Those who rent, how often do you fly?

steviedeviant

steviedeviant

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StevieD
Just curious, more than anything, but for those of us who don't yet own our own plane, how much do you get to fly each month? Sometimes I go a couple times a week and sometimes it is a month or more between flights. I was just curious about others....

Also, again, mainly for renters, are you flying to any specific locations you like, or just going up and punching holes in the sky and then returning to FBO.

thanks,
 
When I used to rent, I flew quite infrequently. Some years 50-100 hours but I went as low as 13 hours in one year. In the past 11 years that I have owned a plane, the lowest year was 210 hours but my average is about 280.
 
Well, I just renewed my medical, and I flew 62 hours in the past 6 months. A significant part of that is CAP, but much of that is rental, too (dry Hobbs).

I usually have a destination, but it may involve several approaches or whatever else might be the largest proficiency concern. Plus the occasional Bay Tour, usually with a landing somewhere for a seat change. I seldom fly one passenger, but two is much more common.
 
I fly about 20-50 hours a year while I rent... I expect that number to skyrocket when I own... I'm much happier going on trips paying for just fuel vs paying ~150/hr.
 
I was just curious. Renting is such a pain but I don't think I am ready to buy just yet. I think owning I would fly much more. Sometimes it is a rental scheduling issue - but the most frustrating is that I am in a different plan each time, or I get in the rental and the lights are not working right, etc. As a renter, I was asking because I was curious if my experience is about the same as others. I fly about 2 to 4 hours per month, sometimes 1 to 2 actual flights per month. Being able to fly to a specific destination and keeping the plane overnight is also an issue so i feel a little restricted in renting. So it appears my experience and lower hours is about the same as some of you.
 
I bought an airplane in July. Prior to that I rented. I flew about 50 hours per year as a renter pilot.

I really only rented when I had a real need to travel. Now that I own a plane I fly to fly-in's & stay overnight at places. Something I would never do with a rental airplane.

I also have been flying since 1972 (15 years old) & have a stack of full logbooks. I don't have a real need to fly for more hours or just to bore holes in the sky.
 
I averaged about 14 hours / month renting. I bought a plane in December and expect to do a lot more.
 
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25-50 hours a year. Just called the guy I rent from the other day to see if the plane was available for this weekend and he said he took the insurance off for the winter something he hasn't done in the past. :mad: Ugh. The other plane I fly is in annual should be done soon but is at a grass strip so weather is a big factor and unless I fly it on skis I may not fly it till spring. Very frustrated right now.

One of the other big factors is both planes are 45 mins to an hour away. So a simple one hour flight is a four hour endeavor.
 
As a sport pilot I'm kind of limited as to where i can rent. I currently rent from the FBO that I trained at. I've had my license for over 2.5 years and I'm still under 100 hours. Part of the problem is that the airport I rent from is about an hour from my house. The other nearest place with a sport plane is an hour away. Right now I just try to maintain currency in the plane I'm checked out in so I fly for an hour before 90 days expires. I'm currently building a Zenith CH-750 so maybe then I could fly more often since it'll be kept and the airport that 10 min. from home. Hopefully I'll get an hour in today and maybe tomorrow.
 
In recent years it's been 1-2 hours per year (with an instructor). Having to schedule 2 weeks in advance and having 2/3 of the flights cancelled due to weather is just no fun. I can't wait until I can afford a plane of my own to take out for an hour on a nice evening after work.
 
I have a terrific set up with the FBO I rent from as their planes are frequently available during the weekend as they have nearly 10 planes to rent. I stick to the same 3 172p's and 1 in particular. For around me, the fee I pay is good( 138 dollars wet rate.) Last year I flew 48 hours( about every other week for the 2 hour XC.)

I'd love to fly more. My best year so far I put nearly 60 hours in the logbook. One day I'll own a plane but for now, I'm very happy with the set up I have. I've never really had to not fly because a plane was not available. The only thing that sets me back with renting is I don't do longer flights( like over 2.5 on the Hobbs) because it costs too much. I also don't do full day trips hardly ever because the FBO can( they don't always) charge you a minimum of 3 hours no matter what. If I owned I'd certainly fly further away and my available options of airports to go to would expand but that's really the only difference.
 
