Situated in one of Florida’s many general aviation air parks lies an 8,000-square-foot living space and hangar, complete with office facilities and bathroom. The hangar has three entry points on three sides of the hangar. The exterior finish is clad with stucco and the building is designed to withstand Florida’s unforgiving climate.
When the owner of the property approached hangar door manufacturer AeroDoor International LLC, Eustis, Fla., Jason Mathews, owner, says, “There was an obvious problem that needed to be resolved quickly. This hangar had a hydraulic swing door that had been poorly designed by another manufacturer. When we sent our own technician to inspect the door it was pulling away from the building, bowing and made noises that really raised concerns about safety. It was dangerous and the owner was right to be anxious.”
AeroDoor had the task of replacing the hydraulic swing door with something that would operate safely and free. The obvious choice would have been AeroDoor’s self-supported hydraulic door system, but the owner was understandably put off by any sort of hydraulic actuated door.
AeroDoor needed to make sure the door would still allow the customer to get his aircraft in and out without hitting the door, so AeroDoor proposed the vertical lifting bi-fold door system. The patented auxiliary arms on each side of the door enable it to open completely while requiring less overhead space. This would give the greatest amount of clearance underneath the door so that the owner’s aircraft could move in or out with no danger of hitting the door.
As the door rises, smooth rolling steel wheels on the arms contact the reinforcement rails on both jamb posts to provide strong, dependable support. This gave the owner the confidence he was buying a door that was safe.
The door would also open and close faster. The speed increase was down to the hydraulic pump unit that was installed. This is the only hydraulic operated bi-fold door in the industry. It creates a faster and more efficient motion that puts even less wear and tear on the door and mechanical parts.
The smooth, efficient hydraulic drive reduces cycle times in the door and saves money in heat loss. The door arrived semi-assembled, wired and tested, with a self-contained electrical system and step-by-step installation instructions. AeroDoor provided a crew to unload and install the door. Lift equipment, sheeting and trim were also provided.
The installation took approximately two days. After installation of the door was completed and the door was operational, Mathews went out to meet with the owner and covered some simple operating and maintenance procedures. This will keep the door performance optimized and prolong the life of the door.
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Paul Blake is the marketing director at AeroDoor International LLC, Eustis, Fla. For more information, visit www.aero-door.com.