If it flies, floats or... what if it rolls?
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If it flies, floats or... what if it rolls?
A famous proverb states:
"If it flies, floats or *****, do not buy it!"
What if it rolls?
The most produced thing that flies is Cessna 172. It accommodates one driver and 3 passengers. A Cessna 172R weighs 736 kg empty, and maximum takeoff weight is 1113 kg. It is powered by one 4 cylinder engine, displacing 5,9 l and producing 160 horsepower. With this, it can achieve 228 km/h speed.
A Cessna 172R costs about $240 000. There are plenty of planes dearer than that - it is no problem getting a plane a thousand times the price (B777 or A380).
A thing that rolls, for a similar price, is Bentley Arnage. About $250 000. It also has one pilot and normally three passenger seats. The curb weight is over 2500 kg. It is powered by 8 cylinder engine displacing 6,75 l and producing 500 horsepower. It travels at 288 km/h.
There are few cars dearer than Arnage. Bentley Azure, Rolls-Royce, Maybach. All under $400 000. And that is all.
How would the fuel needed to travel 100 km by Skyhawk compare with fuel needed to cover 100 km by Arnage?
And how do the rest of operation/maintenance cost compare between Skyhawk and Arnage?
While few cars are dearer than Arnage, plenty are cheaper.
Dacia Logan also has one pilot and 3 passenger seats. It weighs about 1100 kg. The engine displaces about 1,4 l, produces 75 horsepower and moves the car at 160 km/h.
Dacia Logan is worth about $12 000.
Thus, a Bentley Arnage is 20 times the price of Dacia Logan. How many times does the fuel cost differ? And how big is the difference in maintenance costs?
"If it flies, floats or *****, do not buy it!"
What if it rolls?
The most produced thing that flies is Cessna 172. It accommodates one driver and 3 passengers. A Cessna 172R weighs 736 kg empty, and maximum takeoff weight is 1113 kg. It is powered by one 4 cylinder engine, displacing 5,9 l and producing 160 horsepower. With this, it can achieve 228 km/h speed.
A Cessna 172R costs about $240 000. There are plenty of planes dearer than that - it is no problem getting a plane a thousand times the price (B777 or A380).
A thing that rolls, for a similar price, is Bentley Arnage. About $250 000. It also has one pilot and normally three passenger seats. The curb weight is over 2500 kg. It is powered by 8 cylinder engine displacing 6,75 l and producing 500 horsepower. It travels at 288 km/h.
There are few cars dearer than Arnage. Bentley Azure, Rolls-Royce, Maybach. All under $400 000. And that is all.
How would the fuel needed to travel 100 km by Skyhawk compare with fuel needed to cover 100 km by Arnage?
And how do the rest of operation/maintenance cost compare between Skyhawk and Arnage?
While few cars are dearer than Arnage, plenty are cheaper.
Dacia Logan also has one pilot and 3 passenger seats. It weighs about 1100 kg. The engine displaces about 1,4 l, produces 75 horsepower and moves the car at 160 km/h.
Dacia Logan is worth about $12 000.
Thus, a Bentley Arnage is 20 times the price of Dacia Logan. How many times does the fuel cost differ? And how big is the difference in maintenance costs?
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How would the fuel needed to travel 100 km by Skyhawk compare with fuel needed to cover 100 km by Arnage?
But the plane would be much faster than any car, due to lack of traffic and lack of speed limits.
Scheduled maintenance is also similar between my TB20 and my 3 litre imported Toyota. A regular service on either is likely to be £500 if you take it to a company.
An old plane will have occassional massive maintenance suprises (of the order of £10k) which you won't get on a car, and if you did you would scrap it. And an equally old car will be scrap already because it fails the emissions, rust around suspension attachments, etc.
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I drive a Lexus too; does 23mpg and is definitely a lot nicer than a 172, better heater too.
But it ain't anywhere even remotely as quick as the TB20, airport to airport. Even foot on the floor, breaking every speed limit on (this is the most favourable case for a car) a long non-UK continental motorway journey and driving like Clarkson's stuntmen pretend to be doing, the TB20 would still be twice as fast. It would also be far less stressful; just sitting there on the autopilot.
