How much MONEY did my AIRPLANE cost??

So, any guess on how much money my airplane cost? I added up all the receipts I have for the Blue Angels Cruzer and came up with a total cost of the airplane. Keep in mind-I point out in the video that I don't have ALL of the receipts. But I think I still listed the total within a $1,000 of the real total cost.
I wanted to make this video to give the potential builder a realistic number he or she might consider if planning a to build an airplane kit. Besides the kit, engine, and avionics, there's a lot of items that are needed that you may not have thought about!
#kitplanecost #aircraft #airplane #aviation #flying #money

[@n206ja]

I followed the "amnesia" method for cost-accounting my STOL 750. Every time I bought an expensive part for my plane (and they're ALL expensive! Ha!) I would try to forget what I spent as quickly as possible! LOL! As others have pointed out, about 3 times the cost of the kit is a pretty realistic estimate for total completion costs. Thanks for the detailed accounting of your costs - it'll help potential builders have a realistic estimate of building an experimental aircraft.

[@AnonyMous-jf4lc]

You pretty much followed the 1/3 rule as most people say. 1/3 kit 1/3 power 1/3 avionics/misc. Nice to see it broken down on such a fine example, too.

[@generalcanby5847]

Appreciate your candor and full disclosure Mark.

[@scsirob]

My rule of thumb is 1/3rd for the kit, 1/3rd for the engine, and 1/3rd for the rest. Usually close enough to be realistic I'm glad you mentioned not to go to Autozone for electrical connectors, but you don't have to go to B&C or Spruce. Head for RS, Farnell or Digikey and find Tyco/AMP Faston. They are a lot cheaper and great quality.

[@spyrosg3172]

Nicely explained. It puts to perspective some people's claims that they're building an RV-7 for $75,000...

[@1225drob]

Thanks for this video! I love the transition from just building videos, to flying videos, now just additional information videos. Again,, thx!

[@duanestace6303]

Nice one Mark. Thank you for doing this video, very informative!

[@theresacaron4238]

Great video on the costs associated with the Cruiser, very informative. Now how about an update on the 750 paint and firewall to get it ready for your landing gear? Can't wait to see your project grow legs and rubber. Back to work!

[@jamesboudreau4430]

Another good video! I’m building a Cruzer now and my planning brought me to a figure around $70,000 so nice to see that I’m probably not to far off.👍🏻

[@JEMPL27]

Man, you are so humble! Thanks for sharing!!! Super cool!!!😎

[@MrAvallier]

Great video keep them coming. I’m building a 701 and will share some videos in the future.

[@autolabpro3186]

Thank you!🏁🏁🏁🏁This is a great video... covers all the points for a new build🏁🏁🏁🏁!

[@davidrobins4025]

Really nice to know the costs involved in building your kit plane. Thank you.

[@randysullivan1604]

Thanks for all of the information!!

[@greenacres6632]

Hi Mark - I have the Aircraft Specialty SS fuel lines kit that you used on your Cruzer - do you have any additional info or pics of how you mounted and plumbed the gascolator on the firewall ? Do not remember seeing anything in your videos or on your build log pics - thanks

[@flyod26]

Thanks for the info!

[@timrobinson6404]

Thank You for sharing.

[@grannyblinda]

Gracious me, what lovely piano music to start!

[@lpainter100]

Good stuff. Real world costs not counting your time. The experience = priceless.

[@whathasxgottodowithit3919.]

You have your own very nice unique Aircraft and that is priceless. :-)

[@denverdietrich5278]

Awesome video!

[@rickphelan4326]

Wow, thanks for that. Too bad we can't get that level of candid disclosure on most of the things we buy. I found your philosophy around not messing with your mistakes to be really refreshing, too.

[@STOLPILOT]

Thanks for sharing your cost breakdown! I'm just finishing up my comparably equipped 750 STOL and coming in at just over $71k. Will add a couple of AP servos, paint and vinyl and expect to hit close to $75k as well. Doing it again (which I just might), I would seriously consider a Viking or Apex engine (rather than the 912iS) but those weren't available when I started my project. Thinking about it sometimes gives me a big lump in my throat but I have friends who have spent far more on trucks, RV's, jetboats, 4-wheelers, snowmobiles and other toys so pick your poison I guess...

[@johnvernon6328]

lets see some pictures, i just started building one

[@johnvernon6328]

Im at $42000 Canadian just for the kit

[@kimkristensen2816]

The experience, pride and accomplisement priceless

[@PeteZoot]

Nice to see an honest accounting. Most (including me) don’t wanna know what we’ve spent. Pity the resale buyers can’t get their heads around the real cost - even ignoring all the obvious free labor!

[@SoloRenegade]

If you charged for all that, even less people could afford them, and even more people would resort to just building their own.

[@jimmycox5839]

You forgot to mention that the total cost is for an extremely nice show plane quality aircraft which is also very well equipped. I've seen it in person and you did a fantastic job. 100k would be a steal for this one.

