aircraft. The first aircraft hangars were tall, wide buildings with giant doors, located next to an airport or landing field. The same essential design has been used for the hangars ever since.
A modern aircraft hangar is essentially a huge garage or maintenance shed. Repair equipment and maintenance supplies are stored inside or near the hangar. Depending on the size of the building, it may also contain small offices and other facilities for maintenance personnel. Most hangars are built with strong materials such as steel and concrete to protect aircraft from bad weather. Some temporary hangars are constructed of lightweight materials and can be erected in remote locations when necessary.
In the early part of the 20th century, special hangars were built to contain airships, also known as dirigibles or dirigibles. These were built with materials that would not generate accidental sparks, since they could ignite the flammable gases that kept the aircraft aloft. An example of such a hangar can be seen in the 2004 French film A Very Long Engagement, along with the aftermath of an air raid on said building. When aircraft use declined after the 1930s, these hangars were used to store aircraft.
Hangars built to store and maintain spacecraft are among the largest hangars in existence. A California facility built for private spacecraft in 2010 contained 62,000 square feet (approximately 5,760 square meters) of space. Other large hangars are used for modern wide-body aircraft that are larger than standard aircraft. One such hangar, at Spain’s Barcelona airport, is 510 feet (about 155 meters) wide. The hangar built for the “Spruce Goose,” the largest aircraft ever built, was 315,000 square feet (about 29,000 square meters).
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