Engineered Aircraft Hangar Heaters for High Bays

For most aircraft hangars, low-intensity radiant infrared heating is the best approach because it heats the floor, aircraft surfaces, tooling, and people instead of the air volume near the roof. When large hangar doors open, forced air is displaced quickly, while warmed mass surfaces continue radiating comfort after the doors close. CRC recommends Reflect-O-Ray systems for many high-bay hangars.

Radiant infrared heaters work especially well in hangars because they address the main problem: frequent air loss from oversized doors. Instead of trying to reheat the entire air column, radiant energy is absorbed by concrete floors, aircraft frames, and equipment. This provides faster thermal recovery, steadier work-zone comfort, and documented energy savings of 30-50% compared with conventional forced-air systems.

CRC’s sizing recommendations depend on square footage, insulation level, ceiling height, door cycle frequency, fuel type, and desired comfort zones. Hangars with 20-foot and higher ceilings are often matched with Reflect-O-Ray 6.0 EDS vacuum systems. Lower ceilings may use Reflect-O-Ray 4.0 EDS or Omega II, while maintenance workstations can be served by Synergy spot-zone heaters.

Reflect-O-Ray is a custom-engineered vacuum radiant tube system typically used for larger or higher-bay hangars where efficiency, layout control, and utility-drop reduction matter. Omega II is a power-vented, unitary radiant tube heater suited to smaller hangars or simpler zone-by-zone layouts. Both are gas-fired infrared systems with corrosion-resistant aluminized steel radiant tubing and CSA certification.

Combustion Research hangar heaters may operate on natural gas or propane, depending on the product line and site utilities. For off-grid hangars without natural gas access, the Reflect-O-Ray OIL EDS variant is available. Electric infrared options are typically considered when gas is impractical, but CRC generally recommends evaluating gas-fired systems first for lower operating cost.

System cost is quoted by facility square footage, ceiling height, BTU sizing, fuel type, construction material, gas piping, electrical drops, and vent terminations. Vacuum systems such as Reflect-O-Ray 6.0 EDS can reduce utility drops by up to two-thirds in high-bay hangar applications, which may reduce installation complexity. Request a quote through a CRC representative.

Yes. CRC radiant infrared systems are documented to reduce energy use by 30-50% compared with conventional forced-air heating in similar commercial applications. Because radiant heat is absorbed by surfaces rather than lost with door-cycled air, hangars often recover faster after doors close. Payback commonly depends on fuel rates, operating hours, utility rebates, and current heating performance.

Required clearances vary by heater model, configuration, mounting angle, and nearby combustibles. CRC provides submittal documents and product specifications for clearance review, and the authority having jurisdiction should confirm the final code path. Typical radiant tube clearances can range from 12 inches to 60 inches depending on model and orientation, so engineering review is essential.