What is LED Aircraft Hangar Lighting?

Aircraft hangars are large, open areas with high ceilings. Our High bays are the perfect energy-efficient lighting system for this area as it can deliver the power and lumens to light up the hangar. Based on our experience with hangar installations, you may want to consider adding a 60-degree beam angle optic for tall ceilings. It will ensure the light output is delivered to the aircraft and the floor space below.

What are the Benefits of Using LED Fixtures in an Aircraft Hangar?

• Long Life: Our fixtures will provide 50,000+ hours of maintenance-free life without bulb or ballast changes, reducing or eliminating maintenance costs
• Reduced Energy Bills: Using LED Lighting Supply fixtures, you can expect to reduce your energy costs and lighting bills by 60% to 75% with lower energy consumption versus traditional lighting options. And if you add motion sensors, you can expect even more energy savings. LED hangar lights are known for their superior energy efficiency.
• Controls Ready: We offer motion/occupancy sensors as an option on some of our high bays. These can turn the lights to full power when motion is detected and off / dimmed when the area is void of movement.
• Quick Payback / ROI: The energy savings our lights will translate into a 1-2 year ROI. The higher the utility cost per kWh, the faster the payback.
• Perfect for High Ceilings: We have many optic packages and power LED lights that perform great together to get the light to the ground and create bright workspaces.
• Safer Work Areas: Our LED Lights are reliable and produce high-quality lighting for a long period, versus metal halide and fluorescent lighting. It keeps the areas lit by LED light safer and well-lit.
• Instant On: Our LED Lights turn to 100% the moment you hit the light switch.
• Easy to install: There is nothing difficult about installing and wiring our hangar lights for new installations or replacing old high bays. All instructions are included. Since LED lights reduce your amp load significantly, there is no need to upgrade your electrical panel.

We upgraded this aircraft hangar with our 60 / 80 / 100 Watt Adjustable UFO High Bay | 8400 to 14000 Lumens LED UFO High Bay fixtures

Recommended Foot Candles for Airplane Hangars

• General Work / Storage: 30 foot candles
• Aircraft Maintenance with some detailed tasks: 30-50 foot candles
• Aircraft Maintenance with fine detailed tasks: 70-100 foot candles
• Drilling, Riveting, Screw Fastening: 75 foot candles
• Final Assembly: 100 foot candles
• Inspection: 50-200 foot candles
• Welding: 50 foot candles
• Plane Storage Only: 30 to 50 foot candles

Our 480 Watt UFO High Bay Light | 76800 Lumens High Bay fixtures did a real nice job of lighting up this overseas helicopter hangar

What LED Hangar Light Is Best for You?

• UFO (Round) Hangar Light: Round LED UFO Hangar Fixtures are perfect to replace Metal Halide / HID light fixtures. These lights are high-impact rated and waterproof. These are perfect for higher (20-80 foot) ceilings. These are the perfect replacement for metal halide lights. Our UFO fixtures range from 60W to 300W with various beam angles available.
• LED Linear (Rectangular) Lights: LED Linear Hangar Lights are a great replacement for fluorescent / T5 fixtures. These rectangular lights offer great light distribution at ceiling heights up to 40 feet tall. We stock linear fixtures from 120W to 400W to match your existing fluorescent installations.
• Dimmable LED Hangar Lights: These are either UFO or Linear style, equipped with a dimmable LED Driver. The drivers are typically 0-10V or 1-10V trigger dimmable and work with a 0-10V dimmer. Dimmable hangar lights work well with motion sensor-equipped fixtures.
• Motion Sensor LED Hangar Lights: We offer both microwave motion sensor options as well as PIR (infrared) motion sensors. Microwave motion sensors are a newer technology not affected by dusty environments. So if your environment is dusty, choose a microwave motion sensor option. We install motion sensors on most indoor hangar applications.
• Wattage Adjustable LED Hangar Lights: These fixtures have onboard toggle switches that allow you to choose the wattage and lumen output. This allows you to customize the light output to meet your needs on location. When customers can't decide on exact wattage requirements, we recommend wattage-adjustable fixtures.
• Color Adjustable LED Hangar Lights: These fixtures have onboard toggle switches that allow you to choose the color temperature. Typical options are between 3000K and 5000K. 3000K is a warm, inviting light, whereas 5000K is a light that resembles the color temperature of metal halide high bays. 4000K is a good choice if you like the light output of fluorescent fixtures. When customers can't decide, we recommend color-adjustable fixtures.

