air operators certificate

[david.crosby]

Hey guys,

I am in university and one of the assignments is create an airline, Do you guys know how much a air operators certificate would cost in the uk. The aircraft will be a ATR42-500.
Thanks

[Mark 1]

This maybe is what you are after.

[Cyrano]

Plus of course the (likely considerably greater) cost of hiring experienced people to write your manuals which will form part of the process. You can't just wander into the CAA armed with nothing but a cheque and say "I'd like an AOC, please."...

[hawker750]

David
The answers so far have not been vey helpful, have they. To obtain an AOC is a very expensive and time consuming business and if you put the true cost of doing it your airline would never get off the ground, or if it did it would be burdened with debt before the first passenger paid for a ticket.
For a small start up with 2 or 3 small aircraft (ATR's) the best bet would be to "piggy back" somebody elses AOC. This way you get legal easily and, more importantly, quickly. I would hazard a guess that another operator would provide this service for about £5,000 per aircraft per month. Put this in your spreadsheet and at least you have something to work with. Good luck with your project,. Are you at Loughborough by any chance?

[xtypeman]

This is in essence a very difficult question to answer. A guestement around £1m to £2m depending on a lot of varibles. As Cyrano says its not so much a direct cost but the cost of the infrastructure that is required to be put into place. But you would need to proportion out the cost of that infrastructure. Take an ATR you need it to be able to get an AOC but what percentage of the operating cost would you put towards the certificate only. Even the cost required by the CAA are variable, SRG outline a fee based on x number of hours to say approve manuals. Go over that time and cost rise. The suggestion of hosting on an AOC is in theory a lot cheaper but the CAA in the UK(not inrespect of IOM etc) frown against that with that simple answer. You want to operate an ATR in your name then you need your own AOC. As they say been there seen it done it.

XT

[BUGS/BEARINGS/BOXES]

As apple say....theres an app for that, the CAA says...theres a CAP for that. Have a look on their site.

[sk8erboi]

Disagree with £1-2m.
A lot depends on how you allocate overheads. Eg a DFO. Can be a pilot so are you allocating him as a pilot or just a DFO? A lot of post holders can fulfil a role which would need staff anyway without allocating it to the AOC column.
Maintenance control is contracted out with only a few aircraft.

I performed this exercise for a Premier some time ago. Seem to remember set up was in the 100k band. With annual costs around 60k. This included Part M. Obviously fees for an ATR will be a lot more but even still 1-2m could be a bit extreme.

[777AV8R]

AOC Costs...

The costs most definitely will vary depending on how one develops their Operations Manuals. My experience has shown that operators wishing to 'do it themselves', end up spending more money than if they'd contracted the services of someone who knows how to write the books.

There are many who profess to know what/how to write them but I've read and rejected a lot of garbage.

Spend the extra and get a professional to get the work done. AND..don't buy the aircraft until the approval signatures are about to be placed on the first page of the OM.....and..the costs, depending on the complexity of the operation can run upward to 500K to 750K.

[aviamanuals]

AOC Manuals Air Operator Certificate

Hi Guys, does anyone need help or a copy of a manual(s) for an AOC Air Operator Certificate? I have everything you need if, drop me an email.