Operating Costs Spreadsheet for SE aircraft
 

Hi,

Would anyone have a useful spreadsheet which explains the yearly operating costs of a potential SE a/c purchase?...to include maintenance, hanger costs, depreciation, insurance, engine/prop servicing etc?

I saw one in a flight mag and didn't make a note of the title or issue no. (wasn't so interesting to me last year as it is this year).

Any help appreciated.
Thanks

If you do a search on google, I cant find the link, there is a site that has a full breakdown of operating costs of nearly every aircraft from PA38 to B200. :ok:

Bear in mind there will be huge variations, e.g. hangarage can be had for £100/month "up norff" or £600/month "down in the rich and crowded south east" :)

It's also very difficult to do a spreadsheet type of thing for unscheduled maintenance because by definition it is unpredictable. The probability varies strongly according the the age of the airframe, but avionics come into it strongly, and past history but that is often difficult or impossible to get a grip on when you are buying it.

No real need for a spreadsheet.

Hangarage

In my area (midlands) you are looking at £2500 - £3500 at a licensed airfield or about £1000 - £1500 on a strip. Check your area by asking around

Insurance

For a PA28 / C172 you are typically looking at around £2000 (assuming a 1970’s aircraft). A 2 seat permit machine would be around £500 - £1000. Ask around for Spain

Maintenance

An average of £4500 to £5500 all in on a C of A machine per year. Note this is the likely average over 5 years, it is likely to cost more in the first year as your new maintenance organisation gets to know the aircraft.
Fuel

Assume a number of hours usage and look up the LPH for the aircraft you are looking at. 100 hours in a 180hp is likely to cost you around £5000 at UK prices

Depreciation

This is a hard one as some aircraft types have lost 25 – 30% in the last few years and others have appreciated by 10 – 15%. Something with low operating costs is a safe bet.

Engine fund

Take the cost of replacement divide by the number of hours left before TBO and add this to your hourly cost. A typical spamcan engine with 500 hours on it and a TBO of 2000 would come out around £15 per hour.

Hope that helps

Rod1

Unless the plane is old (30 years plus) the depreciation is likely to be dominant.

Whether depreciation should be taken into account on a private plane is another debate ;) because if you did that with everything, you would never buy anything :)

If you are wondering if you can afford it, you can't.

Or maybe someone who actually is aware of how much money they spend. I think unless your exceptionally wealthy, you'd have to be pretty stupid to purchase an aircraft without having a consideration of all the costs and an awareness of how much it would cost you monthly/annually.

I work for some of the 'ulta wealthy' with multiple super toys (jets, superyachts etc), and we submit proposals and budgets for each on a yearly basis... Maybe I should advise the owner of your logic and see what he says...

The way I look at it is this:

If you want to play at the ICAO-certified piston level, you need to be able to write a cheque for £20k at any time. (Obviously you hope you won't have to).

If you want to play at the next level up (turboprops) make that a £200k cheque.

That's the kind of extra funding which is needed beyond the purchase price :)

Thank you...
 

...to everyone for replying. I found a good website which basically confirmed what Rod1 was saying.

My idea has a business application, not private (but that was outside the scope of this thread).

To Sternone: not sure if your comment was in humour or not. In case it wasn't, please read "Power vs Force" by David R Hawkins, MD, Phd. Maybe very enlightening for you.

Warmest regards to all.

Sternone

As Lightheart seems something of a misnomer I just thought I'd let you know I'm with you on that one. I had to ask and I can't afford it. :ok: