First Year Costs to fly my RV-7A

[roadrunner20]

Here's the stats on my first full year flying.
Mostly local with not a lot of long cross country flights.

How does this compare to others?

My hangar is my highest fixed expense.
I just need to fly more hours to reduced my hourly expense.

One big surpirse is the low cost to maintain my RV.
Having the ability to do your condition inspection, I've only had to do a brake shoe change and oil changes for maintenance. Otherwise, it's been pretty much maintenance free.


Totals flights: 159
Total Landings: 180
2007 Tach Time Hours: 81
Hobbs time: 112

Total Fuel Used: 716 gals
100LL: 60 gals
93 AF : 656 gals


Fuel cost: $2232
Hangar: $3372
Misc: $ 250 (brake shoes, tires(not installed yet), oil changes...)
Insurance: $ 600 (liability only)

Total $6454

Based on 81 hours TachTime
$79.67/hr

Based on 112 hours Hobbs
$57.62/hr

[arffguy]

Thank You for posting that. Wow, the hangar was half of the expense. So am I reading that right, that you use mostly 93 octane auto fuel? What source? What engine and carb/injection? And Happy New Year!

[Ron Lee]

Seems like this was discussed recently and that 93 octane auto fuel is less when using avgas equivalent rating (verify). It would be interesting to see what the avgas equivalent octane is and what the minimum recommended fuel is.

Piston compression is relevant.

I suspect that a Cessna 172 is over $100/hr wet but have not checked in years.

[roadrunner20]

Originally Posted by arffguy

Thank You for posting that. Wow, the hangar was half of the expense. So am I reading that right, that you use mostly 93 octane auto fuel? What source? What engine and carb/injection? And Happy New Year!

I'm using Sunoco 93 autofuel.
I'm flying a Superior IO-360, forward induction.
Superior recommends any fuel combo, 100LL or other =>91.

[N131RV]

In my per hour costs, I always include the cost of the new engine when I reach TBO.

IE, IO-360-A1B6 overhaul, typically $20,000.

2000 hour TBO = $10/hour for engine reserve.

YMMV.

My costs:

Hangar (I built it) $0 per hour.
Insurance, $1800 per year.
Fuel, 10GPH typical
Oil change $75 every 50 hours.
Oil used 1 quart per 4 hours = $1 hour (or so)
I flew 290 hours this year.
$42 per hour fuel
$10 per hour engine reserve
$6 per hour insurance.

Miscellaneous maintenance, $1200 ($
$4 per hour

Approximate total:
42+10+6+4+1 - $63 per hour (or thereabouts)

Originally Posted by DanLandry

Here's the stats on my first full year flying.
Mostly local with not a lot of long cross country flights.

How does this compare to others?

My hangar is my highest fixed expense.
I just need to fly more hours to reduced my hourly expense.

One big surpirse is the low cost to maintain my RV.
Having the ability to do your condition inspection, I've only had to do a brake shoe change and oil changes for maintenance. Otherwise, it's been pretty much maintenance free.


Totals flights: 159
Total Landings: 180
2007 Tach Time Hours: 81
Hobbs time: 112

Total Fuel Used: 716 gals
100LL: 60 gals
93 AF : 656 gals


Fuel cost: $2232
Hangar: $3372
Misc: $ 250 (brake shoes, tires(not installed yet), oil changes...)
Insurance: $ 600 (liability only)

Total $6454

Based on 81 hours TachTime
$79.67/hr

Based on 112 hours Hobbs
$57.62/hr

[WilburD2]

Originally Posted by Ron Lee

I suspect that a Cessna 172 is over $100/hr wet but have not checked in years.

Thats what the local school is charging for their 172.. Kinda has put a damper on my flying again..

[roadrunner20]

Originally Posted by WilburD2

Thats what the local school is charging for their 172.. Kinda has put a damper on my flying again..

But it's not an RV!

[roadrunner20]

Originally Posted by N131RV

In my per hour costs, I always include the cost of the new engine when I reach TBO.

IE, IO-360-A1B6 overhaul, typically $20,000.

2000 hour TBO = $10/hour for engine reserve.

YMMV.

My costs:

Hangar (I built it) $0 per hour.
Insurance, $1800 per year.
Fuel, 10GPH typical
Oil change $75 every 50 hours.
Oil used 1 quart per 4 hours = $1 hour (or so)
I flew 290 hours this year.
$42 per hour fuel
$10 per hour engine reserve
$6 per hour insurance.

Miscellaneous maintenance, $1200 ($
$4 per hour

Approximate total:
42+10+6+4+1 - $63 per hour (or thereabouts)

Ok, that's great, we're in the same neighbohood.
I don't calculate engine reserve, have cheaper insurance, but have hangar expense, use auto fuel and don't fly enough.
Thanks for the info.

Are you really using 1 qt of oil for every 4 hours?

I don't have the exact data in front of me but figure I use 1 qt every 10-12 hours.

[N131RV]

Originally Posted by DanLandry

Ok, that's great, we're in the same neighbohood.
I don't calculate engine reserve, have cheaper insurance, but have hangar expense, use auto fuel and don't fly enough.
Thanks for the info.

Are you really using 1 qt of oil for every 4 hours?

I don't have the exact data in front of me but figure I use 1 qt every 10-12 hours.

I had some "nuisance" oil leaks that took forever to track down and eliminate. While they were small, they do add up.

I had dropped to about 1 quart per 8 hour (or so).

[Paul Thomas]

If you truly want to know the cost of ownership, you have to add the opportunity cost of having all that money tied up; for me it's 10% which is the average return on stocks. That make owning and building more expensive.

Sometimes it's better not to know...