Availability is scarce, so rare opportunity to be allowed use for more than a couple hours at a time.
Typically get in 6-10 hours per month, although did double that this past year.
Last minute / impulse rentals not possible -- plan scheduling 1-2 weeks in advance
 
I used to work weekends and had a couple of days off during week. Last minute rentals were much easier then. Now being off on weekends, it isn't.
 
I though at one time I wouldn't want to buy a plane and just rent - but I think I am going to have to go buy one! Thanks for all the feedback. Sounds like as far as the renters go, I am flying about as much as some of the replies.
 
steviedeviant said:
I was just curious. Renting is such a pain but I don't think I am ready to buy just yet. I think owning I would fly much more. Sometimes it is a rental scheduling issue - but the most frustrating is that I am in a different plan each time, or I get in the rental and the lights are not working right, etc. As a renter, I was asking because I was curious if my experience is about the same as others. I fly about 2 to 4 hours per month, sometimes 1 to 2 actual flights per month. Being able to fly to a specific destination and keeping the plane overnight is also an issue so i feel a little restricted in renting. So it appears my experience and lower hours is about the same as some of you.
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That is quite opposite my rental experience when I was a renter. Except for multi-day trips (which, admittedly, are troublesome for a number of reasons in a rental), flying was really simple. Nothing to worry about, just push the button to schedule the plane, then get in and go when the time came. If the plane I rented went off-line for some reason, I just switched it to another aircraft. If I bought fuel, I just had to remember to turn in the receipts. Now that I own, there's much accounting to do with the plane. Lots of MX and inspections that are a pain to deal with. If you only own, and your plane is down, you have nothing to fly. (However, mine is on leaseback, so I can just rent one of the other aircraft for a higher price.)

Really depends on where you are. I have the advantage of having nearly 50 aircraft available in my club. I'm checked out on about half of them, so I usually have 20-25 aircraft to pick from. If your local rental outfit has only one or two planes and too many pilots, that can really suck.
 
arnoha said:
That is quite opposite my rental experience when I was a renter. Except for multi-day trips (which, admittedly, are troublesome for a number of reasons in a rental), flying was really simple. Nothing to worry about, just push the button to schedule the plane, then get in and go when the time came. If the plane I rented went off-line for some reason, I just switched it to another aircraft. If I bought fuel, I just had to remember to turn in the receipts. Now that I own, there's much accounting to do with the plane. Lots of MX and inspections that are a pain to deal with. If you only own, and your plane is down, you have nothing to fly. (However, mine is on leaseback, so I can just rent one of the other aircraft for a higher price.)

Really depends on where you are. I have the advantage of having nearly 50 aircraft available in my club. I'm checked out on about half of them, so I usually have 20-25 aircraft to pick from. If your local rental outfit has only one or two planes and too many pilots, that can really suck.
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Good points. That's why I keep my membership at a flying club active. Just in case mine is in service, I can schedule something via the club if need be.
 
Renting is a drag. I want something to call my own. I hope to make that happen this year. I want to jump in my own plane at a moments notice and go flying. I would be fine with a couple of partners.
 
Mtns2Skies said:
I fly about 20-50 hours a year while I rent... I expect that number to skyrocket when I own... I'm much happier going on trips paying for just fuel vs paying ~150/hr.
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Except there's many more expenses that come along with ownership than fuel costs.

You pay an hourly cost whether you rent or own, it's just done in a more indirect, roundabout way.
 
I fly once or twice a year, probably 3-5hrs on average year. It's not so much related to renting as it is time to get out and do it. I travel a lot for work, so when I'm home, I'm completing house projects or enjoying other hobbies. I also have a 5-month old, so free time is increasingly rare at the moment. There's not much to rent other than 172s, so it doesn't make me want to schedule a weekend trip in one.


