How much did plane ownership cost you in 2024?

What was your all in cost to own a plane (ex nice to have upgrades)

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Higher than normal this year due to resealing both tanks and replacing fuel senders. Happens every 10 years or so.

As a first year plane owner expect 2 years of extra maintenance to bring your aircraft back into tiptop shape. Sellers almost always leave a pile of deferred maintenence to fix, or have lower standards than you do.
 
Usually fuel MX insurance hangar and data, in descending order. The total varies, doubling some years, including 2024 mainly due to the decadal chute repack. The $1.50 hotdog at Costco helps me afford the occasional beans.
 
It is expensive owning an old plane. But with all the unexpected maintenance and new parts I'm slowly turning my old airplane into a new airplane.

This month's unexpected project was carburetor overhaul. You can't really put a price on this kind of fun.

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I was actually on track to spend nothing other than hangar, insurance, fuel, and oil changes this year. No unexpected maintenance for the first time since I bought her.

Then the engine had to come apart. Again.

I would've been around 10K+fuel had that not happened. I don't track fuel anymore, but I'm guessing it was somewhere between $7500-10k based on my hours and burn rate.

I used to have an airplane budget line item. I had engine reserves, avionics reserves, general MX reserves. I tracked everything. Then came the first 20k annual. The budget survived that, barely. Then the HSI quit and I needed a G5. That ate up all the remaining reserves. Then the engine quit. I was so far in the hole I didn't even want to know any more. Haven't tracked it since.
 
Jim K said:
I was actually on track to spend nothing other than hangar, insurance, fuel, and oil changes this year. No unexpected maintenance for the first time since I bought her.

Then the engine had to come apart. Again.

I would've been around 10K+fuel had that not happened. I don't track fuel anymore, but I'm guessing it was somewhere between $7500-10k based on my hours and burn rate.

I used to have an airplane budget line item. I had engine reserves, avionics reserves, general MX reserves. I tracked everything. Then came the first 20k annual. The budget survived that, barely. Then the HSI quit and I needed a G5. That ate up all the remaining reserves. Then the engine quit. I was so far in the hole I didn't even want to know any more. Haven't tracked it since.
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I have an aviation budget / checking account that is separate from personal finances. Rarely am I allowed to use "Our money" for "My Hobby" lol!
Every time the aviation account gets a good amount of funds, the plane makes a new noise.
 
I have never added it up, don't want to know.
Only thing I know is I was spending over a 1000 a month on fuel. Only reason I know is one month I added up my fuel bill on my CC statement. Last time I did that.
6 years later my plane is up to snuff and haven't spent much on it in the last year or so. First 3-4 years I spent a ton on it getting it up to date.
 
I spent $42K on a rebuilt engine, then paid $5K for shipping (That covered both shipping the new engine, and returning the core) and about $11K to have the old one removed and the new one installed. All together, the engine replacement cost more than half as much as the whole plane did a decade ago. I'm just hoping it holds its value until it's time to sell it to a new caretaker. It's not a cheap hobby, but it provides consistent and wide smiles when it's flying!
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Flyhound said:
I spent $42K on a rebuilt engine, then paid $5K for shipping (That covered both shipping the new engine, and returning the core) and about $11K to have the old one removed and the new one installed. All together, the engine replacement cost more than half as much as the whole plane did a decade ago.
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What a bargain. Try 120% of [the] "whole airplane did a decade ago".

fwiw, if the ratio had been as you suggested, I think the price risk would have penciled out for me. OEM powerplant pricing these days is inversely proportional on a per/hp basis, which makes it a very price regressive proposition at the lower end. There is also a marked lack of options in the 160-180hp EAB market, which puts you right back into the OEM powerplant morass of fac-built.
 
Flew 350 hrs in my C150. Guesstimate I spent 18k in fuel and oil. My annual came to 2k.


Bought it in Aug 23 for 30k. spent another 30k to get it fixed up and ifr ready. I have flown it 400 hr since purchase. it's been a good time building bird.
Looking forward to 2024 ending. 800 hrs logged the past 12 months. I can almost taste that 1500 mark.
 
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For just expenses related to owning, operation and upgrades, not costs for being a pilot...about $212 an hour, wet. For 115 Hours. I don't mind keeping track, I'm going to do it anyway. :) Really, renting a 172 around here, with taxes, would be similar. This way I have a pretty cool taildragger to do what I want when I want. I like it.
 
Cessna 414:
Annual with squawks $21,000
New paint $38,000
Air conditioner repair $4800
New tug (on order) $11,000
Insurance $4500
Fuel $10,000
Avionics deposit sent this month $37,000
Hangar construction deposit paid

Cessna 182Q:
Annual $4500
Fuel $5500
Avionics $28,000

Now I wish I hadn’t added all this up!
 
N747JB said:
Cessna 414:
Annual with squawks $21,000
New paint $38,000
Air conditioner repair $4800
New tug (on order) $11,000
Insurance $4500
Fuel $10,000
Avionics deposit sent this month $37,000
Hangar construction deposit paid
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not gonna lie, this makes me wanna throw up a little
 
I’m not sure the question is clear. Ownership and operating costs are not the same

I would characterize ownership costs as those which must be paid, regardless of if you fly or not. Insurance, hangar, database, annual,etc. in my spreadsheets I call this overhead.

Then there’s the cost to operate the damn machine. Fuel, oil/oil changes, reserve for engine/propellor, etc

The more you fly, the higher price paid overall for consumables, but the fixed overhead costs are spread out over the hours, resulting in a “lower” hourly operating cost

For example, my fixed costs to hangar and maintain an airworthy Cessna R172K is about $8300, whether I fly it or not. My current operating costs at $6 a gallon for 100LL is $97.47 an hour.

I fly about 125 hours a year, so my total cost is about $20300, which boils down to $162 an hour total cost. Flying 200 hours a year drops the cost to $137 an hour ($27,600 total)

So what’s the real question here? It is possible to control some of the fixed costs, but not so much the consumable cost. Your choice of airframe will drive both get a cheap C150, and your numbers may be half of what I mention. Buy a Cirrus, you can double them. Choice is yours

I can share my excel spreadsheets if you need an example
 
Steve Knoblock said:
So what’s the real question here?
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nothing, it's just boilerplate circle jerk among owners; this stuff is known internally. It's more for the aspirants (presumably) lurking, curious what kind of order of magnitude financial burden they would look at, beyond the typical humblebraggart or deflective non-answers like "all of it!" / "if you have to ask", which are common retorts.
 
My two high end Jetskis are cheaper than owning an Archer, but only marginally. And everyone can pilot them in the family, put 3x more hours per year. Gas is about the same on the water, $6-7 a gallon. 4mpg at 60 MPH.
But I can do my own maintenance that's a plus.
 
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