We lit this customer's hangar with 100 / 120 / 150 / 200 Watt Adjustable UFO High Bay | 15000 to 30000 Lumens high bays.

Energy Savings and Maintenance Cost Reduction

Our hangar LED installations typically deliver 60-75% energy savings compared to metal halide and fluorescent systems. The maintenance cost reduction is equally impressive. Traditional metal halide fixtures require bulb replacement every 2-3 years and ballast replacement every 5-7 years. Our LED fixtures eliminate these costs with 50,000+ hour lifespans.

For a typical 50,000 square foot hangar, customers save $15,000-25,000 annually in combined energy and maintenance costs. The payback period is typically 2-4 years, depending on local utility rates and usage patterns.

150W LED vs 400W Metal Halide Replacement (with ballast)

Based on 12 hours/day, 365 days/year at $0.12/kWh

Metal Halide (460W)

Annual: $241.78 | 5-Year Cost: $1208.88 | 5-Year Savings: –

LED UFO Fixture (150W)

Annual: $78.84 | 5-Year Cost: $394.20 | 5-Year Savings: $16293.60

Single Fixture Annual Savings: $162.94 | 20 Fixture Annual Savings: $3259 | ROI Timeline: Under 9 months

Energy Reduction: 67% | 5-Year ROI: 14848% | Lamp Life: 50,000+ (LED) vs 15,000 (MH)

300W LED vs 1000W Metal Halide Replacement (with ballast)

Based on 12 hours/day, 365 days/year at $0.12/kWh

Metal Halide (1150W)

Annual: $604.44 | 5-Year Cost: $3022.20 | 5-Year Savings: –

LED UFO Fixture (300W)

Annual: $157.68 | 5-Year Cost: $788.40 | 5-Year Savings: $44676.00

Single Fixture Annual Savings: $446.76 | 20 Fixture Annual Savings: $8935 | ROI Timeline: Under 11 months

Energy Reduction: 74% | 5-Year ROI: 11504% | Lamp Life: 50,000+ (LED) vs 15,000 (MH)

Reduced Maintenance Costs: 400W Metal Halide vs 150W LED

Switching from a 400 Watt Metal Halide fixture to a 150 Watt LED fixture eliminates almost all routine lighting maintenance.

Why maintenance costs drop:

• Metal Halide Maintenance Requirements
  • Bulb replacement every 2–3 years: HID lamps lose up to 30% of light output within the first year, requiring frequent relamping to maintain brightness.
  • Ballast replacement every 5–7 years: Ballasts wear out over time, often requiring expensive service calls, especially in high-mount applications.
  • Labor and lift costs: Changing bulbs or ballasts in fixtures mounted 20–60 feet high requires lifts or scaffolding, adding substantial labor expense.
• LED Maintenance Requirements
  • No bulb or ballast replacements: LED fixtures are integrated, with 50,000+ hour lifespans (10+ years of typical use).
  • Consistent lumen output: Minimal lumen depreciation over time means no early replacement cycles.
  • Lower service frequency: Fewer lift rentals and less downtime for relamping crews.

Example: Maintenance Cost Comparison (Per Fixture)

• Bulb Replacements (10 years)
  • 400W Metal Halide: $40 × 3 cycles = $120
  • 150W LED: $0
• Ballast Replacements (10 years)
  • 400W Metal Halide: $80 × 1 cycle = $80
  • 150W LED: $0
• Labor & Lift (10 years)
  • 400W Metal Halide: $150 × 3 cycles = $450
  • 150W LED: $0
• Total Maintenance Cost
  • 400W Metal Halide: $650
  • 150W LED: $0

Result:
Over 10 years, each 150W LED fixture saves ~$650 in maintenance alone - not including energy savings.

