What Does It Really Cost to Own and Fly Your Own Plane?

[@davidkreutzkamp6602]

Here is the breakdown: Acquistion:$39,000 / $20,000 USD or find financing. Fuel: 5 gal per hour / $4 Gal average Oil: $62 every 25 hrs Hourly operating those two costs = $22.50 a hour ($1,125, 50 hrs - $3,375, 150 hrs) Garmin database: $200 annually Annual Inspection: $500 annually (experimental) Hangar: $300 (huge disrepency regionally) Insurance: $2,400 annually ($125,000 hull value, Off-field landings) Reserves not covered. Wear and tear not covered. Loved the video and b-roll intro oil chance Trent! Interesting stuff considering I'm evaluating getting back into flying again and as a father and new homeowner every dollar can count :)

[@PS-nf3xw]

So you need an awful lot of money. Not possible for college student on scholarship eh

[@ricktoberfest]

Sudarshan Pujari since a college student can barely afford a crappy car- probably not

[@PS-nf3xw]

@@ricktoberfest sigh, not even Evan's volksplane?

[@politicalsheepdog]

To cut some costs, I would have to have my own runway and hanger on my property. I would be a Sport Pilot so I'd get the Certification of Repairmen (Light Sport Aircraft).

[@Mongoswede]

@@ricktoberfest You can fly some really expensive airplanes in Flight Simulator and get some decent control setups for reasonable money. Maybe not as good as real but certainly a way to play until the money is there to support the real.

[@jimaperkins]

Let me simplify this for every one: Owning a plane is about the same cost as a nice sports car. However, when you get a sports car up to 75 miles per hour and pull back on the steering wheel...........nothing happens.

[@rceric1]

I’m stealing that when explaining why I fly to friends and family..

[@lightfoot9485]

The reason I sold my "72 340 Cuda" Car? or Family?

[@50shadesofcerakote]

@@lightfoot9485 dunno if i woulda sold that to be honest...

[@MrJamespcastle]

Yep! Nicely said!

[@bloodmoongrizzlythefirst6492]

Most of all you hope to god it doesn't come off the column lol

[@TheRealGuywithoutaMustache]

That was the most epic oil change I've ever witnessed

[@chevyon37s]

Just Some Guy without a Mustache you sir have not seen me change oil.... where I make an epic mess

[@ctsteve1967]

Tell me why, oil came out oil went in. And

[@BrianBushRacing]

Haha same

[@infernalchaos1066]

One doesn't see enough oil change montages these days.

[@LumenArty]

Bruh, how much youtube do you watch?

[@stevenkostamo1279]

I bought water front property, and put my CH 601 on floats. The hangar rent costs go toward my mortgage, and I don't have to drive to the airport when I want to fly or do maintenance. Rotax 912, only burning 4 gal/hr. I only have liability insurance, the savings there would replace the plane in 10 years of flying. My fixed costs are less than $500/year and operating costs less than $25/hr. I bought a project plane that only needed maybe 50 hrs to get it flying. On floats I only paid $25,000 I have been flying this plane for 5 years.

[@christopherjc54]

Smart man. If there's a will, there's a way.

[@demetriosb5758]

That’s great and all but what if you life in an area where a float plane isn’t really viable? No seaports to fly to kinda limits that prospect

[@stevenkostamo1279]

@@demetriosb5758 I moved 400 miles to make it happen, just lucky my wife and kids wanted the move more than me.

[@philipboug]

@@demetriosb5758 So move! :-)

[@tobesmith3832]

Doesn’t cost any more than it did 30 years ago, it took every dime you had then and it still does.... but oh it’s worth it!

[@chevyon37s]

Tobe Smith mmmm sounds a lot like drugs 🤣

[@dsyncd555]

and that's why GA is dying.

[@ctsteve1967]

@@dsyncd555 ya think? if not for Exp I bet that there would be 75% less flying

[@dsyncd555]

@@ctsteve1967 the cost is what has prevented me for so long.

[@kevinm3751]

Guess it depends on where you live. Has not been my experience!

[@SteFly]

That was the most epic and cinematic oil change I have ever seen! Nice to compare your costs with the costs of my sailplane.

[@martinchildsmusic9297]

sailplane goes up, sail plane goes down, constrained by your coma inducing thermals and your coma inducing landing stories. Not even close to compare matey

[@xC4N4D14NB4C0Nx]

Let's be real, Glider pilots are basically wizards.

[@rydfree]

$66 per hour . So it's on par with my RC hobby of flying and crashing . Who woulda thought ,lol.

[@stevebroomfield4000]

RydFree Don’t crash! Lol.

[@ctsteve1967]

but you do not need a A&P IA to repair the Model And when you get to 75K on models let us know.

[@TheDowntimesfl]

Also Don;t forget that hanger rental is cheap as all get out. a warehouse in the projects cost 2x that a month here.

[@mikercflyer7383]

Ha Ha especially when you crash a turbine airplane.

[@pano-rific8838]

Well there yea go. Go buy a real airplane and up your grin factor. Enjoy the view and the freedom of leaving the ground and maybe taking someone up with you to have someone to enjoy the joy of flying with. Expand your horizons.

[@scottboyer8450]

The most beautifully filmed oil change of all time.

[@davinderc]

I came down to the comments to check if the entire video was a series of silly slow-mos so that I didn't have to sit through it... Honestly, I just wanted to know how much it costs to own/operate a plane, not watch an entire film school graduation project on changing oil....

[@andylittle9147]

I’m a commercial bush pilot, spent 6 years in the bush in PNG and now instructing in Australia. Loving your channel Trent (I just found it). Man you do an awesome job mixing interesting bush flying info with really cool, well edited footage. Keep it coming!

[@generalripper7528]

Dream Job right there. Greetings from Germany!

[@MobWithGuns]

if you think owning a plane is expensive, dont buy a helicopter

[@ctsteve1967]

Why not, at least you can keep it in the back yard

[@chrisaerts6489]

So even a kit helo?

