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Richard Bembridge is no stranger to Diamond Doors and it was a record of excellent service that brought him back for a bifold door for his hangar home in eastern Manitoba, Canada.

“I have two hangars at the St. Andrews airport,” said Richard. “The newer one has a Diamond door on it. I had some service experience with Diamond Doors and they were phenomenal, so it was a really easy decision to make.”

Diamond Doors offers standard tin cladding and polycarbonate sheeting as finishing options. However, each door is customizable and can be designed to suit the exact finishing requested by the customer. For Richard, the polycarbonate panels were exactly what he was looking for.

“I was pretty set on a Diamond door when the process began. When it became apparent that the Diamond door could achieve the polycarbonate panels to allow for this light feature that we wanted, it was a no brainer.”

With polycarbonate panels on the top and bottom half of the door, Richard is satisfied with the results. “It works really [well] and at night time it lights up spectacularly,” he says.

Polycarbonate sheeting is a great choice for natural light and can offer some insulation value. The 30mm polycarbonate offered by Diamond Doors provides insulation capabilities similar to that of many double pane windows. This makes it the perfect choice for an insulated hangar home in Manitoba’s cold and snowy winters.

Another advantage to a Diamond bifold hangar door is that it is installed on the outside of the building. This creates room for a larger clear opening – and taller planes.

“One day we might want to move an amphibious airplane in and out of here, so height was a consideration,” said Richard. “The way that the door moves, it’s up and out of the way. It makes it so that whatever you’re moving in and out is not impeded by the door in its parked position.”

Diamond Doors is proud to offer a quality hangar home door and customer service to match. “Everything I’ve had to do with Diamond Doors has been A plus,“ Richard added. “For that reason, I would absolutely recommend using a Diamond door for your hangar, or hangar home, or your project.”

Video Transcript

There is a widespread problem facing general aviation pilots and airports across North America. Hangar space, or rather, the lack of it. When father and son duo Kenny and Jack Hinkes needed a hangar for their new Cessna Skyhawk, they soon realized that their local airport, the Double Eagle II Airport, was no exception. With a years-long waiting list, the odds of ever getting into a hangar were slim to none.

Seizing the Opportunity

The news was disappointing, but the Hinkeses saw it as an opportunity. With decades of real estate development experience, it did not take long for an idea to take flight.

The idea? To develop quality aircraft hangars in Alburquerque, New Mexico, helping to fill a growing need for hangar space for general aviation aircraft.

High Flying Hangars is a “business of passion and pride in what we do,” says Jack. That passion is important, as there is a certain dedication required to finish a project of this magnitude.

There’s No One Better Qualified

There is no one better qualified for a project like this. It is a combination of business experience, firsthand knowledge of the general aviation community, and a determination to see a project done well.

A Lifetime Spent in Flight

With 54 years of flying under his wings, Kenny Hinkes has fond memories of his father taking him to the airport in the 1950’s as a small child.

He paints a vivid picture of the scene –rattling engines and propellers, oil leaking and smoking, and planes taking off for flight. “I’ve always been fascinated by anything heavy getting up into the air,” he says, fond remembrance tangled with his words.

For Jack, though it was not until 2019 that he finally had the opportunity to pursue a pilot’s license of his own, he’d spent a childhood in the cockpit and at the airport. His knowledge of the life of a pilot runs just as deep as his father’s.

Years of Development Experience

Kenny Hinkes started in the real estate business in the 1980s, developing commercial and residential properties. Since then, family-operated Center Street Realty LLC has developed, managed, and sold everything from shopping malls, to condominiums, and private homes.

Airport Hangar Development a Calculated Risk

It was this range of knowledge that made stepping into airport hangar development a calculated risk. However, they soon found out that hangar development was more complicated than expected.

Working with the local government and airport officials took three years of meetings, negotiations, paperwork, and approvals before High Flying Hangars officially broke ground on August 31, 2023.

A Closer Look at the Project

Kenny and Jack don’t do anything by halves. They launched High Flying Hangars with the goal of building 46 hangars at the Double Eagle II Airport, breaking the development into several phases of building.

Phase One includes 10 hangars, each 60 feet wide by 50 feet deep. Phase Two is scheduled to begin in late fall and includes 14 hangars in various sizes, with future phases to follow.

For High Flying Hangars, quality is at the heart of what they do. “[We want to] build a hangar we’d build for ourselves,” says Jack. They took a close look at the existing facilities at the airport, compared that to their own hangar dreams, and drew up hangar plans that would fill the gap.

