Hangar Door Momentary Switches

Mar 16, 2021

Dear Hangar and Commercial Tenants,

The District currently has 230 hangars, all of which have bi-folding doors. These hangar doors range from 2 years to over 60 years in age with the majority being built prior to 1985.

To aid in the ongoing care and maintenance of these doors as well as to enhance safety for our tenants and staff, the District made the decision in 2018 to install momentary safety switches. Momentary Switches require the door operator to hold down the switch for the door to operate. It takes between 86 and 94 seconds for a door to cycle up or down.

Why do we need Momentary Safety Switches? Staff felt it necessary to pursue momentary switches to address mechanical as well as tenant caused incidents such as hangar doors being lowered onto a steel coffee cup, a Thule bike rack and a tenant’s vehicle while being driven into their hangar. In one instance, a hangar door had crushed a garbage can in half at the man door effectively creating a vice lock that prevented any access into the hangar to raise the door for repairs. The list goes on. In addition, there have been multiple mechanical incidents (non-tenant caused) that could have been prevented if the switch had been manned during the full operation of the hangar door.

Before the momentary safety switch was installed, the button could be pushed, either up or down, and then left unattended to complete the cycle by itself. In these situations, the tenant was neither in a confirmed position of safety nor in a position to stop the motion of the door if required.

Many hangar tenants are aware of the ongoing efforts to gain compliance. Staff developed a formal policy for consideration by the Board of Directors for adoption at their April 28, 2021 meeting. To view the policy, please visit our website at ➤ PI 512 Hangar Door Momentary Switches

We are sending you this email as a 30 day public policy notification. If you have concerns with this policy or request a modification to this policy please respond in writing to Hardy Bullock at hardy.bullock@truckeetahoeairport.com by Wednesday, April 21, 2021.

These comments and concerns will be included with the Board agenda item for consideration. You may also attend the Board meeting via Zoom on April 28, 2021 at 4:30 pm. You can find meeting details at: https://truckeetahoeairport.com/administration/board 

We appreciate your insight as we strive to enhance safety and reduce facility maintenance cost.

Hardy S. Bullock, A.A.E. 
Director of Aviation & Community Services
Truckee Tahoe Airport District (KTRK)
10356 Truckee Airport Rd. Truckee, CA 96161 V
530-587-7940
hardy.bullock@truckeetahoeairport.com