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I got my PPL in September and bought mine in October. This is very specific to me and my personal psyche but I knew if I rented I would go crazy applying a financial and time equation to every flight and slowly get out of it because it would be cheaper or faster to drive each time. On the other hand, if I owned, I would need justify ownership and fly as much as possible regardless of cost, time or convenience. As crazy as it sounds it's worked so far.

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Ryanb said:
Except there's many more expenses that come along with ownership than fuel costs.

You pay an hourly cost whether you rent or own, it's just done in a more indirect, roundabout way.
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Also true. We'll see what happens this year, but last year, the plane cost me $185 per hour that I flew. Renting, I was paying about $150. Granted, the incremental cost for each hour was around $85. If I'd flown more than my 60 hours in the aircraft (of 70 hours that flew in total), it would have been more cost effective. The rule of thumb that it takes about 100 hours a year to make owning cost effective was actually about spot-on for me.
 
Ryanb said:
Except there's many more expenses that come along with ownership than fuel costs.

You pay an hourly cost whether you rent or own, it's just done in a more indirect, roundabout way.
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Yes, but the more you fly the less the hourly cost ;)
 
I rent. I'm want to fly more but at least once a month. Lately, I usually find someone new to fly down and up the Hudson River SFRA. I'd like to fly more, but between work, family and church, I struggle to match up my free time with good weather. I fly a lot on the holidays. E.G. MLK day, Monday, I'll take 2 more friends down the SFRA, land at 3N6, let the guys switch seats and go back up the SFRA before we return to the home airport.
 
I rent and don't fly nearly as much as I want to. I know owning can be expensive, but the thought of being able to take my plane out, not have to deal with an FBO, not having to pay extra to keep the plane overnight, etc, is very appealing.


Pete
 
At the two FBO/flight schools I worked at, the amount of business we got from just rentals as opposed to training and instruction was VERY small. Nothing inherently wrong with those businesses - just the inconvenience or cost of aircraft rental in general I guess. So that tells you from the other side how much people are renting -- anecdotally though of course.
 
I really like renting because it feels great to park the plane, turn in the keys, and walk away from it. As a VFR pilot, I just don't use a plane for business/pleasure long-distance traveling ever. It's expensive and in the midwest the weather is just too unpredictable to plan around a VFR trip.

I am more of an early bird and nobody wants those 7-9am spots on a Saturday morning. I can usually nab those last minute whenever I want to. I use my rental time to visit airports around me and go to fly-ins and that sort of thing. That was all I really wanted my PPL for in the first place.

So, in my case, while ownership (minus the $$$) would be a really cool liberating feeling it doesn't make much sense for me.
 
I try to fly twice a month, but with winter weather is has gotten hard to do that in the last few months. So I am more in the 30-50 hour per year range. I am sure my use would go way up if I could own, and that is the plan in a few years.
 
Pilots on PoA who rent do not fly enough each month, or don't fly during enough months. For proof, read a few posts in the site and nite the number of antisocial members and the depths of their aggravation. If they flew more each month, their moods would all lighten up!

Then again, it may also be that pilots on PoA who own their planes also do not fly often enough, as their attitudes appear to be just as bad as those who rent!
 
I just went back through my logbook to see the first time I stepped in the airplane. January 11, 2016 was the day I showed up at the airport and took a discovery flight. I finished up my PPL and have rented this whole last year. I have 215 hours to date. Maybe one day I'll own a plane, but my work and travel schedule doesn't allow for me to be in one place long enough to make ownership realistic. I also like the fact that if something breaks, I hand them the keys and it is fixed the next time I show up. I've rented 13 different airplanes from various FBO's, and have flown to 77 different airports. This past year has been a blast! I've had the luxury of spending the most time (93 hours) in a C172M equipped with a 430W for $75 per hour Wet. Getting my pilots license was one of the best decisions I made last year.
 

