Private Flying Costs
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Private Flying Costs
For those of you who fly for recreation only how are you justifying up to $1000 each weekend for a few hours flying? I've been out of the scene for a while and looking at doing a few hours to get back into it, but looking at the dual hire rates for something descent with a CSU it's pushing $500/h.
Are you sharing the flying? Dumping a whole heap of cash on it and ignoring the cost?
Thanks
Are you sharing the flying? Dumping a whole heap of cash on it and ignoring the cost?
Thanks
Last edited by lineupandwait; 16th Aug 2014 at 05:38.
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Dual will cost you more but a good C210 or V35/A36 will be $300-400/hr and if it is a G36 maybe $450.
If you are going to fly say 50 hours a year I think finding a good partnership or a buddy with a plane that is willing to charge you a fair price to reduce their costs.
I reckon my costs are $225-230/hr for a plane that is shared 50% and the RV10 is new, (1000 hrs) and we have a good but self maintained system. Having said that after 1000 hrs we did an avionics upgrade that was probably $25-30k after selling the outgoing, and not including about $20-25K in labour. So accounting for that add in another $50/hr.
You will find that across the range from a C172-A36 it will be from $250-450/hr.
If you are going to fly say 50 hours a year I think finding a good partnership or a buddy with a plane that is willing to charge you a fair price to reduce their costs.
I reckon my costs are $225-230/hr for a plane that is shared 50% and the RV10 is new, (1000 hrs) and we have a good but self maintained system. Having said that after 1000 hrs we did an avionics upgrade that was probably $25-30k after selling the outgoing, and not including about $20-25K in labour. So accounting for that add in another $50/hr.
You will find that across the range from a C172-A36 it will be from $250-450/hr.
I worked on $400/hr all up for 100 hr/yr in a BE35.
You need a high disposable income to throw that sort of money around for recreation. 90% of my GA flying over the last 40 years has been for business!
Dr
You need a high disposable income to throw that sort of money around for recreation. 90% of my GA flying over the last 40 years has been for business!
Dr
The high costs you are experiencing is why RA-Aus and the homebuilt market are booming (as best as they can given the current economic market).
Can't speak for others, but I built an RV-9. Should be able to break even in less than a decade.
If you really are just flying for fun, rather than using your aircraft as a means to go places, there's plenty of RAAus aircraft for sale for under $50K.
If you really are just flying for fun, rather than using your aircraft as a means to go places, there's plenty of RAAus aircraft for sale for under $50K.
I have a basic VFR homebuilt.
It costs me $129 a week for fixed costs hangarage and insurance.
Fuel is $54 an hour.
Maintenance is about $5-7 a week if I fly an hour a week as I do it myself.
I own the aircraft outright and for this type you could pay from 70k to 110k.
There are likely other costs I am forgetting.
So to fly for 1 hour a week I am up for just under $200 an hour. Subsequent hours cost around $55-58 each.
Those costs are for a "cheap" VFR aircraft... It's a little scary really.
It costs me $129 a week for fixed costs hangarage and insurance.
Fuel is $54 an hour.
Maintenance is about $5-7 a week if I fly an hour a week as I do it myself.
I own the aircraft outright and for this type you could pay from 70k to 110k.
There are likely other costs I am forgetting.
So to fly for 1 hour a week I am up for just under $200 an hour. Subsequent hours cost around $55-58 each.
Those costs are for a "cheap" VFR aircraft... It's a little scary really.
Having said that after 1000 hrs we did an avionics upgrade that was probably $25-30k after selling the outgoing, and not including about $20-25K in labour. So accounting for that add in another $50/hr.
True Nibbles, but I get an as new, 4 seat aircraft that does 120 knots that's always available, it's mine and I'm the only one that flies it. Where it starts to pay off is when it comes time to go somewhere for the weekend like AusFly, 4 hours each way, would cost me less than half of yours.
Same old argument really, be it boats, aircraft or women.
Same old argument really, be it boats, aircraft or women.
Pretty hard to justify paying over $300p/h for a reasonable touring aircraft that has a decent range. Have to admit that some of the RA AUS aircraft getting around these days are pretty darn good. If I was going to buy one I'd probably go for high wing Brumby. Depends where you live, but having to keep an aircraft at an aerodrome these days isn't exactly cheap either if you live in a city.
I have diverted my attention away slightly from private flying due to the high costs and bought a decent 4x4 that we now use for touring, might take a little longer to get to our destination but it's way less stressful on the wallet.
I have diverted my attention away slightly from private flying due to the high costs and bought a decent 4x4 that we now use for touring, might take a little longer to get to our destination but it's way less stressful on the wallet.
A Victorian automobile club magazine suggested a couple of years ago that the average cost of running a 4x4 is in excess of $250 a week based on average kms. That starts to make my aircraft look cheap. We all need to understand these days that these toys are starting to cost a lot, especially those with engines that run on fossil fuels. Buy a yacht I say.
