Quality was Todd's primary concern when looking for a door.

Why Schweiss? Perhaps the logic of Todd Halver, Marchmont Plantation Airpark, Advance, NC speaks for many. Said Halver, "I found out about Schweiss by just being around a few folks at airport hangars. So often Schweiss doors got into the conversation. Then I went to the Internet. I checked out a variety of hydraulic doors. The more I looked the more impressed I was with the information on Schweiss hydraulics. There are some second class manufacturers out there and the last thing I wanted was a bad experience."

You wouldn't even know it was a door!

Surprise!... One Nice Looking Door!

"The Schweiss website does a nice job without really harpooning the competition. Their presentation makes it very clear that there is a difference. Plus it pointed out additional resources to help me figure out those differences on my own.

"And let me add that the quality of the product is special. I'm a quality focused buyer so being able to access a top quality product was of high importance." Halver's professional work is with GSI Commerce (a division of eBay) where he works with supporting commerce websites, distribution centers and call centers for dozens of nationally recognized retail brands.

His Schweiss door is a 40' wide by 12' high hydraulic installed this past July on his intriguing hangar and home complex at Marchmont Plantation Airpark developed in the mid 1980s and now home base for 9 other aviators. A 2500' well manicured grass strip is part of the beautiful landscaping of this Airpark in the Central Piedmont area of North Carolina. The park is only 12 miles from downtown Winston-Salem.

Purchased as a distressed property, Todd pretty much rebuilt the house in 'carriage house' fashion and did much the same with his new hangar. Conveniently dug in between the two structures is a 16' x 32' swimming pool. A rolling glass door and lighting on the pool side of his new hangar conveniently wrap the entire complex into a neat hospitality configuration. The backside of his hangar also includes an 800 sq. ft, 1-bedroom/office apartment.

That big Schweiss hydraulic door will shortly be insulated on the inside with fiberglass reinforced panels (FRP). Outdoor skin is a vinyl reinforced siding matching the siding of hangar and house with special trim boards to accentuate the carriage look.

Todd's Beautiful Hangar/Home Complex in North Carolina

Should I go Flying or Swimming today?

Said Halver, "I love the clean, simple operation of the hydraulic door. We had to do some engineering so the door accommodated the hip roof design of my hangar. A unique steel header that used a combined beam and tubular design along with some special truss bracing provided the structural strength for this big door. But the whole Schweiss experience was very good. They were very patient with me. I called Jeremy (Reike, Schweiss tech specialist) many times on various iterations of specs such as design and sizing of the hydraulic rams, etc. I had a great experience.

The clean looking Hydraulic Door is totally water/weather tight when closed

Two of Todd's Weight-Shift Control
Air Trikes ready to fly!

Sliding Glass Door for easy access to the
pool area

"You judge a company by how they respond and Schweiss really did a great job on all of my issues and questions."

Eye catcher in Halver's hangar are two special Weight-Shift Control Air Trikes equipped with Delta wings more commonly referred to as 'hang glider' wings. Designated in the Light Sport aircraft category these aircraft have two seat carriages and 80 to 100-hp Rotax 912 engines. These remarkable air trikes give Halver and his passengers environmental peeks at anything Planet Earth is offering.

He describes his trikes as sophisticated and well-built aircraft. They are equipped with full glass panel avionics, radio and transponder. "I can take these trikes anywhere," noted Halver. He is one of only 3 Sport Pilot Weight-Shift CFIs in North Carolina. "I spend a lot of time in the air. I love to do cross country flying and I am excited about my upcoming flight to Sebring, Florida for the Light Sport Aviation Expo in January, 2012. Its open cockpit flying that I describe as motorcycle riding in the sky!"