More private jets take to the skies, creating gridlock on the ground

When Mike Pellitteri started flying his private plane in 2013, it was easy to find a spot to park it. But over the past decade, hangar space has become sparse, so Pellitteri, a general contractor, has joined an increasing number of developers who have never worked in aviation before: He’s building hangars himself. Private air travel skyrocketed in the pandemic as more travelers, eager to avoid sitting next to a potentially sick passenger or spending a long flight wearing a mask, have made the switch from commercial to charter. Business jet takeoffs and landings were up as much as 40% in 2021 from the year before, according to some estimates, and the business aviation tracker WingX reported that 2021 was the busiest year on record for global business jet activity. But as more private planes have filled the sky, the crunch — which was apparent in 2019 — has created gridlock over parking on the ground. Pellitteri, a resident of Seattle, said he had entered the hangar business after being frustrated by the inability to find a spot to park his plane when he shuttled to his second home in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. By the end of 2023, he plans to have completed four new hangars at Pappy Boyington Field in Coeur d’Alene: two for smaller jets and two for midsize aircraft like the Gulfstream 280. He plans to sell the smaller ones for around $1.5 million, but said the price could increase because rising costs of steel and labor have already pushed him well over budget. It’s not just Coeur d’Alene, Pellitteri said; there are no hangars available at Paine Field near Seattle, either. “Every year it’s gotten busier,” he said. “You go to Paine Field now, there’s more airplanes than there’s places to park.”<br/>