High Quality Hangars

They quickly realized that with a few simple changes, they could improve the convenience and comfort of their hangars, making the airport a welcoming place for pilots and their families to spend a day.

With that in mind, Kenny and Jack included features like three-piece bathrooms, running water and floor drains in each hangar to wash aircrafts, individualized electrical panels for future upgrades, and ceiling heights between 20 and 29 feet to allow hangar owners to install mezzanines as desired.

It is a great mix of convenience and flexibility, but when asked which hangar feature the Hinkeses are most excited about, Kenny and Jack are quick to agree it’s the Diamond bifold door.

Custom Doors for the Project

High Flying Hangars ordered ten doors for the first phase of their development project. Standing at fourteen feet tall and varying between 58 and 59 feet in width, each door is equipped with the features and options that make a Diamond door unique, a result of the Hinkeses’ thorough research.

A Simple Introduction

Visiting Oshkosh EAA Airventure had been a family event for many years, but when Kenny and Jack first started dreaming about hangars, it took on a new importance.

“We started looking at all the vendors,” says Kenny. They visited multiple door companies over the next several years as the project gained momentum. Nevertheless, they found themselves returning to the Diamond Doors booth every year.

Jack shared about his experience visiting the booth and asking questions about the bifold doors. “The Sudermans [the owners of Diamond Doors] were always lovely and willing to answer questions,” he says. Jack also added that, “everything about the Diamond door made sense to us.”

Diamond Doors – Over 25 Years of Quality

Diamond Doors is a family-owned and operated bifold door manufacturing company, based in Winkler, Manitoba. Founded in 1998 by Dick Suderman, they have manufactured quality bifold doors for the aviation, agricultural, and industrial industries for over 25 years.

Like the Hinkes, the Sudermans have a rich background in aviation. Dick Suderman was a professional pilot, flying for a local aerial application company before moving into manufacturing. His sons, who now run the company, are also pilots.

Diamond Doors has a strong commitment to quality, innovation, and convenience, just like High Flying Hangars. It is these shared values that make the two companies a remarkable team.

A Remarkable Team

 “[Working with Diamond Doors] is one of the best decisions that we made,” says Jack.

He explained that Diamond Doors took time to examine the building drawings that High Flying Hangars had received from their building engineers. They checked for fitment and ensured the hangars would safely withstand the loads of the door.

This made the experience a comfortable one, knowing that Diamond Doors went through every aspect of the project in detail.

Likewise, Diamond Doors had nothing but good things to say about working with High Flying Hangars.

“From the day discussions happened at the show, to putting together the initial quote, going through the process of designing the door to fit the building, and discussing the options on the doors, it was seamless,” says Peter Doerksen, sales manager and head of the project at Diamond Doors. “It was a real pleasure to work with both Kenny and Jack from the start.”

Convenient and Innovative Door Features

The Hinkes were eager to share their experience not only working with Diamond Doors, but with the door itself. Jack highlighted several door features that he had especially appreciated, including the autolock and remote opener system, the polycarbonate sheeting option, and the easy-install design.

The Autolock

The Diamond Doors autolock is noted in the bifold door industry for its simplistic and innovative design. It offers unmatched convenience as the bifold door can be operated with the push of a single button. This was an attractive feature to Kenny and Jack Hinkes , who wanted to emphasize convenience and quality in their hangars. With that in mind, they added the remote openers to the package. This means that hangar owners can operate their door just like their residential garage door at home.

Polycarbonate Sheeting

Diamond Doors offers polycarbonate sheeting as a custom finishing option. It allows in plenty of natural light, creating a welcoming atmosphere for pilots spending a quiet afternoon in their hangar.

To combat the hot New Mexico sun, the Hinkes ordered the 30mm Therma Vu polycarbonate sheeting. This provides a standard U-value of 1.3, similar to the U-value of many double pane windows.

Easy Install Design

When the doors arrived on site in late March, Jack Hinkes was pleased to see how quick and simple it was to install them.

Dick Suderman founded Diamond Doors with the firm belief that bifold doors should be simple to install. With no special equipment required, customers should be able to install the doors without too much fuss. More than 25 years later, that belief still holds.

Each door arrives at the building site ready for installation, a stark contrast to other door brands that may require the door frame to be bolted together before being hung. Diamond Doors are shipped preassembled in an “A” frame and can be hung in place almost immediately*.

Learn more about our easy install design in our recent post Bifold Door Installation – 5 Ways We Make it Easy.