But it ain't anywhere even remotely as quick as the TB20, airport to airport. Even foot on the floor, breaking every speed limit on (this is the most favourable case for a car) a long non-UK continental motorway journey and driving like Clarkson's stuntmen pretend to be doing, the TB20 would still be twice as fast. It would also be far less stressful; just sitting there on the autopilot.
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25 year old bentley can be had around £5 to10 thousand
14 mpg about normal.....so fuel is similar.
road tax £200 pa, insurance about £250, fully comp. wedding hire, 4 named drivers, 3,000 miles/year (you fly 30 hours @100mph average? )
increase the mileage to 5,000 for about £50.
annual MOT test £50....maintenance....6,000 service around£400
medium service about £600 ....major about 900-1200.
tyres £200 a corner...front axle-set brake pads (2 calipers each wheel)
£40...oil/filter just over 2 gallons-filter under £10.
hangarage.....you need a bigger garage than the average Wimpey-built breeding-box provides....or leave it out for the neighbour's envy and their kids' vandalism 9no tie-downs needed
Nothing clever about the servicing, the full workshop CD and the full parts CD are on the net for less than £15 the pair.
I prefer the "silver lady" version myself...after 3 years mine needed a new exhaust-full stainless system from a writeoff =£300 +2 days work remove/refit (6 silencers,twin system) now needs paint and the rear window leaks, ruining the boot-trim.-broke a headlamp, £150 secondhand.
If I spent £1,000 i'd have a very tidy,elegant Rolls, FAR more prestigious than any Lexus or Range-Rover.
given the recession, if I dumped it on the market now, I'd expect to lose £2,000 depreciation over my ownership....with spares/repairs, make that £3k.
Only Permit-aircraft come at that sort of cost....slower, colder and you can't park in town, so you'd STILL need wheels!
With a Certificate A/C you don't have the option on DIY maintenance,or "alternative" sources of components.
(if you went to a Rolls or Bentley agents, it'd probably cost you £100 per breath you draw whilst it's in their workshop
-so, yes, like owning a plane, really 
14 mpg about normal.....so fuel is similar.
road tax £200 pa, insurance about £250, fully comp. wedding hire, 4 named drivers, 3,000 miles/year (you fly 30 hours @100mph average? )
increase the mileage to 5,000 for about £50.
annual MOT test £50....maintenance....6,000 service around£400
medium service about £600 ....major about 900-1200.
tyres £200 a corner...front axle-set brake pads (2 calipers each wheel)
£40...oil/filter just over 2 gallons-filter under £10.
hangarage.....you need a bigger garage than the average Wimpey-built breeding-box provides....or leave it out for the neighbour's envy and their kids' vandalism 9no tie-downs needed
Nothing clever about the servicing, the full workshop CD and the full parts CD are on the net for less than £15 the pair.
I prefer the "silver lady" version myself...after 3 years mine needed a new exhaust-full stainless system from a writeoff =£300 +2 days work remove/refit (6 silencers,twin system) now needs paint and the rear window leaks, ruining the boot-trim.-broke a headlamp, £150 secondhand.
If I spent £1,000 i'd have a very tidy,elegant Rolls, FAR more prestigious than any Lexus or Range-Rover.
given the recession, if I dumped it on the market now, I'd expect to lose £2,000 depreciation over my ownership....with spares/repairs, make that £3k.
Only Permit-aircraft come at that sort of cost....slower, colder and you can't park in town, so you'd STILL need wheels!
With a Certificate A/C you don't have the option on DIY maintenance,or "alternative" sources of components.
(if you went to a Rolls or Bentley agents, it'd probably cost you £100 per breath you draw whilst it's in their workshop
-so, yes, like owning a plane, really
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Ooops,
When I read "rolls" I though I could be a participant in another complete slagging about grey zone legal aerobatics in Cessnas! Sorry, I'll go back out into the snow now...
When I read "rolls" I though I could be a participant in another complete slagging about grey zone legal aerobatics in Cessnas! Sorry, I'll go back out into the snow now...