[@ShadeAkeley]

@@ctsteve1967 yeah well, savings on the hangar won't make up the difference for the insurance, maintenance and fuel consumption cost :/

[@kodiererg]

@@chrisaerts6489 who would fly a kit copter? At least if your kit plane shits out on you, you can glide it in.

[@awalker8112]

@@kodiererg John Denver probably thought that also. ( TBH, I don't know the details behind his last flight)

[@rkmacdonald]

I have owned my 1977 Cessna 177RG (Cardinal RG) since 1985, and I fly it about 100 hours per year. In addition to the same things that you calculated, I have added something new every year in the way of new avionics (radios, ADS-B, etc), and, of course there is my $60,000 engine that needs to be overhauled or replaced every 2000 hours. So, my calculation for my total hourly cost is now running about $200/hour, but this can go up with expensive new radios or down when I don't have any expenses like that. I love your videos and watch every one as soon as it is published! Great job! Russ Commercial Pilot and CFI-I N52636, 1977 C177RG

[@TheFinerPoints]

Maintenance has never looked so good 👍

[@BlackjackDuck]

Great video. For anyone looking, a very solid pre-buy is a must, but still might not uncover everything. Our club bought a 172 after a solid inspection and later found a bad repair in the engine that cost us ~$12,000 just 6 months after buying. We wouldn’t have seen it unless we paid >$1000 for an engine tear down prior to buying. Not a common issue, and it increased the value of the plane, but an example that you need to be ready for anything.

[@TrentonPalmer]

Very good point! And sorry to hear that, that is one of those horror stories that we just hope doesn't happen to us. No one in their right mind would have spent $1000+ on the engine teardown without any indications that something was wrong so I would have been in the same boat.

[@BlackjackDuck]

​@@TrentonPalmer A horror story, but rare. We were thankfully prepared. The biggest bummer for us was the several months that it was out of commission for overhaul. I also don't want to discourage anyone from buying a plane (certainly the opposite). I would just hate to see someone zero out their bank account on the purchase and be grounded shortly after because they were not ready for a major expense.

[@kevincanfly]

That’s why I fly a Paramotor, my fixed costs are the equipment purchase. I burn about 1gal/hr=$4/hr 😂. I’m working on my PPL, I’ve done my solo and now working on XC. I plan to become an instructor and I’ll let the school worry about the planes.... good video! Plane ownership is not for the average guy but there are clubs and buy-in’s. Many ways to split costs.

[@loganreuter6072]

I also feel that part 103 gets you the most freedom in aviation. Hardly any regulations and super cheap (for something that flies) as you said. Also do you even need insurance for an ultralight?

[@kevincanfly]

No insurance is “needed”. One thing I do have is “Life Flight insurance”. Often times the cost of that is more than what healthcare will cover or at all. I hope n pray I never need to use it!

[@mcbiker77]

Paramotor is much more wind dependant, right? So being in a windy area means a lower amount of possible flight opportunities.

[@kevincanfly]

Yes, a Paramotor has a limited amount of wind it can fly in. We typically fly the “old guy hours” early morning or later in the evening. We try to avoid the mid-day thermals. As the earth heats up the atmosphere expands and contracts. We utilize more micro meteorology to seek out the best possible conditions for a safe and smooth flight.

[@loganreuter6072]

Ultralights only general are more wind dependant

[@mojogrip]

Full disclosure: that was a solid breakdown of the basics.

[@rowdycowboy85]

Magic Mike! Cool to see you follow Trent. What are some more advanced cost break downs he maybe didn't mention?

[@mojogrip]

@@rowdycowboy85 Some variable cost can include: Renting a hangar away from home. Some pilots prefer to have their plane in a hangar all the time. If you're financing the plane, factor in your monthly payments. Anti-corrosion treatment may be a yearly cost for some pilots. Subscriptions for Foreflight and or Coflyt etc.

[@julianbrelsford]

Supposing you buy the plane with a loan, even if the value is steady and most of the monthly payment goes to equity, there's still interest. When you own the plane without a loan, the math comes out similarly in that, equity you have in the plane is money you didn't throw in (for example) a boring old index fund that tracks the stock market as a whole. (This is opportunity cost)

[@GlenAndFriendsCooking]

Multiply some of those costs by a 2x-4x if you own a certified aircraft.

[@AndrewMartin119]

True story!!

[@Rv12_pilot]

“Buying the airplane is the cheapest thing you will do when buying a plane” -my CFI, he owns 3 planes

[@gliderpilot8882]

ASW-24 Glider cost breakdown. Acquisition in 1999 $52K (includes glider trailer). Insurance $1,100/yr. Aero tows $2K/yr. (~20 tows per soaring season). Conditional inspection $200/yr. Oxygen $120/yr. Parachute repack $80/yr. Average flight per tow is about 5 hrs. Average flight hour $35. Enjoyment factor, priceless !

[@quinnjim]

As a comparison, my insurance on a Cessna 150 is $500 per year. That's about as low as you can get with lots of flight experience and a "low end" airplane.

[@jackvernian7779]

500 per year sounds reasonable enough

[@TrentonPalmer]

Wow, that's cheap! Have you renewed this year yet? Rates just went up across the boar unfortunately 😕

[@gapster46]

@@TrentonPalmer My insurance last year was $468. Beech Musketeer. Private pilot with 1200 hours and I’m not flying anymore, but I’m keeping the insurance up till I decide to sell it.

[@quinnjim]

@@TrentonPalmer Just paid for it in January. The Cessna 150 has a hull value of $24,000 and I have 20,000 hours with an ATP and CFI. I think all that helps. Our Cirrus was $1,500. Much higher hull value and too many orthodontists crashing them make the actuaries adjust the rates upward! :)

[@pete365720]

@@quinnjim My Cherokee was costing me about $550 for same coverage. Paved tie down was $20.00 a month..at major airport.

[@mac-inized6569]

You can't make changing oil beautifully cinematic. Trent" hold my beer and watch this "

[@BmHabib017]

I paid a little more than $20k this year renting a C172N every weekend for a little over 2 hours from my FBO. I think any way you spin this, owning your own is definitely the more inexpensive route in the long run. Still looking for my own plane. I'm torn between playing it safe with a C152 or doing what my heart wants and buying a Highlander

[@kensherwin4544]

Our hearts are the reason we fly so listen to yours. I swapped a Champ even for a TriPacer because my head said a guy with a family needed 4 seats. It was so much less fun to fly it! Once again, listen to your heart.

