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Maintaining a comfortable, safe, and productive environment in airplane hangars is critical for employees, guests, and equipment alike. It is very difficult to mitigate the effects of temperature and pests, especially in these large, open environments. Summer months can be brutal as metal structures insulate heat, creating an oven-like environment. HVLS fans are an effective and cost-efficient way to take control over the environment in your aviation facility.
Keeping things cool at the Smyrna Airport
The Smyrna Airport is a Part 139 Certified Airport located in Rutherford County, TN, specializing in business traffic, corporate aviation, and flight training. With over 1,700 acres, it is the third largest AND third busiest airport in Tennessee, behind only Memphis and Nashville. “We are a stop for most corporate aviation around the state,” says Salil Rai, Deputy Director of the Smyrna/Rutherford County Airport Authority.
The Smyrna Airport has chosen to take control over their environment with Hunter HVLS fans, which are installed in multiple hangars. One large hangar, which is owned by the airport management company Azure Flight Support, has Hunter ECO fans installed. “This is one of our FBO’s, or Fixed Base Operators, which is basically a one stop shop for everybody who flies in here,” said Rai. “They do maintenance, they store the airplanes, the have a flight school affiliated with them, they marshal airplanes in, service them, fuel them… So, they are basically the first stop whenever somebody lands in Smyrna Airport.”
The cooling effect generated by the Hunter ECO HVLS fans is evident as soon as you step foot inside the hangar. When asked what benefits the team has noticed after having the fans installed, Salil responded simply, “[The fans] keep the temperature down. They keep the air moving.” This grew apparent rather quickly. As Salil turned the fans off so photographs for this blog could be taken, the heat and humidity in the facility increased dramatically, quickly creating an uncomfortable environment.
Salil mentioned another benefit of the air circulation, “We’ve also realized [the fans] help take care of the bird problem. Birds and planes… they don’t mix too well.”
The Bird Problem?
Anyone who operates an open environment like an airplane hangar knows what a nuisance birds can be. With the hangar doors left open throughout the working day, birds regularly fly in and nest in the joists and I-beams. This is more than just a minor annoyance, the mess created by nesting birds is unsanitary and leads to delays while the aircraft are cleaned. The air circulation created by HVLS fans reduces these hazards!
The Smyrna Airport is not the only airport that has noticed this effect. DCI Logistics, a non-profit organ transport foundation in Nashville, has also noted how the airflow has effectively combated “The Bird Problem.”
“The moving blades keep [the birds] from wanting to nest and perch in the hangar,” said a mechanic at DCI Logistics. Echoing the cooling effect experienced at the Smyrna Airport, he continued, “I always have a breeze! I don’t have to go searching for one… flip the switch and I’ll have a cool breeze to comfort me while I’m sweating on the airplane.” Check out the video below to learn more about DCI Logistics’ experience with Hunter HVLS fans:
Other Benefits for Airplane Hangars
The cooling effect and pest control are far from the only perks of installing Hunter HVLS fans! In the cooler months, HVLS fans work to de-stratify the air in your building, mixing the pockets of warm air trapped at the ceiling with the cool air at the bottom, leading to a much more comfortable environment. Facilities that have installed Hunter HVLS fans have noticed a nearly 30% energy savings! Did we mention that Hunter Industrial & Commercial offers ten-day lead times and a Limited Lifetime Warranty on select HVLS fans? Installing Hunter HVLS ceiling fans in your airplane hangar is the best way to keep your facility safe, comfortable, and productive, all at a truly economical price point.
Are you ready to take your aircraft hangar to the next level? Contact our experts today!