Volare Hangars in Queen Creek: The Multiple Joys of Airpark Ownership
The first phase of Volare Hangars at Pegasus Airpark in the town of Queen Creek is just finishing up, and the second phase should be completed in January. The premier airpark community offers myriad events and lifestyle amenities — and it’s a short 10-minute flight southeast of Scottsdale.
Volare Hangars comprises 34 premium and upgraded executive hangars, 60-by-60 square feet to 80-by-80 square feet. Pegasus Airpark (5AZ3) is a luxury gated aviation- and equestrian-focused community surrounding the private airport’s paved runway, 5,124 feet by 80 feet.
At Volare, pilots store their planes, helicopters, collector cars and other treasures as well as host friends, family and business acquaintances. “While we see the need for larger corporate business hangars at regional airports, we are also seeing an increase in general aviation’s desire to move to private airports and airparks like Pegasus,” says Johnnie Panfil, co-owner of the local family-owned company, Equity 1000 LLC, with John and Tarja Panfil.
He continues: “General aviation pilots tend to prefer the freedom and ease of private airport flight operations, even if that means driving 30 minutes to an hour away, which can still be quicker than taxiing at a busy regional airport during rush hour.”
In addition, general aviation also prioritizes the long-term security and flexibility to customize hangars and use them for more than parking a plane, which is one of the primary benefits of a private airport without the restrictions at municipal airports.
Those airports are owned by municipalities, which have strict federal requirements they must meet. “Public airports receiving funding from the FAA are required to have ground leases on hangars located within the airport, and, once the initial term and any renewals are over, the airport authorities can take ownership of the hangar, so, at most airports, hangars are only available with limited ownership rights due to ground leases that come with strict rules and restrictions,” explains John.
In contrast, private airparks, such as Pegasus, are managed and maintained by a community association; they do not receive funding from FAA. Therefore, with fewer restrictions on how the hangars can be used, owners also have the flexibility to store cars, RVs, boats and other equipment without issues.
“You own the hangar fee simple, forever allowing it to be passed down for generations and to appreciate in value without the diminishing returns caused by ground leases,” he says. “You can also modify and make improvements to the interior of the hangar without concerns of an authority taking ownership of your hangar or kicking you out.”
Advantages of a Growing Small-town Location and Community
Johnnie says that the Queen Creek location is ideal: “Being centrally located between Southern California, Texas, Nevada, Utah and Colorado in one of the fastest growing and top-ranked towns across the country makes Pegasus Airpark one of the best locations for private aircraft owners.”
“The general aviation market continues growing exponentially, adding to the shortage of hangars,” John says. Pegasus Airpark is also an investment opportunity that createsgrowth of area property values, he notes, adding that the price of existing hangars and flight lots have more than doubled at the community in the last two years.
He notes that LG, for example, will be investing $5.5 billion in a world-class manufacturing complex in Queen Creek, which ranks as one of the fastest growing cities across the country every year. It’s also the second wealthiest municipality in the state, behind Paradise Valley, according to the PropertyClub Team’s ranking from October of this year.
This is not just a place to park your plane and walk away or where your collection can be stored and shown; it’s a neighborhood, a community, he says. Owners share interests, including cars, motorcycles, horses and other recreational vehicles that many pilots also enjoy with their family and friends. The community is home to collections of aircraft and vehicles, ranging from the highest levels of performance to museum pieces.
John adds, “One of the common threads we have consistently heard and experienced is that the aviation community is filled with great people.” For instance, Volare partners, Boomerang Capital out of Mesa, are also aviation enthusiasts, including their principal who is a pilot. “It’s a great team to build hangars with.”
Pegasus hosts many get-togethers and socials both for charity and fun year round. “And between these events, the winter holidays are always a particularly great time to be at Pegasus,” says Johnnie. “We are all excited to see the finished product, and it came at the perfect time of the year to be able to host holiday events in the new hangars.”
Queen Creek, spanning Maricopa and Pinal counties, epitomizes the upscale lifestyle of the Southeast Valley: brisk growth, the rural serenity people come to Arizona for and more than 300 days of sunshine a year which makes it great for flying. Originally known as Rittenhouse, the 40.8-square-mile town incorporated in 1989; the population was 59,519 in 2020 and surpassed 78,000 in 2023.
Downtown, the town is improving buildings and making the area more pedestrian friendly. In addition, new restaurants and entertainment venues are in progress, such as the 20,000-square-foot Perch Brewery Badlands Bar and Grill and the Barn Bar Courtyards, with locally owned restaurants and shops.
And nearby are myriad recreational activities such as San Tan Mountain Regional Park, with miles of hiking trails, and boating and fishing on Saguaro and Roosevelt lakes. Surrounding mountain ranges provide opportunities to explore and sightsee.
“When we started Volare Hangars at Pegasus Airpark, we did not think we would have interest from pilots who live as far as an hour and a half away from Queen Creek,” Johnnie says, “but we now have regular interest from pilots as far as north Scottsdale and all around the Valley.”
Luxury Hangars at a Small Airpark
Paving will be completed this month, just as the phase 1 hangars finish up.
Pegasus is lighted and includes a VASI guidance system. Helicopters are allowed. Both Jet-A and AVGAS fuel is on site with discounted pricing available for owners — about half the price per gallon charged by larger airports. In addition, Pegasus is 7,000 feet below KPHX Class B airspace, with fewer flight restrictions than other local airports.
The premium Volare hangars are pre-engineered metal construction for the exterior and demising walls. They include features such as premium hydraulic hangar doors; three-phase power supply; plumbing to install restrooms and/or appliances; fully insulated ceiling/walls; and additional roof structure ready for future HVAC systems.
Larger executive hangars along Diana Way use commercial grade CMU block construction for the exterior and demising walls, enhancing the look and sound attenuation. These units have street addresses with private driveways; 14-foot-by-14-foot hydraulic RV doors; large patios that include 10-foot-tall commercial grade sliding doors which can be folded completely to one side; and a separate 8-foot-tall glass front entrance door. They also have greater flexibility in potential uses, including building out a portion of the interior into a residence.
In the Windscreen Ahead
Upcoming events the Volare team is planning includes a ribbon-cutting ceremony with Queen Creek’s mayor and vice mayor, a pilots’ “$100 hamburger day” and a fly-in for Barrett-Jackson. “We may be able to accommodate parking some planes in our hangars for visitors during January events and the other car auctions for those who don’t want to fly into a busy airport and are interested in experiencing our Volare Hangars at Pegasus first hand,” Johnnie says. Connect through the website or phone number below if you are interested in receiving invitations.
“We are excited to see our buyers move in and how they customize their hangar over the next several months,” he adds. “Many have had unique ideas for build-outs, especially in the executive hangars.”
The website, VolareHangars.com, has drone photos for a visual update on construction every few weeks. For more information, also call 623.277.0000.