[@Mrsournotes]

A Toyota? 😆

[@BmHabib017]

@@kensherwin4544 I want a 4-seater too and was entertaining the idea of a Mooney or going with an RV-10, both are nice.

[@pete365720]

Look at the RANS S20 first.

[@BmHabib017]

@@pete365720 Thanks for the recommendation! I like these so far, i'm going to read up on them more.

[@scottwoods3997]

Great job, Trent! As a mechanic and pilot, I wish more owners would do the research and realize that the cost of aviation is not cheap. Just like any hobby, it can be as cheap or expensive as you want. That being said, if you are going to put your butt or your family in an airplane and leave the ground, don’t be cheap. Plan ahead, make smart decisions and be safe!

[@bryanbarnett2767]

I love the cinematography, I can see why your day job is filming, the intro could easily be an oil commercial 👍

[@l2rracin]

With Aircraft onership you hang out at the airport more and get to know all the other pilots and others at your AP and the surrounding APs in the area , The camaraderie with your friends of many many years is priceless. Somthing you don't get from renting. Everything anymore is expensive you just have to chose the vice that makes you happy.

[@jessebrown1497]

When all my coworkers go out to eat or spend north of $10-15 for lunch everyday at the Cafe they look at me weird and wonder why I eat PP&J and left overs almost exclusively. I tell them I would rather convert my food money into BTUs. It's far more fun.

[@philipboug]

I am Australian... PP&J?

[@flyingtigers7856]

And whats BTU's?

[@philipboug]

@@flyingtigers7856 Well when I went to school it meant British Thermal Units, a measure of energy, so he may be talking about buying gas. Now, for am old Aussie like me( 77) what is PP&J..?

[@flyingtigers7856]

@@philipboug Thanks for the reply! PP&J usually means peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Jelly is what we call jam! So I'm guessing he watches all his buddies enjoying $15 cafe lunches while he is chowing down a $1.50 PP&J sandwiches! Saving those dollars for BTU's!! :)

[@philipboug]

@@flyingtigers7856 Why didn't I think of that?! Of course it is! And yes, I love peanut butter, but not with Jam... LOL (Actually, never tried that... must do it.) now, please be careful, my definition of BTUs is just what I learned, SOGR may be thinking of something completely different! hopefully he will get back to you :-) Cheers for now, Phil.

[@mooseknuckle_4474]

My father is currently building a Rans S7 and he’s trying to get costs dialed in moving forward once the build is complete. This will be very helpful. Thanks!

[@pete365720]

I have a S7S with 200 hours on it. So far only had to pay for oil changes. Fuel burn is about 3GPH auto fuel, so it can be done cheap.

[@mooseknuckle_4474]

pete365720 wow!! 3 gph is unreal!

[@FloridaFlying]

Your cost breakdown is the most honest and accurate one I’ve seen on KZbin. Thanks for bringing the truth!

[@archstanton9206]

I can't see why anyone would chew you up for this. I think it was a very honest and candid look at the costs of your hobby. It is something you clearly love, and your wife supports your passion for flying. There are always going to be variables. Even at only 300 a month for the hanger when you add the wear and tear on those crazy expensive tires I think getting the plane based at home is probably going to make sense sooner rather than later. Really enjoy your channel. I had the passion for flying as a young man but time got away from me. One of my greatest regrets in life.

[@TrentonPalmer]

Thanks Arch!

[@JimForeman]

Enjoyed your video but it reminded me of an old saying, "If you have to wonder what it costs, you probably can't afford it." My last airplane was a Cherokee 6 which cost $4000 for the last annual.

[@Eltern10]

Rotax 915 - proudly produced only a few miles away from where I live in Austria. KTM, Glock, Diamond Aircraft, Red Bull and Swarovski - all from Austria.

[@dedwin8930]

I agree with you milage on my truck! Dont want to know!!!!!!!! Just use it!! Thanks Trent

[@flywiththeguys]

Great description on the cost of owning! You nailed one aspect I missed in my video, and that was the value of the airplane and it's appreciation.

[@ExperimentalAircraftChannel]

EVERYONE has hobbies (or addictions :-) ) Just depends on where you want to put that $$$ effort and attention. Good video Trent! As always...LOVE the B-Roll!

[@RADThird1]

Exactly. I'm an acoustic guitar nut and next month I'll be attending the Artisan Guitar Show in Harrisburg, Pa. There I will be walking around looking at incredibly beautiful instruments handmade one at a time by some of the worlds best craftsmen/women. These things usually start in price at ~$5,000 and can and do sell for $15 to $20 thousand each. I have friends who own 5, 6, 8 of these guitars(NOT ME!) but it's all about what someone values their hobby/addiction at!

[@halvanhercke3321]

The most important reason to NEVER add this up is so when your wife asks, “How much does this really cost?” you can honestly say you have no idea.

[@RobbieKiama]

you could also say - "not that much... I think"

[@denizcancgsar2810]

@@RobbieKiama Not having an idea would be honest and safest.. :)

[@Republic3D]

Don't tell her it costs a pair of shoes every hour.

[@aeronutt]

"Less than your swimming pool!"

[@KeithKman]

I’m surprised how inexpensive it is actually. I feel like based on the numbers of plane operational costs owning a nice boat that you took to the lake often would cost more than a plane. Pretty crazy. Thanks for the great video, Trent!

[@TrentonPalmer]

Yeah, I used to be really into Polaris RZRs, actually raced them, and that was more expensive for me than flying!

[@HerroRya]

Boats are just holes in the water you throw money into.

[@rik999]

Owned a 17’ outboard on Long Island sound. Running costs were similar to Trent’s with a 6 gal/hr fuel burn @ 20 kts. Salt water is tough on equipment so maintainence and TBO were frequent. Bought new and boats are a very depreciable asset. Fixed costs were dock space, insurance etc. In all, I spent a little less than Trent for about 200 hours/year on the water.