[@can5projects563]

your plane looks great i love it awesome videos

[@kradfm]

At Lockheed when building the L 1011 passenger jet, every structural component mated to another, even though they were painted white, had sealant applied to parts that were either riveted, huck bolted or Hi tigues sandwiching parts together plus sealant was applied to each hole a fastener was applied for corrosion. Is there a similar type sealant for small aircraft other than paint?

[@klong9269]

Some parts, typically firewall-related, are mated with pro-seal (or equivalent), which is also the fuel tank sealant.

[@OneKoolDude]

I built a Super Duty spreadsheet and added $10k to the bottom line to cover misc expenses.

[@ryanhuddleston5364]

75k and how long? I would love to build one but I don’t have the time right now.

[@FlyingtheBigTireCruzer]

Did you include firewall forward and prop?

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

Yes I did. At the time, zenith called the FWF kit the "Finishing Kit". That included the cowl, engine mount, throttle, etc... It also included the prop. I chose the Whirlwind prop and the Sensenich prop was a few hundred more. On my Super Duty, Zenith now has a Finishing Kit but that includes the landing gear, wheels, tires, brakes, etc... They list a separate FWF kit which includes the cowl, mount, and various other engine mounting items.

[@NotAsTraceable]

I do that all the time...that is I see receipts, invoices, etc sitting around and say to myself...I will never need these again so I throw them out. Then 2 months later I'm tearing my home up looking for them because I now need them for some unpredictable reason. It's frustrating. I say I'll never do that again...but I do. I hate clutter.

[@bamabinder]

Considering a CH750 build as well. My question to anyone who has experience operating these planes, what is a ballpark cost per hour to operate? I know there are a ton of variables.

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

It depends on what you want to include in the cost. If you're only concerned about direct costs, like fuel and oil, it's less than $20 per hour. If you want to add, insurance, hangar rent, and other costs, then it goes up from there.

[@DrT_MD]

Is it necessary to keep all (or the big ones, anyway) receipts for insurance or registration purposes to prove your costs?

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

I think the answer is no. Now if I called the insurance company and said I want to insure my airplane for $4,000,000 then they may want some receipts to show the value. But I think anything reasonable they don't ask. They have never asked on any of the airplanes I've had insured. I also had a total loss on my Rans S-6 and they never asked any questions-just sent me a check.

[@DrT_MD]

@@KitplaneEnthusiast thanks! :) Your notoriety is growing, by the way. I was talking to Steve at aircraft specialty the other day when I was ordering my fuel lines. “Have you seen Mark Pensenstadler’s videos where he shows the fuel lines in his Cruzer?” “Oh yeah. I’m very familiar. He’s partly responsible for getting me into this mess.” 😆

[@robertbarron1339]

Mark, avionics alone, how much more will the Super Duty’s IFR platform cost than the Cruzer’s VFR platform?

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

You can add it all up on the Dynon website. But it's not a lot more. You'll need to add two servos, and then the autopilot controller which is a couple hundred dollars. The expensive part is the navigator. You'll need to buy something like the Garmin 175 or at least at one VOR for a basic IFR plane.

[@robertbarron1339]

@@KitplaneEnthusiast Great, thanks.

[@i.r.wayright1457]

At the start of your video I guessed $70,000.00. And I just realized, as a retired A&P/I.A. I have many $$$$ worth of left over hardware and lots of those $25.00 fittings you bought. And a BNC and Molex pin crimper.

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

Sounds to me like you just need to get a kit!

[@i.r.wayright1457]

@@KitplaneEnthusiast No, I need to find someone who needs this stuff. I also have a complete riveting kit that has doubled in price since I bought it 20 years ago. Of course, if you are using pop rivets you wouldn't need it.

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

@@i.r.wayright1457 You might want to donate it to a local EAA chapter. Or send it all to me LOL

[@joesecret4807]

Cool! Now the big question - Can one get a loan to finance all the costs or does one just pull it from one's lotto winnings? LOL

[@johnreed8872]

Ahh... The elephant in the living room! I've been dying to ask you about costs along the way , I was raised and taught that it's rude and crass to ask people what they spend on items , what they earn and especially a females age! On paper I'm at about 53K without engine and paint. I'm very curious about insurance value and the process of insuring an amateur built aircraft. Thanks for addressing the topic! Blue Skies!

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

John, I have mine insured for $75,000 and last May the premium was $1,506.

[@johnreed8872]

@@KitplaneEnthusiast ouch! I understand that aviation premiums are cyclical , but WOW! A lot of factors involved , transitional and recurrent training etc. Also I also have heard that the more endorsements to your certificate the better. Thanks Mark , looking forward to your next installment.

[@gigiservola142]

Is there a specific reason you didn’t choose a Viking engine?

[@fredthomas2245]

Ul is a pretty sweet setup Significantly lighter To each his own

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

The Viking engines look like a very nice engine package, but for this particular application I didn't not want the gearbox or the water cooling.

[@bliefnick]

Thanks for the breakdown! LOL public math

[@nomansland4811]

The cost of the engine really floored me.

[@rocroc]

OK, I'll take it - $75,000. Where do I send the check?