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A Yacht!!!!!! You have to be joking. I've been told by many people that the best and most accurate simulator you can use to experience yachting is to stand in a cold shower in winter similtaniously tearing up $100 notes and watching them flush down the drain.
Yeah Rutan, take that either way. A yacht has the potential to make an aircraft look very cheap indeed !
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A lot of Yanks express running costs this way. Take all the costs that occur whether you fly or not and apply them to the first hour for the year.
eg hangar, hangar insurance, annual,unforseens and aircraft insurance if applicable. In my case that first hour costs about $4,000 However every hour after that only costs about $50. It makes the thought of an 8 hour trip much more palatable especially for Mrs RA.
eg hangar, hangar insurance, annual,unforseens and aircraft insurance if applicable. In my case that first hour costs about $4,000
However every hour after that only costs about $50. It makes the thought of an 8 hour trip much more palatable especially for Mrs RA.
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Arnold E,
The labour charge is what it would have been had I gone to you or anyone else. Perhaps even more. Including doing all the drawings etc.
This was a big job. I did it myself and with some of my staff and plane partner.
The labour charge is what it would have been had I gone to you or anyone else. Perhaps even more. Including doing all the drawings etc.
This was a big job. I did it myself and with some of my staff and plane partner.
I did just on 100 hours in the 172 over the last 12 months, a bit less than I normally do. That first hour cost me a tad over $6500. That included maintenance, insurance and some other small incidental fixed costs. There was no provision made for the hangaring of the aircraft ( the hangar's mine, but it still costs).
After that it cost me $70 an hour to fly the thing. The equates to $135 an hour over the last 12 months. The were no funds set aside for the engine or prop reserve, or for the avionics upgrade that will have to be done within the next couple of years.
The 210 also did 100 hours last year and the costs associated with that machine are exactly twice what they were for the 172.
Over the next couple of years I'll have to fork out dollars for the SID's on both aircraft and also the for the costs associated with making the aircraft ADS-B compliant. I don't expect to get much change if any, out of $45,000. There'll be no gain what so ever from a safety point of view, nor from an operational point of view. Thank you CAsA and AsA. Shafted yet again.
After that it cost me $70 an hour to fly the thing. The equates to $135 an hour over the last 12 months. The were no funds set aside for the engine or prop reserve, or for the avionics upgrade that will have to be done within the next couple of years.
The 210 also did 100 hours last year and the costs associated with that machine are exactly twice what they were for the 172.
Over the next couple of years I'll have to fork out dollars for the SID's on both aircraft and also the for the costs associated with making the aircraft ADS-B compliant. I don't expect to get much change if any, out of $45,000. There'll be no gain what so ever from a safety point of view, nor from an operational point of view. Thank you CAsA and AsA. Shafted yet again.
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the RAAUS option isnt to bad, Nice metal 2 seaters can be had now for around $50K, my Savannah, 90kts cruise, costs about $50K for a low time one, insurance about $2200PA, fuel burn at 18ltrs/hr of Premium Unleaded at approx $1.70 Ltr. so about $30 an hour fuel. Hangarage, variable. But at Bankstown, Not cheap. 100hrlys usually around $500 if nothing wrong, which is most of the time with 912., and about $100 in replaced parts such as filters, plugs etc.
our avionics upgrade at 1000hrs, twin Ipad minis, twin AHRS units, independently powered, and MGl engine monitor, total about $2000, for 2 screen glass cockpit with complete digital information in PFD, including pitot derived airspeed, and static. GPS,Mag compass. and even ADSB in! software is free.
Comparable performance in cruise to a C152, far better take off and landing performance, but at half of less of the running costs, and an aircraft built in this millenium.
our avionics upgrade at 1000hrs, twin Ipad minis, twin AHRS units, independently powered, and MGl engine monitor, total about $2000, for 2 screen glass cockpit with complete digital information in PFD, including pitot derived airspeed, and static. GPS,Mag compass. and even ADSB in! software is free.
Comparable performance in cruise to a C152, far better take off and landing performance, but at half of less of the running costs, and an aircraft built in this millenium.
the RAAUS option isnt to bad
Sadly this keeps me in a GA registered flying machine
Comparable performance in cruise to a C152, far better take off and landing performance, but at half of less of the running costs, and an aircraft built in this millenium.
Dr
It should also be noted that you don't need to be registered RA-Aus to fly a light and fast single seater.
My GA costs are less than RA-Aus as I don't pay annual rego and I don't pay RA-Aus membership. Based on my insurance compared to previous poster Ultralights, I'm not losing out there either.
My GA costs are less than RA-Aus as I don't pay annual rego and I don't pay RA-Aus membership. Based on my insurance compared to previous poster Ultralights, I'm not losing out there either.