[@KCadbyRacing]

It can cost way more to operate what's considered an OK boat in coastal areas (minimum 21Ft with single 150hp, preferably 24Ft with minimum twin 150hp)... Going the rest of the way off topic, it's just plain crazy how many 40+Ft boats you see in Florida now with three or four 250-350+Hp outboards = 25K-35+K for each engine, burning anywhere from 6-11GPH each @ Slow Cruise, up to 34+GPH each @ How Big Is Your Wallet WFO 😲 Hey that's only $8.50 a MINUTE for fuel 🤪

[@keatonhatch6213]

HerroRya you know what boat stands for right?.. B.ust O.ut A.nother T.housand

[@erric245]

I’m a commercial/industrial electrician (LU25). The lights look great, dude. Nice and clean install. Awesome job from top to bottom!

[@wrenvizsla2432]

That was a truly amazing montage of the oil change. Made something so simple and boring beautiful and amazing great job.

[@ctsteve1967]

lame

[@wrenvizsla2432]

Greg Plaka is what your life is for feeling the need to post a hate comment

[@halvanhercke3321]

Yeah that was nicely done.

[@chrisreevesC180]

Great video. I’m asked the same question a lot as well. When I bought my first plane (‘47 Stinson 108) I kept a detailed spreadsheet. When I bought my second plane (‘53 Cessna 180) I didn’t, because it didn’t matter anymore. The passion I have surely beats out what that spreadsheet says.

[@av8tore71]

I'm an A&P mechanic on so I can save there untill an IA has to inspect my work and then sign my Mooney M20C log books which I have 3 log books 1. Airframe 2. Engine O-360-A1D and the Hartzel prop so I spend roughly on maintenance alone and if no major work done I can spend about $2500.00 but this is not fuel, oil or insurance or hanger fees I spend $350.00 monthly on hanger fee which is heated so here in Illinois it's a god send. Or if you total it up about $7500.00 give or take a couple hundred. I paid more for my car insurance policy compared to insurance on my plane and the airplane insurance through AVEMCO is a million dollar policy. I don't have electric gear I have the Johnson Bar

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@Av8tore71 >>> FWIW, I would LIKE to build and fly my own homebuilt someday, BEFORE I become _worm food_...😊 My probable choice will be something two-place and with fixed gear. HOWEVER, if I DID ever choose a design with retracts, I would want something SIMPLE, as you mentioned. Just from being a former _"Coastie",_ I am aware of at least two USCG aircraft that landed with at least one landing gear not extended {an HH-65 Dolphin and an HU-25 Falcon}. Now, I was NOT personally involved in either of those cases, NOR were there any injuries IIRC. However, the COST repairing a gear-up landing -- IF the aircraft is even repairable -- make retracts NOT a preferred option.

[@av8tore71]

@@Allan_aka_RocKITEman the retracts problems always seemed to be the ones that's electric or hydraulic. The Johnson Bar I mentioned is just push tubes and swivels which is just mechanical which makes it less likely to fail. There are plenty of kits out there like a Glassair 2+2. That's a nice kit it takes about 2 weeks to taxi or the Glassair II & III which is all aluminum but these are high performance aircraft. There is also Vans Aircraft which is very popular for home built. You can become a member of the EAA and you will have build coaches who can help during the build process. Worm food??? Not sure what you mean but people can be worm food driving to the local grocery store

[@screamingbeagleproductions1876]

Friend and I have a bare bones '57 Cessna 172. It was not expensive as planes go to buy (think mid range used car price). We have put a little in it to get a few things taken care of but overall it is a solid airplane. I figure it costs $60-70 dollars an hour for around 100 hours of flying but we will probably fly more. Our fixed costs are about 1/2 what Trent's are. Fuel burn is a few gallons more per hour. Our hourly cost does not include a reserve. We have decided not to do that. Currently we split everything down the middle and when the time comes for a major expense like an engine we will either split it or sell it at the time. I also look at it this way when you buy used vehicle you typically don't put money away for future repairs. You repair it as you go and then if you get hit with a big bill you either sell it off or decide to fix it. Having a partner, if you can find the right one makes a big difference in cost since the fixed costs and maintenance costs are split in half.

[@massacmongo995]

So basically an average person with a good job could afford flying if that was all they did for recreation . It'd all what's important to you . Thanks for the breakdown

[@jackvernian7779]

actually I think the nail in the coffin for me would be if the plane was a certified one and not an experimental. that 10 grand payment for an inspection would be a complete deal breaker.

[@halfSpinDoctor]

@@jackvernian7779 I have a certified Cessna 172, and the annuals range from $1000 - 1500. If something breaks, you can often fabricate "owner manufactured components" to avoid having to purchase a very expensive new or PMA part, but it all depends. You can get unlucky and have something expensive break. And of course you can always have bad luck and have a major engine issue that requires an overhaul before the 1800 TBO limit. An overhaul can range from $15,000 - $20,000, and the engine accounts for more than half the value of the aircraft, so it can represent a major loss for an owner if something goes wrong.

[@Veteran_Aviator]

If it is you hobby you can afford it. It’s no more expensive than riding dirt bikes, RC vehicles, skydiving, hunting, or going out on the weekends. Find a decent plane with decent partners and it’s more than affordable.

[@chrisbowpiloto]

Jack Vernian those are very rare and only happen if something is very wrong with the plane

[@AkPacerPilot]

Jack Vernian it’s pretty rare that your single engine, non complex GA aircraft is going to cost you that much during an annual. The annual is an inspection, the work found on those inspections does not have to be done by an A&PIA, it can be done by an A&P. The issue with certified is it has to use certified parts in most cases. Those certified parts are typically 3 to 5 times the costs despite often being the exact same part you would use on an experimental. There is usually more to those “10K” annuals then what is shared, often it’s a failure to research AD’s prior to purchasing an aircraft and or AD’s that were pencil whipped, that results in those high costs. For example when I got my pacer, it had an AD for the exhaust that had been signed off but had never actually been done. Having got a good pre buy, it was discovered prior to me buying it, and I was able to negotiate the price to have the money to fix it. Had I not gotten a good prebuy that first annual would have cost me 6 grand in the things we found, instead of paying 35K for the plane, I paid 28K and then I covered the cost of the repair to make it airworthy. Point is, if your smart about its not that expensive. Honestly I spent more on my new Ford PU over the last 3 years than what I’ve spent on my plane the last 10 years. the plane hasn’t depreciated while the truck has. It’s all about perspective I suppose.