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

Nope...$1,000,000! LOL

[@drmtbc]

About $50K Canadian for our Cruzer, without all of the (unnecessary for us) bells and whistles. More money for fuel and flying time! 🙂

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

You brought up a good point. If a person is on a budget there's nothing wrong with building a 'simple' panel. There are options to use just an iPad, and there's certainly nothing wrong with installing the good ol round gauges! Thanks for the comment.

[@righthandy6526]

that crooked MASH sign behind you is driving me crazy {LOL} i hate crooked pictures - signs-etc.

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

Check out the Oshkosh sign-it's crooked too!!! LOLOL

[@davidturner6509]

Comparing your operating cost per hour to renting a comparable certified plane, how many hours will you have to fly it to recover/save the initial build cost? 1000-1200 hours?

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

Unless you include things like insurance and engine rebuilt, etc, I figure my direct operating costs are about $15/hr.

[@scottmiller4711]

You should include the value of your time...I think you are way under on the Engine and Prop I would say closer to 26K for both...

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

There's really no way to come up with a price for the time to build, but I think I'm fairly close on the engine and prop. I know I paid $22,something for the engine, and the prop came with the Finish kit from Zenith. I remember that because they asked me if I wanted the Sensenich prop or the WhirlWind. Of course those prices are probably higher today.

[@MrBarbuster]

i have seen 33000 for the UL plus seen higher prices on everything you used. cruzer listed at 27000 now

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

@@MrBarbuster Wow! Prices sure have gone up since 2015. I better raise my sale price from 1 mil to 1.5 mil!

[@carlsjr7975]

You realize the aluminum fuel lines will eventually fail too, right? Vibration alone will cause it. I guess the question is will it fail before the other aluminum parts.

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

No they won’t. If built correctly the lines will last as long as the airframe.

[@carlsjr7975]

@@KitplaneEnthusiast No they will eventually fail like all aluminum parts. Like I said the question is before or after the other aluminum parts. Usually the first part to fail is the upper wing skins on an all aluminum a/c.

[@markdoan1472]

@@carlsjr7975 Your kidding right ... they may need attention when his children's children own the plane ... Your aware none of the airframe parts or fuel lines are likely to reach end of service life till after 10,000 hours .. and thats only some parts .. When you say fail what is your estimated time line ... 2080 ?

[@steilkurbler4973]

@@carlsjr7975 Other fuel lines need to be replaced too. The aluminum ones will propably hold up longer.

[@drogers5511]

And as of today - this plane is for sale

[@justinmckinney4650]

Do you pay cash are did you finance

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

Cash. Bought components as I went along.

[@LTVoyager]

I’m surprised you threw out any receipts given how meticulous you are. I never throw out receipts, well, not until recently. My wife and I finally went through all of the files I’d saved since we got married and trashed most of it (20 years worth, kept the last 18 years still). I did though keep my first job pay receipts from the early 70s. 😂

[@usslindstrom]

Was doing great on my cost worksheet.... Until my insurance renewal just came in. 40% increase from last year. They sure are making it prohibitively expensive for anyone wanting to take up this hobby.

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

Wow that's a huge increase!

[@usslindstrom]

@@KitplaneEnthusiast For sure. The reasoning behind it, they're quoting "current market conditions" and the increase in GA accidents. Definitely took me by surprise, but my very low time of only about 300 hours is likely the biggest reason. Sites are reporting that the cycle should break in about 2 to 3 years to get back to lower premiums, but I seriously doubt it. Increases like this are absolutely going to drive everyone out of this hobby. It's sad.

[@zeninabox9818]

So, less than the price of a new truck.

[@MichaelLGriffin]

and add $100 000 for labour :)

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

Yes that's true-if you count labor, the price goes way up! But in this analysis I was just adding up actual money spent.

[@wayneschenk5512]

Two ways todo it.

[@stevefreeman8700]

I figure my CH650 came in at about $65k all in but I got a smoking deal on my 0235 Engine, $15k brand new, in the box with mags, carb, etc. It breaks my heart when I see people selling some of the planes in the mid $20's when an RV12, essentially the exact same airplane sells in the $60's. ZAC seems to get a bad rap on the re-sale market but I think it is starting to change with the popularity of their high wing and STOL airplanes.

[@glasairguy4910]

I'll give you 4 payments of $250.00, for a total of $1 million. I'll even pay cash!

[@Mrsournotes]

I can go $950K...

[@KitplaneEnthusiast]

Make it 951k and we have a deal!

[@DuperSuperDave]

$75,000 are you crazy? Other factors which are not out of pocket but should have been mentioned..total labor hours! Taking into consideration the plane won't build or paint itself, and the opportunity cost of what else this guy could have been doing with his time (robbing banks so he could pay an A & P to build the plane). Also a Blue Angels paint scheme? They flew the F/A-18 Hornet for over 30 years and now the Super Hornet and this guy has a Zenith Cruzer impersonating a Hornet? Give me a break! I believe this guy has more money than sense..sad but true!