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Please take a look at a flying club. You split the costs and as long as the ratio of people to plane is not too high, there is lots of availability, you can take the plane out for several days, you split the costs and you have some instant buddies to share flying with. We started up a club about 16 months ago, and we've found that people who rent are trying to avoid the cost commitment of a club and dream of owning a plane without internalizing the fact that the commitment is lots more. If anyone near W29 (Bay Bridge Airport in Stevensville, MD) is looking to bring up their time flying and save some money, look up Chesapeake Flying Club. If you're not in the area, take a look at the AOPA flying club finder for a club near you.
 
When we still were members in a flying club, we tried to fly at least every 2 weeks. It didn't work out that way, but I think, we still flew 30 - 35 hours each, probably even more.

When we owned the Cessna, we flew already significantly more and since we have Mooney, we fly way more per month... :D

There some issues when we still rented, starting with the airport was depending on traffic 45 - 60 minutes away. It was less likely that we went flying in the evening after work. Then taking the plane on short notice was an issue as someone else might had made a reservation for that plane... And finally, issuing checks for X hours for $ 130 each is a HUGE drawback.:confused:;)o_O

We calculated our costs for the Cessna versus renting. Eventhough we were calculating in favor of the club (club dues, hourly fee but not additional work and time or additional money spend for yearly check outs, flight instructors etc) and really every expense we had for the Cessna (hangar, annual, maintenance, oil, ...), we were even with a slight advantage of our Cessna. We never did this calculation for the Mooney but I guess it would be in favour of owning the Mooney rather than renting. Additionally, it would be really hard to find a Mooney for rent... :D

For us the only real disadvantage is that if your plane is in the annual or maintenance, you don't have access to another plane and have to wait until the plane is ready to fly again.

Bottom line is, we flew significantly less when we still rented and weekend trips or longer vacations were less likely but possible.
 
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When I was renting power planes I flew about 25 hours per year, and I think that's pretty typical for a lot of renters. I also suspect that a lot of us kind of fall out of aviation after a few years of slowly declining proficiency brought on by the few hours we fly.
 
FormerHangie said:
When I was renting power planes I flew about 25 hours per year, and I think that's pretty typical for a lot of renters. I also suspect that a lot of us kind of fall out of aviation after a few years of slowly declining proficiency brought on by the few hours we fly.
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That's our commitment then to be going up every other weekend or whatever to practice our skills. Instead of simply traveling, its good to go out occasionally just to do the pattern for awhile or going to a practice area to work on stalls and steep turns. Do the $100 hamburger to a Class C airport just for the experience and flight planning.

I get your point, if you aren't exercising your skills you will over time lose them or get so rusty you won't feel comfortable doing them. I am only 14 months since my checkride but I hope to never get like that.
 
30 hours per year. It's a 55 minute drive to the AP. The next closes AP is 20 mins but there's a 5 year wait for a hangar so I doubt that I would fly more if I owned. Don't really have time to keep up with maintenance either.
 
MadseasoN said:
. Don't really have time to keep up with maintenance either.
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A lot of FBOs and even some flight schools have a management deal where they will take care of your plane needs. I have no idea what it costs.
 
When I was in the Bonanza partnership I calculated that my break even point of owning versus renting was about 40 hours. Due to circumstances I was only flying about half that. Now I rent. One advantage to renting is that the club I'm in has everything from a 150 to an SR22.
 
I've looked into flying clubs, but none exist in Tulsa aside from a club with a single 172 (P-model I think). If I'm going to be in a flying club, I want something other than a 172 that I can rent at the FBO. I'd love a club with a 182, Comanche, SR22, or V35 so that I could actually carry 4-adults on a weekend trip.
 
SoonerAviator said:
I've looked into flying clubs, but none exist in Tulsa aside from a club with a single 172 (P-model I think). If I'm going to be in a flying club, I want something other than a 172 that I can rent at the FBO. I'd love a club with a 182, Comanche, SR22, or V35 so that I could actually carry 4-adults on a weekend trip.
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Actually, there are STCs that will make N and P model 172s capable of carrying 1000 lb useful load. And they aren't that rare. Unless your four adults are large, that will do it. It can do four FAA adults with a modest reduction in fuel. (240 lb is full; you'll need 200).
 
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