[@motoacker]

So nice to see a transparent and honest breakdown of ownership costs. You did a great job, Trent. I wish here in Brazil we could get somewhere close to that. Besides every part, maintenance and fees being more expensive It is also way more expensive to actually buy an aircraft. We're looking at about 200k of our currency just to buy one of the cheapest aircraft you can find and about 600/700 per hour to operate. Maybe moving overseas is just about the only option for the dream of a owner/operator aircraft. Glad to see It's actually achievable.

[@iaincrockett744]

I too like to avoid the numbers (always painful...) but I REALLY appreciate this video and your willingness to address this topic. As a prospective future aviator I need to know these nitty-gritty details if I am ever going to be able to make that leap. Thanks!

[@BKlus]

This video is valid for any toy you buy, boat, sports car, side by side, snowmobile. Great video.

[@sanderolsthoorn7728]

O man, I should move to the USA. I can only dream of those numbers here in Europe....

[@hempelcx]

Trent's location and the type of plane he flies keep the numbers low. Averages for GA in the US are much higher than this video.

[@onelyone6976]

Sander Olsthoorn well hope you don’t mind ridiculously exepensive education and healthcare

[@josefstalin4532]

@@onelyone6976 None of those are particularly expensive but OK..

[@idontcare7961]

@@onelyone6976 You mean death care lol.

[@hiddenknowledge2012]

@@josefstalin4532 Yes they are, literally thousands lol

[@theimpossibledreamer8541]

Owning an airplane can come with surprise costs and increased responsibility, but it forces you to get to know the plane better than the old beater the FBO has for rental you only see an hour or two here and there, which in the end makes you a safer pilot. I love being able to go out to the hanger and know that my plane is sitting there ready for me to fly anytime I want, and the major bonus is that I know that I was the last one to fly it!

[@benstockert1219]

It’s a personal thing, owning my own LSA for me is priceless.

[@ctsteve1967]

yes that is all that matters

[@braydentroiani7156]

I loved how you even made changing the oil look epic by making it cinematic

[@CaptainCharlieBravo]

TEACH ME YOUR FILMING WAYS OH MASTER PALMER! Another rad flick. Maybe another video on your filming techniques???

[@osidebentley2195]

Captain Charlie Bravo master Palmer...😂

[@beyondcare4178]

Captain Charlie Bravo aviation spank bank

[@flyforfreedom9979]

Beyond Care hahaha!

[@flyforfreedom9979]

Gold...black gold

[@CaptainCharlieBravo]

Beyond Care yasss! Hahaha!

[@billrandell4641]

It's still a lot cheaper then racing a Car or Motorcycle...I remember my first "Regional" Club win..Got a brautiful Silver engraved Bowl..took it home put it on coffee table and reached in my pocket, got my keys and tossed them into the bowl...Thank God Insurance is part or the entry fee..That year had 3 Ambulance rides to Hosp..1 Life Flight to Hosp..X-Rays, MRI's, Cat Scans, Hosp stays, Doctors, Services, Rehab's, etc. etc. About $300,000+..Then you can double everything you listed for your plane (at least!! A decent 4cyl Pinto motor for Formula Ford is about $23,000+ with maybe 15 - 20 hours until overhaul)..and on and on...changed to Motorcycles (these are 1980 prices!) and started out with $28,000 just for the Bike..FLYING IS MUCH CHEAPER and you don't get hurt as often..To do over I would have loved flying 1000 times more and had a better time doing it!!...🇺🇸

[@maxbootstrap7397]

Good topic. I think we all wish for more detail, but this presentation was still a lot better than nothing. Perhaps another topic to discuss that is somewhat related to this is ... how to reduce costs via partnership with 1 or 2 or 3 other pilots, or a "club", or any other way of collaborating. Truth is, I'm looking for another 1~3 pilots in the southwest (somewhere near the junction of Nevada/Arizona/Utah) who might want to partner on a brand new airplane that is a combination of STOL (like Kitfox) plus faster, longer-range and better-fuel-economy.

[@anthonyrstrawbridge]

I disagree. Trent's mission is clear. He presented it from this perspective: His channel. I tried to do the math.... here you do it, fill in the blanks. Costs ( Fixed + Operating( -/+) depreciation = Value / Returns

[@maxbootstrap7397]

@@anthonyrstrawbridge : Not sure what you disagree with. I liked the video too, and only wish it was a bit more detailed. And the topic is definitely a good one, as I said.

[@anthonyrstrawbridge]

@@maxbootstrap7397 I already know about all the options so opted out from the all inclusive part. Again, that is your perception.

[@hempelcx]

To factor in a partnership you divide the fixed and reserve costs by the number of partners, basically everything else stays the same.

[@saratogapilot6100]

Those of us who fly certificated aircraft have a great deal of cost information. I think you are perhaps the only person who has addressed the cost of ownership of sport class experimental aircraft. My annual inspections have been running from a low of $5k to a high of $22k with an average of $7k for piston singles (certificated aircraft, fixed-wing).

[@Jonnydeerhunter]

My company has a Lance 2 and we would be in the same boat except we do ALL of the work and we have a friend who is a an IA and is very reasonable about his time with inspections. It is crazy how expensive parts are though. We fly about 500 hours a year so we are replacing stuff almost bi-monthly. That helps keep annual cost spread out though.

[@jackvernian7779]

god damn those inspections sting.

[@jackvernian7779]

@@Jonnydeerhunter at that point you start wondering if it would be reasonable to invest into your very own CNC machine lol

[@thephotographicauditor6715]

If one can afford to own/operate/maintain a dually pickup, one can own and operate a fixed gear, small single engine piston aircraft.

