How much do you spend per month on flying?

Ever since I became a family guy I have had a lot less money so I've approached it from a different way. I give myself ~$4000 per year to fly in addition to costs for renters insurance + a medical every couple years.
 
Interesting thread. I am just getting started working on my PPL. Once I get the PPL completed, if I set aside $1000/mo, is that even a realistic number to do some flying?

I have not yet decided if I will buy something on my own, a partnership or rent. I figgure I have quite a bit of time before I cross that bridge.

Other than flying local out of KPTK, typical missions from the Detroit area would be to Washington DC, Raleigh NC and Venice FL a couple times a year.
 
SethV said:
Interesting thread. I am just getting started working on my PPL. Once I get the PPL completed, if I set aside $1000/mo, is that even a realistic number to do some flying?

I have not yet decided if I will buy something on my own, a partnership or rent. I figgure I have quite a bit of time before I cross that bridge.

Other than flying local out of KPTK, typical missions from the Detroit area would be to Washington DC, Raleigh NC and Venice FL a couple times a year.
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Yes. For 4 years I owned a Cherokee 180 and my yearly budget all in, everything included was $12,000+/-20%

It's a little higher now with my Comanche, but it's a reasonable number.
 
SethV said:
Interesting thread. I am just getting started working on my PPL. Once I get the PPL completed, if I set aside $1000/mo, is that even a realistic number to do some flying?

I have not yet decided if I will buy something on my own, a partnership or rent. I figgure I have quite a bit of time before I cross that bridge.

Other than flying local out of KPTK, typical missions from the Detroit area would be to Washington DC, Raleigh NC and Venice FL a couple times a year.
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Totally

If you can turn a wrench and are a DIY not Do It For Me type.

Go get a 150/ Aeronca/ Lus or similar, you could have a good amont of fun for less than 1k mo.
 
SethV said:
Interesting thread. I am just getting started working on my PPL. Once I get the PPL completed, if I set aside $1000/mo, is that even a realistic number to do some flying?

I have not yet decided if I will buy something on my own, a partnership or rent. I figgure I have quite a bit of time before I cross that bridge.

Other than flying local out of KPTK, typical missions from the Detroit area would be to Washington DC, Raleigh NC and Venice FL a couple times a year.
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I would think so, and if you split fixed costs with a partner, very realistic.
 
I haven't had enough time with my Cherokee 180 to determine yearly/monthly costs yet, but without considering the first annual when I bought her, I am expecting about $12,000 to $15,000 per year.
 
Around $1K a month. I do a lot of cross country (Dallas, Tulsa, KC, etc...)
 
I have absolutely no idea, best to keep it that way.
 
I average 200 gallons per month. So that varies depending where i go. I guess all in 2500 per month.
 
I spent about $800 in fuel last month but that includes several out of state trips.. It seems like I average around $500 but anything less than that I start having "flying withdraws" !!:goofy:
 
I wouldn't know. My wife pays the bills. It's amazing how much it costs just to sit in the hangar.
 
Abram said:
My experience has been different. You can operate a nice turboprop aircraft for about $10k-$15k per month. The jet is about 30% more than the turboprop.

Abram Finkelstein
N48KY
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Did Ky Hornbaker give up his Eclipse. I thought that was his reg. number.
 
kmead said:
I wouldn't know. My wife pays the bills. It's amazing how much it costs just to sit in the hangar.
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Just the opposite for me: if my wife ever figures out how much I spend on flying, I'll have to sleep out in the hangar :hairraise: :yikes:
 
I purchased my plane outright and don't include it in calculating costs (which I don't really care about or worry about anyway). I figure I don't have a country club membership, crack or whore habit ... so I must be saving tons:lol:

Hangar $140/month
Insurance $ 67/month
Annual $ 70/month

Fuel is $5.50 a gallon in my area now. If I'm putzing around the local area, I dial to bottom of the green arc and usually have a 7.0 to 7.7 GPH burn. Most of my flights are XC. I normally burn 70-80 gallons on these trips to California or central Texas (same distance practically) averaging at least 5 big XC's per year.

Maintenance has been zero to $2500 per year, depending on events.
 
evapilotaz said:
Oh the Whore habit. Now that is the reason I cannot own my own airplane. I thought it was the Pool, RV, boat, Wife and kids was the reason.
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Am guessing you're not past 40 yet ... tips below:

Pool = do the work yourself. Don't buy chemicals at the pool store
RV = Hopefully plane and not the road version. If road version, dump it they never get used enough.
Boat = Rent them - same as RV above (road version)
Wife = Remind her how beautiful she is and does't need all that make-up or accessorizing ... you'll save enough for a plane right here
Kids = (above 14 under 19) go get a job cutting grass in the summer. Buy your own Xbox games, etc.

See how easy that was!:lol:
 
I'm early forties. My kids say I'm old as dirt.


Pool = do the work yourself. Don't buy chemicals at the pool store

My pool is under construction. I could have purchase a airplane for what it cost. :mad2: see picture below. Gotta have a pool in AZ

RV = Hopefully plane and not the road version. If road version, dump it they never get used enough.

Not the airplane. :mad2: 2013 32 Winnebago travel trailer. Used enough to justify the cost and get the kids away from their Video Games Except the Travel trailer does have two LED tvs with multi entertainment system. :dunno:

Boat = Rent them - same as RV above (road version)

Boat is up for sale. Family lost interest in boating. :dunno:

Wife = Remind her how beautiful she is and does't need all that make-up or accessorizing ... you'll save enough for a plane right here

Lost cause there. :nono:


Kids = (above 14 under 19) go get a job cutting grass in the summer. Buy your own Xbox games, etc.

Agree. :yes:
 

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Damn this thread!

I just added it all up...

$4300/month

I just pray that my wife doesn't do this same computation...

:eek:
 
jspilot;1580019[B said:
]I'm curious to get some feedback from people about how much each of us spends per month to fly. I'm most interested in hearing from people who own their own plane[/B].......
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Whatever it takes.....

Hey... Addiction is Addiction......:yes:........;)
 
EdFred said:
Yes. For 4 years I owned a Cherokee 180 and my yearly budget all in, everything included was $12,000+/-20%

It's a little higher now with my Comanche, but it's a reasonable number.
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That's about spot on. The Bonanza is a rounding error more expensive. I spend about $15,000/yr on owning/flying.
 
So far this year I have burned 390 gal. per month.
 
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