The Future of High Flying Hangars

The Hinkeses don’t plan to stop at just a few hangars. With these 10 hangars underway, and High Flying Hangars poised to start the next 14 hangars, they’re already looking forward to the next hangar build. Passionate about preserving the future of general aviation, they hope to see High Flying Hangars developments at airports across the United States – and a Diamond door on every one.

You can follow their progress at http://www.kaeghangars.com.

When a company grows as much as Unity Aviation Canada, increasing available workspace is essential. Here’s how a Diamond bifold door helped make their new hangar a reality, maximizing work efficiency and minimizing time spent on side tasks.

Located in Airdrie, Alberta, Unity Aviation Canada became a factory endorsed service center for Viking Air in 2019, providing maintenance services, refurbishment, and warranty related services on Series 400 Twin Otter aircraft. Their commitment to quality and customer service has earned them a strong reputation in the aviation world, growing their company and creating a need for a larger facility.

That’s when they turned to Remuda Building, a leading contractor in the post frame construction industry. Based in Rocky View County, Alberta, they offer building solutions for a wide range of applications, including farms, acreages, and commercial customers – exactly what Unity Aviation Canada was looking for.

The Hangar Project

With a 65-foot wingspan and almost 20-foot tail height, the Series 400 Twin Otter is not a small plane. To fit the plane into the hangar and still leave room for maintenance and refurbishing, Unity Aviation Canada needed an 80-foot by 82-foot hangar, with roughly 6400 square feet. And they needed a big door to match.

A Big Hangar Door

Jon Schouten has worked at Remuda for 10 years as a sales consultant. He’s worked with Diamond Doors for just as long, providing door solutions to countless customers. He says that a Diamond door is the only door he will recommend when large doors are needed.

“I find that they have advantages over some of the other manufacturers,” says Jon. “The strain on the building structure is a lot less than a hydraulic door and if someone is parked directly in front of the door there is no risk of hitting the vehicle.”

Greg Kalinchuk, accountable executive with Unity Aviation Canada, had heard of Diamond Doors before and had no concerns about installing a Diamond bifold door in their new hangar.

And so, they decided to order a Diamond bifold door that gave them a 70-foot wide, 20-foot high clear opening.

Why Choose a Diamond Door?

Along with the minimal strain to the building, there are many advantages to choosing a Diamond door. This includes easy installation, a low maintenance door design, and other door features to maximize the efficiency of the door.

Easy Door Installation

A foundational value at Diamond Doors is the knowledge that our customers’ time is valuable. We strive to build a door that streamlines the building experience – a key factor in the satisfaction of Remuda Building and Unity Aviation Canada.

Remuda is no stranger to installing Diamond doors. However, Jon says that “the unique challenge on this project was that this was the largest door we had installed to date. Initially, it was to be delivered in two separate pieces, but Diamond Doors was able to get it shipped out in one piece, which was super helpful to the flow of the project.”

That bit of extra planning helped Remuda and Unity Aviation Canada reduce costs by further simplifying the installation process.

Did you know that Diamond doors are designed to make installation as easy as possible? Some competitors ship their doors as kits that you must assemble when they arrive. At Diamond Doors, we ensure that your door is ready to be installed the moment it arrives. This means that each door arrives with the frame fully assembled (with the exception of some very large doors), and the electrical components pre-wired and installed.

Low Maintenance Door Features

When asked which door features make the Diamond bifold door a useful part of daily operations at Unity Canada Aviation, Greg says that it is that “the hangar door operates smoothly.”

While there are some tasks that need to be done to keep a business running, they don’t always directly contribute to generating revenue. With low maintenance door features and a reliable door design, Diamond Doors is helping minimize unnecessary repair work. After all, a bifold door shouldn’t be another piece of equipment to look after. It should be a tool that makes work easier.

Some of these features include greaseless hinges, long-lasting lift cables, and a maintenance free locking system. You can read more about our door components by visiting our features and options page.

Energy Efficiency and Temperature Control

Like the rest of Canada, the winter season in central Alberta is cold and windy. Temperatures dip well below freezing for months on end, and it can make heating bills skyrocket. To maintain a consistent and comfortable working environment, an effective insulation package was essential.

Unity Aviation Canada opted to include a complete three-inch (R16) insulation package with their bifold hangar door order.

Compared to options like spray foam or fiberglass insulation, our panels provide a consistent thermal break across the exterior of the door. Plus, they are easy to install and provide a visually appealing finish on the interior of the door.

Read our insulation package overview here.

A Quality Door that Lasts

We design Diamond doors for strength and durability. It’s part of our commitment to quality and excellence – and it’s evident in the satisfaction of our customers.

