A Tucson company has an answer for private aircraft owners who don't have enough hangar space to park their planes: rack 'em and stack 'em.
ARM Aerospace LLC makes a device called the Aero-Lift that jacks up a small plane so another plane can be parked below, essentially doubling hangar capacity.
The rising cost of building hangars and a lack of available hangar space is driving sales at the company, which has sold about 250 Aero-Lifts to pilots and aircraft-maintenance companies.
"We were planning to build another hangar, but the cost of building materials has gone through the roof," said Johnny Thompson, who bought an Aero-Lift about a year ago to help store his six small planes at his fly-in home at Ruby Star Airpark near Sahuarita.
Thompson figures the $10,000 cost of the plane jack saved him from building a new hangar for at least $50,000, not to mention dealing with Pima County's zoning rules.
"My neighbors come in here and have a fit (of envy)," the 58-year-old retired Army pilot said.
azstarnet.com
ARM Aerospace LLC makes a device called the Aero-Lift that jacks up a small plane so another plane can be parked below, essentially doubling hangar capacity.
The rising cost of building hangars and a lack of available hangar space is driving sales at the company, which has sold about 250 Aero-Lifts to pilots and aircraft-maintenance companies.
"We were planning to build another hangar, but the cost of building materials has gone through the roof," said Johnny Thompson, who bought an Aero-Lift about a year ago to help store his six small planes at his fly-in home at Ruby Star Airpark near Sahuarita.
Thompson figures the $10,000 cost of the plane jack saved him from building a new hangar for at least $50,000, not to mention dealing with Pima County's zoning rules.
"My neighbors come in here and have a fit (of envy)," the 58-year-old retired Army pilot said.
azstarnet.com
