Rex says
Money math without the spreadsheet headache. Plug in your numbers and I'll show you exactly where the dollars land.
Try a scenario
Click to load — tweak from there.Inputs
Result
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
$181
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How to use this
- 1Enter hangar rent ($/mo).
- 2Enter tiedown fee ($/mo).
- 3Enter extra annual insurance for outdoor storage ($/yr).
- 4Enter estimated annual extra wear (paint, interior, corrosion) ($/yr).
- 5Read your lower true annual cost on the right — it updates as you type.
- 6Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone.
About this calculator
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.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
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
Results
- 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: $181
What each field means
Inputs
- Hangar rent ($/mo)
- The hangar rent used in the calculation, measured in $/mo. Starts at 350 $/mo so you have a working example on load.
- Tiedown fee ($/mo)
- The tiedown fee used in the calculation, measured in $/mo. Starts at 90 $/mo so you have a working example on load.
- Extra annual insurance for outdoor storage ($/yr)
- The extra annual insurance for outdoor storage used in the calculation, measured in $/yr. Starts at 150 $/yr so you have a working example on load.
- Estimated annual extra wear (paint, interior, corrosion) ($/yr)
- The estimated annual extra wear (paint, interior, corrosion) used in the calculation, measured in $/yr. Starts at 800 $/yr so you have a working example on load.
Results
- Lower true annual cost
- Returned as a plain value and shown as the headline result. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Hangar true annual cost
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Tiedown true annual cost (incl. wear)
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Annual difference
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
- Monthly equivalent difference
- Returned as a money amount in US dollars. It recalculates instantly whenever you change an input, so you can compare scenarios without reloading.
FAQ
Is $800/year a realistic wear estimate for outdoor storage?
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.
Does hangaring actually reduce insurance premiums?
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.
What about corrosion risk in humid or coastal climates?
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.
Are there hangar waitlists to plan around?
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.
Accuracy and 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.
Related tools
Cite this calculator
Writing about this topic? Grab a citation — every link helps keep these tools free.
RevenueLab. (2026). Hangar vs Tiedown Cost Calculator. Retrieved from https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hangar-vs-tiedown-cost
<p>Source: <a href="https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hangar-vs-tiedown-cost" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Hangar vs Tiedown Cost Calculator — RevenueLab</a> (2026).</p>
Source: [Hangar vs Tiedown Cost Calculator — RevenueLab](https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/hangar-vs-tiedown-cost) (2026).