Northern Hills Homeowner's Association

Please Clarify Your Terms

Jun 08, 2001

Hangar, perhaps the most misspelled word in aviation: Surprisingly, it is often misspelled "hanger" by both the general population
and by those in aviation.
The term has nothing to do with "hanging" anything inside, not even in a blimp hangar. During World War I, pilots often sheltered their airplanes in farmers barns or sheds in the French countryside. Hangar is the French word for a "shed" (especially one for shoeing horses) and may come from the Medieval Latin word angarium. By the way, the French word for an airplane
hangar is hangar, so they still do not distinguish between the 3-390 building [hangar at Boeing Field] and an old horse shed. I would have
expected something more elegant, perhaps "chateau d'avion."
In Toulouse, the Airbus test airplanes are parked nose-in on three sides of the main flight test building. This three-story building with offices,
conference rooms, parts storage, etc. is called the "Abreuvoir." For the WHOLE story, http://www.aero-news.net