Jon says that that when compared to a competitor’s door, a Diamond door “is a much stronger door.” He adds that Diamond Doors is “low maintenance, solid construction, [and a] reputable company that stands behind their product.”

After several years of using the hangar and bifold door, Greg only has good things to say about the project. “Ultimately very happy with Remuda and [the] Diamond door,” he says. He is quick and confident to recommend both Remuda and Diamond Doors to others in the aviation industry.

Jared Jestice lives in Fulton County, Arkansas, surrounded by the foothills of the Ozark Mountains. He and his family own and operate Jestice Contracting, a construction company specializing in concrete and installing steel structures. “That’s on the side,” says Jared with a smile. “Flying airplanes is first.”

As far back as he can remember, Jared’s passion has been flight. His father was a pilot before Jared was born, and Jared’s first memory is of being in an airplane. “And so, at that point, I was already ruined,” he says, talking of his love for aviation.

It’s a passion that runs in the family. With five family members that fly, their private airstrip is a busy place. Family flights to a little place 30 miles west of the farm are a fun way to spend a Saturday or Sunday morning. Jared also spends time competing with other pilots in competitions such as ArkanSTOL, an annual flying competition that combines precision flying with speed.

“When I got the flying dream, I had to pursue it,” says Jared. “That came with buying an airplane and building a hangar for it.”

The hangar is tucked at the back of the property, large enough to hold Jared’s Kitfox and the rest of the family aircraft, including a 1945 Taylorcraft, 701 Zenith, 1947 Chief, and 1948 Piper Vagabond. Friends of the family sometimes make use of the hangar as well.

Jared had a few requirements for his aircraft hangar door. Considering the busyness of the airstrip, convenience and ease of operation were foremost. Reliability and durability were two other equally important factors to consider.

Jared considered several door types for his aircraft hangar, including a hydraulic hangar door and sliding doors. However, sliding doors took up too much space to the side of the building, and a hydraulic door “swing[s] out before it goes up,” Jared says. “If there’s an airplane that’s parked too close that could be very expensive.” He added that “a bifold made the most sense and uses up the least amount of space.”

He ordered two doors – identical bifold doors at 45 feet wide and 13 feet tall.

There were several other advantages to a Diamond bifold door that made it an easy choice for Jared’s hangar. Easy installation was one of them.

Working in construction, Jared has had experience installing commercial overhead doors. Still, he was a little bit apprehensive about mounting a Diamond bifold door. It was his first bifold hangar door installation, and the size alone can be intimidating.

But installing his first Diamond Door was simpler than it appeared. “We picked it up with a telehandler and had it hung in 30 minutes. It was so easy,” says Jared.

Diamond Doors makes installation easy by shipping the bifold door fully assembled in an “A” frame, with the electrical components and wiring already mounted. A detailed instruction manual is also provided with every door to ensure that installation goes smoothly. Jared says, “pretty much follow the instructions and you won’t make any mistakes.”

Ease and convenience are founding principles of the Diamond Doors brand. From ordering to installation to maintenance, it’s important to the company that every customer has a streamlined experience.

“Customer service with Diamond Doors was great,” says Jared. “When we inquired about purchasing one, they told us everything we needed to do to get the building ready and what kind of support system we needed to hang the door. It was easy to go forward from there.”

Innovative features and options create a custom bifold suited to any hangar door needs, like the electric auto-lock installed on Jared’s doors.

“I didn’t want the chance of someone opening the door and it not getting unlatched,” Jared says. With the auto-lock, the bifold door locks, unlocks, and operates with the push of a button. This system prevents the door from accidental damage – although the Diamond Doors manual locking system has safety features in place to prevent this too.

Customers also take note of Diamond doors for their quality manufacturing and reliable operation. This is an important feature for Jared, who takes care of much of the maintenance around the yard. He adds that “with so many people using it and it going up and down several times a day… for it to work well and reliably every time was a must.”

The lift cables used by Diamond Doors particularly impressed Jared and his father. Straps tend to stretch and fray over time, while cables don’t wear out. “You pretty much just set them and forget them,” Jared laughs.

Other features such as greaseless hinges, a durable frame with a rust-resistant finish, and zero maintenance locking systems make the Diamond door that much more convenient and appealing.

Overall, Jared is very satisfied with his aircraft hangar doors. When asked, he says “We’ve put up a lot of steel buildings, different kinds. We’ve put up hangars, machine shops, and mechanic shops. If they need a door – if they don’t do an overhead door – I would recommend a Diamond door.”

Find out how a bifold door can add new life to your existing hangar, or make your new hangar stand out from the rest by talking with our sales team.