{
  "slug": "hangar-vs-tiedown-cost",
  "title": "Hangar vs Tiedown Cost Calculator",
  "heading": "Hangar vs Tiedown Cost Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hangar-vs-tiedown-cost",
  "summary": "Compare monthly hangar rent against tiedown fees plus weather-related wear costs.",
  "description": "Hangar rent is the obvious line item, but tiedown storage has hidden costs too: faster paint and interior UV degradation, more frequent washing, higher hail and windstorm damage risk, and often a higher insurance premium for outdoor-stored aircraft. This calculator compares straight monthly costs, then adds an estimated annualized cost of accelerated wear and higher insurance for tiedown storage so you can see the real gap, not just the sticker price difference between the two options.",
  "formula": "Tiedown effective annual cost = tiedown fee × 12 + insurance premium delta + estimated annual wear cost. Hangar effective annual cost = hangar rent × 12 + insurance premium.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=hangar-vs-tiedown-cost",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "hangarRent",
      "label": "Hangar rent",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 350,
      "unit": "$/mo",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "tiedownFee",
      "label": "Tiedown fee",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 90,
      "unit": "$/mo",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "insuranceDelta",
      "label": "Extra annual insurance for outdoor storage",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 150,
      "unit": "$/yr",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "wearCost",
      "label": "Estimated annual extra wear (paint, interior, corrosion)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 800,
      "unit": "$/yr",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "cheaper",
      "label": "Lower true annual cost",
      "format": "raw",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "hangarAnnual",
      "label": "Hangar true annual cost",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "tiedownAnnual",
      "label": "Tiedown true annual cost (incl. wear)",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "diff",
      "label": "Annual difference",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "monthlyDiff",
      "label": "Monthly equivalent difference",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Hangar rent: 350 $/mo",
      "Tiedown fee: 90 $/mo",
      "Extra annual insurance for outdoor storage: 150 $/yr",
      "Estimated annual extra wear (paint, interior, corrosion): 800 $/yr"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Lower true annual cost: Tiedown",
      "Hangar true annual cost: $4,200",
      "Tiedown true annual cost (incl. wear): $2,030",
      "Annual difference: $2,170",
      "Monthly equivalent difference: $181"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter hangar rent ($/mo).",
      "Enter tiedown fee ($/mo).",
      "Enter extra annual insurance for outdoor storage ($/yr).",
      "Enter estimated annual extra wear (paint, interior, corrosion) ($/yr).",
      "Read your lower true annual cost on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "hangarRent": 210,
        "tiedownFee": 50,
        "insuranceDelta": 100,
        "wearCost": 500
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "hangarRent": 350,
        "tiedownFee": 90,
        "insuranceDelta": 150,
        "wearCost": 800
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "hangarRent": 560,
        "tiedownFee": 140,
        "insuranceDelta": 250,
        "wearCost": 1300
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Is $800/year a realistic wear estimate for outdoor storage?",
      "a": "It's a mid-range planning figure. A paint job on a typical single averages $8,000-15,000 and lasts roughly twice as long hangared as it does tied down in full sun, so amortized over the paint's life that alone can be $400-700/year, before adding interior UV fading, seal degradation, and more frequent detailing needs."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does hangaring actually reduce insurance premiums?",
      "a": "Yes, most underwriters offer a discount, often 5-15% off the hull premium, for hangared aircraft because it reduces hail, windstorm, and theft/vandalism exposure. Ask your insurer for the specific hangared-vs-tiedown quote difference rather than assuming a flat number, since it varies by region and hull value."
    },
    {
      "q": "What about corrosion risk in humid or coastal climates?",
      "a": "Outdoor storage in coastal or high-humidity regions accelerates corrosion on control cables, fasteners, and internal structure far more than the paint-visible wear alone, and corrosion inspections/treatment can run into thousands of dollars at annual inspection. In these climates the wear-cost input should be pushed meaningfully higher than the $800 default."
    },
    {
      "q": "Are there hangar waitlists to plan around?",
      "a": "At many popular airports hangar waitlists run one to several years, so if you want a hangar, get on the list well before you need it, and treat tiedown as your interim answer with these added costs priced in rather than as a permanent long-term plan if a hangar is truly cheaper for you."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/aircraft-ownership-cost-per-hour",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/aircraft-partnership-cost-share"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Hangar vs Tiedown Cost Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hangar-vs-tiedown-cost)"
}