What it really costs to own a light aircraft

Fixed and hourly costs of owning a single engine piston aircraft in Europe, and how to work out your cost per flying hour.

The short answer

Add up your fixed yearly costs, divide by the hours you fly, then add the hourly running costs. For a typical four seat single engine aircraft flying 80 to 100 hours a year, owners often end up somewhere between €150 and €300 per hour all in, depending heavily on fuel price, hangar and maintenance.

Fixed costs

• Hangar or parking
• Insurance, hull and third party
• Annual maintenance and airworthiness review
• Navigation database and avionics subscriptions
• Registration and radio licence fees
• Finance or the capital tied up in the aircraft

Hourly costs

• Fuel and oil
• An engine reserve towards the overhaul
• A propeller reserve
• Scheduled maintenance by hours, such as 50 and 100 hour checks
• Landing fees

Why hours matter

Fixed costs do not care how much you fly. The more hours you fly, the cheaper each one gets, which is why many owners share an aircraft in a group.