Fact Sheet
Warrant Article 68: Hangar Replacement at Katama Airfield PDF
Why does the Airfield need a hangar?
There’s a hangar at nearly every airport. The hangar serves as a focal point for visiting pilots to report into, protects aircraft from weather, provides a place for maintenance work to be done on aircraft, stores Airfield maintenance equipment out of the weather, and provides an office for the Airfield Manager. The hangar is a gateway and first impression for visitors to Edgartown arriving by air. It is an iconic structure that defines the quality of the Town’s infrastructure. Visitors, who contribute millions to the local economy, drive out Herring Creek Road and are impressed that we have our own Airfield and a place for kids to watch and learn about small planes.
What do we get for this?
The current hangar is 4,500 sq. ft. The proposed hangar is 6,200 sq. ft. The new hangar will house three aircraft, maintenance equipment, the airport manager’s office, an area for pilots or student pilots to plan their flights, and a storage room for parts and equipment. The building will have wide horizontal sliding doors and personnel doors on the sides. The extra storage space would allow the Airfield to remove the “green monster” shipping container storage unit on site that is unsightly.
Does the hangar and Airfield generate any revenue? How much?
The Airfield charges planes $15 per landing, $25 per night for parking, and $350 for seasonal parking. The Airfield has about 550 landings per year. The rate for aircraft in the hangar (with a capacity of three) will be approximately $375 per month or $75 per night. Additionally, the Airfield sells approximately 8,500 gallons of aviation fuel each year at approximately $5.75 per gallon. The Airfield leases the restaurant space for $50,000 per season and earns an additional $7,500 from other Airfield operators, including the bi-plane ride operator. All told, the Airfield brings in approximately $120,000 per year with expenses of approximately $95,000. The Airfield, even with the cost of the hangar, is not a drain on the Town. Additionally, the Airfield and the hangar have been instrumental in teaching hundreds of Island kids how to fly.