It's not just about money, it's lifestyle. If I get a couple of nice sunny days it's a nice break flying to Sydney and back.
YMMB to YSBK (return) takes me about 7 hours in the air at $150 an hour. Say $1,000.
It's a two seat plane and a pair of VirginBlue tickets would cost me $500 each, so the cost is about the same.
Also, I live 5km from Moorabbin airport and about 60kn from MMML, so I save a bit of time and travel there.
I'll usually time it so I return on a Saturday so there is no rush, so the return trip is a leisurely cross country cruise. No rush to make a check in or waiting for flights, I depart when I feel like it and if I want to divert somewhere for a meal it's upto me.
It's a justifiable business expense, and like most expenses for the plane my business pays for it.
Life is short, and the pleasure of a long cross country flight on a fine day makes the hard work of my business worth it.
For years my plane was parked in a hangar 100 metres from the regional CASA office. CASA set the rules and if you follow them they are there but you never have much to do with them.