[@adventuresoftara]

My dually is 2k in insurance per year. Stol plane - 5k insurance, maps 200, 3k for hanger. We arnt even close in comparison for fixed costs.

[@hollywoodspen]

adventuresoftara Fixed cost maybe not. But I’d be willing to bet your operating cost with fuel alone would be pretty close.

[@super_slo]

Yeah, but the operating and maintaining isn't free on a diesel dually. I used to commute in one, had $1k/month payment, $800/month fuel. That was pre-DEF, and i had a dealer oil change program, so even more costs for the average owner now. I feel like his statement is pretty fair - for a lot less than my dually i could have been flying! 🤯

[@thephotographicauditor6715]

Super SLo Same costs if you were making payments on a comparable plane and paying an IA/AP for all maintenance & inspections. Flying costs twice the price of driving on an x/c, except you do it in 1/2 the time. So, moot point.

[@airgliderz]

Try the far better Tesla pick up, very low fuel/maintenance costs. Plus it looks far better/cooler then any dually or Pickup made today.

[@ExperimentalAircraftChannel]

How about one on a COMPLETE engine overhaul on the Rotax (pick a model) and where that service can be done.

[@Leofred2000]

Are you going to take a "flight trip" any time soon? Like across the US, or up to Alaska or even Argentina? Think that would be great!

[@ThomasHart59]

Great edit on the oil-change sequence! Love how you took something as mundane as an oil-change and made it fun. Thanks for the cost info too.

[@GATOROC1]

Thanks Trent - I appreciate the great information and insight on what ownership costs. As always, incredible video!

[@ctsteve1967]

his air plane cost more than what is stated, his new motor cost about 40 thousand

[@kevinobwan]

And don't forget: while Trent bought his Kitfox already built, they are still available (as are a whole bunch of other bushplane-type models - RANS S-7S Courier, Just Highlander, Murphy Rebel/Moose, Glasair Sportsman, etc., etc.) as a kitplane, and, having volunteered at Sun N Fun every year for the past quarter-century, I can tell you that if you have a modicum of mechanical aptitude (if you're the guy who assembles all of the toys for Christmas or birthdays), YOU TOO CAN BUILD A KITPLANE!! Here's the point: if you build it (at least 51% of it), you get the repairman certificate for that aircraft. If you have the RepCert, you can do your own annual condition inspection, which means all you pay for are whatever worn parts you replace. You can also do any major repairs without having to pay someone for a signature in a logbook. WIN!

[@quartfeira]

Yeah there is plenty of choice! Do you know actually what series/year is Trenton's kitfox? I found some here in Europe between 17k and 25k

[@samroesch]

Haha that’s probably the most beautiful oil change footage that exists anywhere, ever.

[@FuriousFilipino]

Everything is about perspective, and those numbers are more than reasonable. I spent more than that skiing with a family of four between January and mid-March this year just in the greater Tahoe area. If we hadn’t had the pandemic, costs would be even higher if we travelled out of state a few times-easily double the value you stated. Great argument to tell the family on how to cut our entertainment expenses in half: let’s quit skiing and get our own plane! On a more serious note, I am working on getting a PPL within the year. Got one of your hats recently to remind myself to keep working on the dream!

[@ben-n-stephflyingcircus8281]

I was into this until the razor commercial. I get what you're doing and why but damn! I hope this isn't the norm.

[@RossLeavitt]

Ben if you owned an airplane, wouldn’t you be looking to offset the cost in your KZbin videos?

[@ben-n-stephflyingcircus8281]

Ross Leavitt I do own an airplane. I’m sure his 30k dollar airplane that burns 4 gph and takes 3 quarts of oil is breaking the bank! Maybe it’s the monster new house on the huge piece of land? Really the only thing that’s changed recently? You may have missed the part of the comment where I said I get what he’s doing and why he’s doing it. Just makes the video unwatchable in my opinion. I watch these videos for the content not advertising. Everyone does it with their shout outs to sponsor’s but a full on infomercial? It’s laughable and quite frankly sad. Sorry if my opinion differs from yours.

[@fmo94jos8v3]

Great things about the kitfox: 1) If the gov't kills off AVGas or it gets too expensive, you can use regular car gas 2) wings fold in to fit in a garage

[@Kurapoto]

Best post yet. I've subscribed and I hope others do too. Thanks Trent! Love from NZ

[@Kurapoto]

thank you for all the information Trent.

[@griffster17]

Recently just purchased a x-air standard for AU$15,000. Rotax618 two-stroke engine providing 75 hp. Doors and GPS included as well as all gauges. Aircraft is well beyond the years. So everything will be running on condition for ever probably. Not bothering with annual inspections as aircraft is amateur built and will not be using it for training or flying anyone except me and my dad and close friends. They are all happy and comfortable with this. i’m planning to look after the engine and the aircraft though thoroughly and hope it gives me a couple of thousand hours. The cool thing about these aircraft is they can easily adapt into bush planes due to their high-quality landing gear and rugged design. These aircraft are also extremely easy to fly, extremely easy to maintain, and long lasting. I’m expecting about 30 or $40 an hour, I own my own hanger outright.

[@Karl__Pierre]

Have Harry Knots...Trent has just the thing!

[@TrentonPalmer]

🤣

[@randyvanvliet226]

Trent's probably not that vain to be into Manscaping. Doubt he owns a LawnMower

[@cockroachdeloach5093]

Trent loved flying. It was his passion. Nothing stands between him and flying whenever and wherever he wants! He revels in the joy of airplane ownership. And then....... His wife watched this video 😭😭😭

[@dukejupiter7870]

Great insight Trent insurance isn't as bad as I would expect a lot of people smoke more than 300/ month🙄

[@Americanivcesku]

It never looked this cool when I changed the oil on the C206. Great footage!

[@OverKilL413]

I want to live there In Germany it would be A LOT higher and you cant even do some bush-flying

[@chrisr4815]

Germany sucks. It's more Nazi Germany now than it was when it was actually Nazi Germany.