For a facility with 20 fixtures, that’s $13,000+ in avoided maintenance costs.

We used our 240 Watt UFO High Bay | 45600 Lumens High Bays to provide a bright hangar with extremely even and balanced lighting across the entire space

Certifications and Trust

All our hangar fixtures carry essential safety and performance certifications. UL Listed or ETL Listed certification ensures electrical safety compliance. DLC Premium qualification guarantees performance standards and often enables utility rebates that can cover 30-50% of project costs.

Our fixtures also feature IP65 wet location ratings and IK08 impact resistance for durability in demanding hangar environments.

Warranty Coverage - 5 years standard on all our fixtures

All fixtures include our standard 5-year warranty for complete peace of mind. We process all warranty claims at our offices in the United States. We take warranty processing seriously and will help you resolve the problem as quickly as possible.

Need Help? Talk to an LED Hangar Light Expert.

With so many options and fixtures available, deciding which option will meet your needs and requirements is hard. The sales engineers of LED Lighting Supply are experts in LED hangar lighting solutions. Use our experience and tell us your needs, and we will provide you with the best LED Hangar Application lighting options for your project or application. We can provide you with a free lighting plan to make sure the area is well-lit and the lighting is balanced.

LED Aircraft Hangar Lighting FAQ

What is the Importance of Reflective Surfaces in an Aircraft Hangar?

Reflective surfaces redirect light to shadowed areas under aircraft wings and fuselage sections where direct overhead lighting can't reach. In my 17+ years of hangar installations, I've seen Type 3 and Type 5 optics combined with reflective ceiling materials improve coverage by 30-40%. You can also compensate by reducing fixture spacing from 20 feet to 15 feet on center.

How Can You Reduce Lighting Glare in a Hanger?

Install acrylic prismatic lenses or frosted polycarbonate covers on your LED high bays to eliminate harsh LED dot patterns. Ribbed optic systems control side glare while maintaining downward light output. For hangars over 30 feet high, 60-degree beam angles work better than narrow 90-degree optics to minimize direct glare at eye level.

Is Using More Higher Power Fixtures to Reduce Quantity of Lights a Good Idea in an Aircraft Hangar?

Higher wattage fixtures create hot spots and shadows between mounting points, which fails FAA maintenance lighting recommendations. Balanced light distribution matters more than raw footcandle numbers. I always run photometric layouts first because uniformity ratios above 4:1 create safety issues during inspections. Proper spacing with moderate wattage delivers better results than fewer high-power units.

Are There Impact-Proof LED Light Fixtures for an Aircraft Hanger?

UFO-style fixtures handle impacts better than linear high bays due to their compact, dome-shaped housings. Our IK08-rated UFO fixtures withstand 5-joule impacts from tools or equipment. The die-cast aluminum construction and impact-resistant polycarbonate lenses protect against accidental contact during aircraft movements.

What is the Best Way to Mount Lights in an Aircraft Hanger?

Chain mounting works best for hangars with overhead cranes since it allows fixture movement without damage. We provide aircraft cable suspension kits, heavy-duty eye hooks, and adjustable pendant mounts from 6 inches to 10 feet. Rigid conduit mounting works for fixed installations where cranes won't interfere with lighting placement.

Are there Certifications for Airplane Hanger Lights?

Aircraft hangars don't require special lighting certifications, but maintenance areas need adequate illumination per FAA guidelines. All our hangar fixtures carry UL or ETL safety listings for wet locations. Many also earn DLC Premium certification for maximum energy efficiency and utility rebate eligibility, delivering verified photometric performance.

What Are the Most Popular LED Aircraft Hanger Lighting?

UFO LED high bays dominate hangar installations due to their durability and light distribution. 160-watt and 200-watt models replace 400W metal halide fixtures while our 300-watt UFO units handle 1000W metal halide replacements. These deliver 50,000+ hour lifespans with 0-10V dimming capability for energy management.