Holding Pattern: As More Planes Fly Into Lake Of The Ozarks, There Aren’t Enough Hangars To Go Around

LAKE OF THE OZARKS, Mo. — As Lake of the Ozarks grows in national prominence, air traffic has been on the rise. And as a result, there’s a hangar shortage.

“They could build a hundred more and they would fill up immediately,” said local pilot Tim Hand, who leases a hangar for his two planes at Grand Glaize Airport. Hand says he’s been offered significant money to let go of his lease, but with few available hangars anywhere else in the Lake area, he would have no place to store his planes.

Over the past 10 years there has been an increase in flight operations, including a transition in the types of aircrafts that come through Lake, said Ty Dinsdale, manager for the Grand Glaize and Lee C. Fine airports.

"Now the ramp area will be full of the bigger jets," Dinsdale said. "Our traffic count will be up because several of these planes will make two or three trips into the airport, dropping people off for the weekend."

That was the case recently for a high-profile visitor: Mark Cuban's private jet (one of them) stopped through Lee C. Fine airport to drop someone off. And while Cuban may not be looking for a place to keep his aircraft at the Lake, plenty of people are.

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Dinsdale reports for the Osage Beach's two airports, there are 37 hangars with about a dozen people on the waitlist at each airport. The City is working on some land-lease programs that would allow customers to build their own hangar, he noted.

"As you can imagine, it is a slow process," Dinsdale said. "Especially with Lee C. Fine, which is still owned by the Department of Natural Resources. There have always been some conversations about the City trying to make arrangements to own the airport, which would open up the opportunity for more development. Time will tell."

At the Lake Aviation Center in Camdenton, there are about 30 people on the waitlist, said airport manager Corey Leuwerke. To qualify for a space, the person must already have a plane, since there are so many who need to store an aircraft they currently own. There are 40 to 50 hangars available, depending on the size of the plane.

"The City has looked at adding more hangars, and there was even a private one built recently," Leuwerke said. "Usually customers have a yearly lease and get the opportunity to renew."

For now, anyone wanting a hangar at the Lake will have to get on a waiting list.