Operating cost for a RV-9A

[Canadian Flyer]

Hi all.

I'm a low time pilot, and first time posting on a forum like this. I've been looking around at different planes, and I really like the RV 9a. Just wondering, though, what the hourly operating costs are, things like fuel and money set aside for engine reserve. What sort of fuel fuel burn do you get on average?

I'd be curious to hear from some owners who can speak to this out of experience. Thanks!

[Mike S]

Hi there, welcome to VAF

[esco]

That's my fuel cost.

Specifics:
Carbureted O-320-E2d, Fixed Pitch Sensenich, p-mags, running very lean in cruise, typically 9500-11,500' and 150-160 mph TAS.
Tie-down rings in a pocket until I land.

Economy is very important to me; I monitor engine/aircraft performance closely on every flight, and have observed >0.5 gph improvement
in economy with the p-mags. I don't own stock in E-Mag ignitions, but I do like their products.

I specifically do not have an aircraft engine reserve (); when performance/diagnostic results warrant, I'll consider my options and make a decision.


(I don't know anyone that socks away funds to replace a daily commuter engine -of much higher utility-, a show car or bike engine, or a boat engine; given
my intention to surpass TBO significantly, tying up otherwise liquid funds for an unknown period of time is... silly. To my mind, engine reserve funds would
be much better used to pay down debt, make select mods, ... or buy avgas. )

YMMV.

[flyboy1963]

I sent you a little PM ( private message in the top right corner, if you aren't familiar).

I bought a 9a with a fixed pitch metal prop, and low-compression 0-320 Lyc. typical of this model.
the ship has only 100 hours on it, so not much has worn out. Each year at annual, I typically change the oil, and the odd hose or clamp, and may have some avionics recertification to do, so that can run 2 or $300.
I'm still on the original tires, brake pads etc., but lets say they are due, that's another couple c-notes, so over the 5 years and 100 hours, I've spent about $400 a year, or 20 hour block of time. ( if results not typical, not my fault!)

you can add insurance, I carry $85,000 hull and 'in motion' insurance, hardly fly, and have low hours, so they charge me about $1800 a year. ( COPA/ marsh is my current plan)
I tie down on grass, which costs $560 a year here, and yes, it sucks in several ways, but hangar are $500 a month, and that would suck up my entire avgas budget.

on that note, I burn about 7 USgals an hour, with all the conversions, about $50 an hour, but I rarely go far or above 8,000', so economy is not optimal.
( 2 mags, ......electronic ignition on a shelf, in the garage!)
speaking of that, I probably spend double the previous numbers annually buying tools, cleaners, that new headset on VAF, GPS and other gadgets, some end up in the plane, lots are sitting on the shelf in my garage, annoying my spouse.

[rv9av8tr]

Putting around local area (throttled back) ~135 mph or over 11K ft WOT, 2300 RPM CS prop, leaned LOP, 165 TAS mph, I run 5-6 GPH.

Full power ops at 8K ft, WOT, 2600 RPM, ROP, 190 mph I run around 9-10 gph.

IO-320 D3G, 160 hp, Hartzel CS prop. 1 Mag, 1 LSE Ign.

The rest of your expenses are pretty much fixed.

From my flight testing of an RV-8A with an IO-360, I found the same cruise fuel burns at the same airspeeds as my -9A. In fact, in 2012 three of us flew together from Portland, OR to OSH. RV-8 and 2 RV-9A's with a mix of carbs & FI, fixed and CS props... we were all within 1 gal total of each other at our fuel stops.

These are VERY economical & comfortable airplanes!

[Greg Arehart]

I was just calculating this the other day.... if one includes the cost of my hangar, maintenance, fuel, insurance, hypothetical engine reserve (=cost of engine divided by expected hours, which I arbitrarily put at 2000 but hope to go to 3000 or more), etc. I came up with about $100/hour assuming I fly 100 hours/year. Very round number. If you take only fuel and essential maintenance costs (i.e., not upgrades), I probably spent about $50-60/hour over the past 5 years. Fuel burn on my IO-360 averages about 7.5 gph and $5 avgas. (note this does not include the cost (~$10k) of my cylinder failure 3 years ago, which was NOT covered by either the manufacturer or insurance).

Greg

[simpkinsona]

My 9a has been very economical. I have a Subaru engine so my engine reserve is very low (3000 dollars for a new engine). Fuel burn is 6.5 GPH at 150kts. I do all the work myself (which so far is oil, sparkplugs, timing belt, air filter, tires, brakes, etc). Insurance for 54,000 hull is 1000 per year. Use auto gas with ethanol so I save more there.

I figure direct cost is about 40 dollars per hour wet. Fixed cost is hanger, insurance, and taxes. All in it's about 8500 per year for 100 hours.

-Andy

[Rupester]

Just a few weeks ago I tallied up ALL my flying costs for Sept '12 to Sept '13, one full year of flying (including Phase I). The all-in cost (i.e. hangar, insurance, fuel, parts, maintenance, annual subscriptions (Wx, iPad, etc)) worked out to $84/hr over ~100 hrs. There is no engine reserve in that number. The average fuel burn was just a tad over 6 gph. I was pleased with that number .... you can't rent a C172 around here for less than $135/hr wet, and most run higher than that. Last I checked, the Diamond DA-20s were $150 to $160/hr.

[Canadian Flyer]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for the replies. It's been a while since I was able to be on here, but the replies to my question are appreciated!

Another question(s)!

Certified planes like the cessnas or pipers need to undergo annual inspections etc. I understand that with the homebuilds like the RV, all the work can be signed off by the builder / owner. What does that look like practically? I don't have any mechanics background at all, and I'm not sure I would be comfortable doing any serious work on the engine.

How do other RV owners deal with this? What are the maintenance requirements for the planes? How much engine taking apart happens with your annual inspection?

One of my friends wants to share a plane, but he's looking into things like Piper Aero or a Maule. Of course with planes like that you spend a fair bit of money on maintenance, but is a non-mechanic like myself really going to be saving money on maintenance with an RV?

Looking forward to reading your replies!

[PIN 37]

. I understand that with the homebuilds like the RV, all the work can be signed off by the builder

I think that the most important word in the above sentence is builder.If you buy the aircraft you cannot maintain it. In other words, it is exactly like a certified aircraft in respect to maint. You are very limited to what you can do and you would have to get a LAME (or other licenced person) to do the work and sign it off. I know the rules are different in each country, but I am fairly sure that something like this would be the case in Canada.