[@paulmarchi1393]

@@chrisr4815 Nah dude wtf

[@SixStringflyboy]

My costs for comparison: This year my insurance went down to $489/year on a 1976 150M (which I purchased for $15,000 in 2016). T-hangar is $150/month = $1,800 annually, and Annual Inspection is $1190 if no squawks or equipment upgrades. Adding $200 for ForeFlight puts my annual fixed costs at $3675.00 . I fly an average of 40 hours/year currently, so my fixed operating cost is roughly $92/hr dry. This saves me about $50/hr over renting a 4-place Skyhawk, which would be extreme overkill since 99% of my flying is solo. My fuel burn averages 5.5 gal/hr at 92 knots true. I can get it as low as 4 gal/hr at around 85 knots true. I do have the AutoGas STC. Only one airport in the area has mogas, but I've never burned it in my plane (yet).

[@joentexas]

Wished I had seen this 20 years ago. Oh well, in the next life. Great videos though Mr. Palmer, all of them. Thanks.

[@motivatedtrephome]

Never too late. I'm mid 30's myself and have been thinking of getting my pilots license for the last 4 years. I'm eager but now I'm getting married this year. A lot of expenses to save up for... That said, I don't want to be discouraged from flying. I truly want to fly and some day own my own personal plane. Sorry, went on a random tangent there. All-in-all, I don't think you have to wait for your next life. Go for it... Start a gofundme.com campaign, mow some lawns, team up with other people, like me, who really want to but keep pushing it off and pushing off because of the cost associated. There is support in numbers... Maybe we can set some goals to achieve. I don't know, I'm just spit balling over here. I just really want to fly when i'm not working. It's peaceful. I'm from indiana, so if you ever make it to indiana, look me up: tzlifestyle.com - love to talk shop. Till then, I want to encourage you to pursue your flight dreams. We only have one life. Live it doing the things you want. You can do it.

[@pittss2c601]

Just find a pilot who owns a plane that you like. Pay him/her to fly you in there plane. They will let you do the flying. Pilots like me are always looking for ways to cut our costs. It doesn't matter what your age is.

[@earthsciteach]

I paid $13000 last August for my 1957 Tri Pacer with a 150 HP Lycoming O-320. It took about $2500 to get it flying (it was out of annual) but that includes a Sky Beacon ADS-B transmitter. Insurance on it is about $720 year. It burns around 9 gph and I pay in the mid to high $4.00 range per gallon. While I would love to have a hangar, they are few and far between for a reasonable price where I live. Its like waiting on season tickets for an NFL team. I pay $45 per month in tie-down fees. The plane has a cabin and mid-wing cover. The paint has seen better days, but the fabric has a few more years left. The wings and horz stab were recovered 2 years ago. You can buy an airplane for less than many people pay for a new motorcycle.

[@theartofpixels]

Have been looking at getting my first plane...then is video shows up...I think it's a sign haha

[@Jonnydeerhunter]

Good luck!

[@flyingkub]

When I did my maths I worked out that for me over here in the UK, if I few around 50hrs a year, it was cheaper and far more converiant that renting and aircraft and worked out even with being a part owner (again no argument on when I can fly). The up sides of owning apart from the conveniance of being able to fly when you want, is the aircraft is set up as you want it and there are no change from aircraft to aircraft like you may have with hire planes even if they are the same model they often have switches in different places (so to me it is much safer to fly the same plane), also rental aircraft can be miss treated and nobody knows how much is hiden. So I would say if you fly over 50hrs a year, whant to be able to fly at short notice, fly away for a break, want to really know the aircraft, then buy you own. If you fly less often than that, or can't aford to but, retired so can fly when others are at work, then rent or better still join a group.

[@privatecautious3643]

Nothing fun is ever, cheap or even affordable when there are kids involved. It’s all about priorities

[@briankgrant]

True. And rarely, before having kids, does anyone analyze what it will cost.

[@l2rracin]

briankgrant if you did nobody would ever have any kids.

[@CVObservatory]

Sure do miss your adventures. Can't wait till you get back to regular uploads.

[@L2FlyMN]

I keep saying some day, to keep my dreams alive.

[@Tinybitofageek]

those cinematic intro shots from 0:40 to 1:19 are so stunning, and well edited too, with perfectly matching beats. Well done, Trent, thanks!

[@brianclark8085]

as a A&P i would be able to tell a pilot safety wired that oil drain in first 1:20 seconds of this video

[@stuartkcalvin]

Yep, I saw that as well. Next step is to send Trent twitching pliers and then explain what's what.

[@iffykidmn8170]

@@stuartkcalvin Looks like a pair in the tool box already.

[@stuartkcalvin]

@@iffykidmn8170 Mate, they weren't twitching pliers, they's was cutting pliers. There's fencing pliers, pipe cutters, wire cutters and twitching pliers.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

@@stuartkcalvin >>> _"Twitching pliers"?_ Is that another name for _safety wire pliers?_

[@kentvandevender9731]

Is the twitching pliers related to twerking pliers?

[@jones616]

Thanks very much for a quick, comprehensive cost of operation/ownership of your Kitfox. I've been watching your videos for awhile and thoroughly enjoy.

[@Boywonder-yz8qm]

$44 isn’t that bad compared to our tbm avenger at $2,000 per hour

[@sonshinelight]

Yep. That's exactly where I'm at. Analyzing costs prior to pulling the trigger. Thanks, Cowboy.

[@JK-tu1xx]

So what you're saying is it's no more expensive to fly a plane than it is to drive a couple nice sports car or have a garage full of motorcycles 😂

[@brycedavies4333]

In my 7 years of GA maintenance and sending out hundreds of bills to customers the rule I have come to tell everyone who wants to purchase an airplane is this: Regardless of the operating cost, if you can’t afford to drop $10k or 10% of the aircraft value overnight then you shouldn’t be owning a plane. Some people’s opinion may differ but that’s what I learned during my time in the hanger and working/billing with aircraft owners. Now I’m out of the MX side and flying helicopters. Don’t even get me started on my helicopter rule... Great video! 👍

[@jamesstumpf75]

So what you’re saying is I’m going to have to start stripping at two clubs to afford this?? Ugh.

