R22/Cabri cost of ownership
Spot on there 500e. There is no way that you can own a R22 for 24 years and still come out ahead of the Cabri.
Approx list price for a new Cabri is around €300,000 and for a similarly equipped R22 $288,000 both ex-works. Converted to GBP at the commercial rate rate shown on BBC website a few minutes ago ( £1=$1.6USD & €1=78p) the purchase price will be £234,000 for the Cabri and £180,000 for the R22.
Where GS-A's argument really falls down is in the total cost of ownership. Expect an R22 overhaul to cost £85,000 for the first overhaul and £100,000 for the second overhaul. A Cabri on the other hand will cost around £35,000 to overhaul at 2,200 hrs. Both sets of overhaul costs here are real world figures confirmed today.
All Robinson products have a finite calendar life. Go away on holiday for two weeks and your R44 will be worth less just sitting in the hangar.
The only calendar lifed item on the Cabri is the fuel bladder at 15 years, approx £6,500 to replace.
Although superficially the R44 Raven I looks a similar price to the Cabri you can expect to pay £131,000 for an overhaul, plus you will be burning 53 litres an hour, as opposed to 38 in the Cabri.
There is no escaping the fact that Cabri costs more to buy than a new R22 but the running costs are lower. The Cabri is more robust, does not suffer from corrosion, is much safer and a joy to fly.