Chapter 26: Hangar (There's no Ch 26 in the plans but I created this page to put information about my transition from garage to hangar)
Getting a hangar in the Austin area is not trivial. We're a rapidly growing metro area and with that, I guess comes prosperity and associated growth in aviation participants. I signed up on hangar waiting lists the several months after I started building in 2015 and thankfully was called in early 2018 with a hangar opportunity. I had already accepted a hangar partnership with Ben Bennett which was a much better deal for both of us, in sharing the cost and having a place where both of our projects could fit at the same time. Not all T-hangars are big enough for 2 Cozy's but ours was (just barely).
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I wasn't ready to move into the hangar when it became available to Ben and I, as I was still working on Ch 22 and 23 but had finished the wings, so I got them moved out (one from the garage ceiling and one from under the house), which helped give me some more working space. It also enabled me to start considering the ramifications of actually moving the project to the airport. I had the wonderful fortune of truck/trailer assistance from John Nodler, with whom I work for this wing move. He borrowed a 22 ft flatbed trailer and given it's size, I loaded it with both wings, wing leveling jig, some saw horses and other things I didn't need at home but would be useful in the hangar. Ben met us at the hangar and we got things quickly stowed. At least it's not empty now.
Hangar mates: Ben Bennett and I in the hangar with the wings waiting for the fuselage.
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John Nodler brought his friend's flat bed trailer and helped me get the wings and other misc stuff out to the hangar that I won't be using until they get attached to the fuselage.
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Moving Fuselage to Hangar:
With the first engine start cowlings completed to first coat of primer I had all the large elements done, and felt I could move the remainder of the project to the hangar. I'd occupied the garage for 4 years and kept my wife's car out of her side for 2 years so it would be nice to get this space back. John Nodler again volunteered to help me with the same trailer we used for the wings. The method we expect to use will be to roll it onto the trailer nose first and strap it down in the grazing position (nose wheel retracted). The canard will not be attached and I'll have the nose top taped down, since I've not glassed this in place yet (waiting until after some ground testing to do this, as I love having the access enabled, in comparison to the nose top hatch.
With the first engine start cowlings completed to first coat of primer I had all the large elements done, and felt I could move the remainder of the project to the hangar. I'd occupied the garage for 4 years and kept my wife's car out of her side for 2 years so it would be nice to get this space back. John Nodler again volunteered to help me with the same trailer we used for the wings. The method we expect to use will be to roll it onto the trailer nose first and strap it down in the grazing position (nose wheel retracted). The canard will not be attached and I'll have the nose top taped down, since I've not glassed this in place yet (waiting until after some ground testing to do this, as I love having the access enabled, in comparison to the nose top hatch.