[@peterhaan9068]

You can write off your tassels so it ain't all bad!

[@aaronsuever2414]

I'm desperately wanting to get into bush flying (Planning to start with a Chinook 2 and work up to a Zlin Shock Ultra), but this breakdown is exactly why I'm waiting until I get a house where I can build a smaller hanger or pole barn for it (I live in a flat rural field area so lots of houses have enough flat land for a runway). Around here hanger space can be as low as 200 a month, but the insurance required to have your plane in a hanger is so much more expensive than just insuring the plane and the bigger problem is there's around a year to year plus of wait list just to get a hanger. So I'll either have a plane I bought and can't hanger anywhere, or I'll be paying for a hanger with no plane in it while I shop for a plane. Which is a bigger factor by far than the costs.

[@chandlerlane6101]

Hey Trent how are you I am 14 right now and I know I am not old enough to fly but what would be the first steps in getting my pilots lisence

[@masongulliver4370]

Hi Chandler, I'm not sure if it's the same case wherever you are vs in Canada. But you can start flying ( and Soloing ) at 14! I'd say talk to your family and give a local flight school a call. A lot of places might do a familiarization flight for a good cost to get your started. Cheers

[@navion1946]

Chandler Lane hi Chandler, I’m not Trent but I recommend you get started with learning right away. Get involved at your local airport flight school and show your enthusiasm. People will “come out of the woodwork” to help a young person get started. You can solo on your 16th birthday and get your private license on your 17th birthday so it’s not too early at all. Perhaps take an online ground school (there’s no age limit for that) like Sporty’s.com. Check out EAA.org and aopa.org for tons of resources to help a guy in your shoes to get started. I had the desire to fly at 14 but no one showed me these things. You can do it and even if you only take one or two lessons for now it will pay dividends for your future. Good luck and if you’re anywhere near Seattle pm me and I’ll try to help more.

[@ctsteve1967]

save your money and take the pvt written test.

[@RussellTelker]

Also not Trent, but my thought for my nephew (he's 13) is flight school now, learn to fly well even though you can't solo, then get an ultralight (I don't believe there's an age limit for them, but double check to be safe) fly that until you can get your license and you'll be miles ahead of everyone else.

[@mikeknapp2756]

Very Peter Mckinnon style b roll and music choice. nice work

[@BrianBushRacing]

Im just shocked that Harry's founders are Jeff and Andy

[@JS-ep3sv]

Best advice I got from an old Pilot. If you have to finance it you can’t afford a plane. That includes experimental. On the bright side for buyers who are mechanics you can get unfinished kits cheap since most are never finished by the original buyers. You have to be confident in your skills though or you won’t finish it either. I finished someone else’s Pulsar III and put a low time, modified 912 that puts out 97 hp for .....30k. Yep brand new Plane with a low time engine that has a GRT EFIS. It does 158 mph indicated without pushing at 5 gal per hr. A very nice flying aircraft. Could put 2 Axis AP in for another $1600. Insurance is around 1200 year. Can’t say here what I pay for hanger rent, don’t want everyone pissed at me. Just want to put some hope out there for the people who took shop courses in high school. There are certain advantages if those skills are refined. Otherwise it’s a rich mans sport unfortunately more so now than any other time. Click on my icon for a look at its first flight.

[@plushiie_]

So its just like owning a decent size boat :)

[@Bladavia]

I want both aaaaaaaaarrrrgh

[@Anonymous99997]

The best way to do the accounting is to never divide out fixed costs to derive a combined hourly cost. Just give two numbers the fixed costs per month or year and the actual variable operating costs per hour. The reason you have to do it that way is in the case of a year that you flew zero hours, if you take the fixed costs and divide by the hours you flew, you end up with zero cost that year. If you were a business renting the plane out, you charge an hourly rate based on the properly calculated hourly costs plus an hourly “contribution” rate that goes toward the fixed costs. Then you derive your break even for how many hours you need to rent each year or month. All that to say every aircraft owner just need to know two numbers: cost per operating hour and cost per year or month.

[@OverKilL413]

Me as German boi 🤓ok... hope they didn‘t build trash, it would be bad for Germanys reputation

[@griffster17]

Some cost reductions include running aircraft on condition and also not bothering with an annual inspection if you’re not doing training which is legal in some countries if it’s amateur built. However, I will emphasise that both of those alternatives still need a common sense approach. Maintain your engine yourself, do inspections on the aircraft yourself, and still take precautions.

[@tomgillotti]

"An aircraft appreciates" "It's an investment" Cringes.... While an aircraft may "hold its value" or even appreciate a small amount over time, it does not keep up with inflation; therefore, it is NOT an asset. It is a liability. Additionally, there are many other factors that go into the calculations. None of this to say it isn't worth it for many people... but, speaking solely as a financial "investment" it does not qualify.

[@BenFreedmanRacing]

Glad you did a video on this, I was wondering. I did a video on the cost of racing that people liked as well. I guess people like to dream about possibly doing this stuff!

[@joecooksey4331]

I'll guarantee what IS more expensive... a wife and especially a divorce! LOL

[@Aspen51]

You can take that to the bank!

[@joecooksey4331]

@@Aspen51 You damn right Skippy. LOL

[@Mrsournotes]

I can’t resist...marriage is priceless but divorce is a few hundred grand

[@randyvanvliet226]

Buying a wife, and the divorce, can prevent you from ever retiring. And if you have a plane when she divorces you, she gets 50% of that, too! Hide that cash, Boys!

[@ricktoberfest]

Paul Morris nope-she can

[@danielhare9218]

Killa B roll intro!! Thanks for shedding some light on costs. very helpful.

[@Invincibletro]

Damn, that oil change was sexy!

[@ctsteve1967]

and messy

[@jennieanddavis]

Love this breakdown! Always heard ~$500 a month is a good rule of thumb. It’s great to hear your setup is close enough to that. Can’t wait to start building ours in a few years.