Hangar Direct Drops User Fees, Expands Offerings

Hangar Direct, a web-based platform that started out as a quasi-Airbnb for aircraft owners seeking overnight or short-term shelter for their aircraft, has continued evolving into a software-as-a-service provider. The four-year-old company has now removed all service fees for pilots using its service and hangar operators listing vacancies, and added hangar management services.

“I built Hangar Direct because I got caught in bad weather in my Phenom 300 and spent hours on the phone getting pressured into overpriced options,” said company co-founder, CEO, and pilot Trenton Ray. “Removing fees is about making sure the platform is actually on the pilot’s side and not taking a cut every time someone needs a place to put their airplane.”

The website has listings searchable by airport, state, lease type, and aircraft size. Aircraft operators can also join waitlists for airports in specific areas to be notified when suitable spaces open up.

In partnership with airports, FBOs, and other hangarkeepers, Hangar Direct is now offering hangar management services, with listing management, tenant compliance, lease creation, payment tracking, document storage, e-signatures, and marketplace lead management all in one place.

“The compliance module is the most significant new capability in the platform,” said Ray. “It was built specifically for the documentation burden that airport operators and FBO managers deal with constantly.”

All costs to hangar operators are covered by a flat subscription rate, and the company is offering free trials.

“These changes make it genuinely free to use for pilots and give operators a real alternative to the spreadsheets and email chains most of them are still running their businesses on,” Ray concluded.