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How much does it cost to operate a Trike? What does this sport cost on an hourly basis?: Revision

How much does it cost to operate a Trike? What does this sport cost on an hourly basis?
Last updated by Ken

Categories: Trike Talk, Training / Learning to Fly a Trike, Safety, Maintenance

 

Exactly $62 / hr   ; )   
 
Well not exactly, but here are some considerations 
 
This does not include initial purchase cost or depreciation of the trike.  After the first purchase depreciation, trikes hold their value pretty well (ie a used trike holds it's value pretty well if well maintained)
 
Let's assume 100hrs per year:   To determine hourly cost, we first need to make an assumption about the number of hours you fly per year.  So, we'll assume 100hrs / yr for this exercise, this is about 8.5 hrs/mo, 1-2 flights per wkend--  many fly less, a few fly more.
 
Costs in US $:
  • Fuel cost:  $3.5/ gallon * 3.2gph = $11.2 / hr
  • Hangar cost lets say 500/mo shared by 2 trikes = 250 / mo = $30/hr

                         (with trikes, we are so lucky to be able to do this--  I can fit 3 in my hangar)

                          Hangar costs can be more than 50% of your total costs!!!

  • Insurance $500/yr =  $5/hr
  • *Engine rebuild for a Rotax 912 ($12K/2500hrs) = $4.8 / hr
  • *BRS Maintenance ((Rocket $800/1200hrs)+(Chute $400/600hrs)) = $1.34/hr 

 

          I had made a spreadsheet to calculate these next two:

  • Routine Maintenance ~ $2.75 per hour
  • Additional equipment replacement (gloves, suits, helmets/face shields, etc) = $2.5 / hr

 

* Engine rebuild assumes $10,000 for 912 rebuild at 2500hr (your engine may or may not require it sooner or later. SLSA has to follow the schedule)

* BRS assumes 100 hrs flown per year. Repack $400/6 yrs, Rocket $800/12yrs

 

   Taxes:

  • Many of us also have to pay Luxury Tax on our airplanes: 1% of the purchase price annually, and the rate doesn't decrease with depreciation, it's forever. Mine was used, so the annual bite is not as bad as some of the new / expensive ones.

          For me annual taxes are $333 / yr = $3.33/hr

  • In some states and areas, and sometimes when in a trailer rather than reported to be at an airport (and sometimes people fly their aircraft out of state for one particular day or something), you can avoid that tax. Me, I'm stuck, I have a hangar and my aircraft is known by the county to be there (since I live in a nearby county, one year the nearby county demanded I pay them too!! : {

 

  • Property Tax!?:  This one really took me by surprise. I RENT my hangar from the county, but I have to pay the property taxes!!!!  I don't own the hangar, the county owns it, but I have to pay the county property taxes. Thats another $82/year = $0.82/hr
 
Sum:  Fuel $11.2/hr + Hangar $30/hr  + Insurance $5/hr  + Rebuild $4.8/hr + BRS $1.34 / hr
Routine Maintenance $2.75/hr + Additional $2.5 / hr + Taxes $4.15/hr = $61.75 / hr
 
 
Other costs.
You might also want to add in AOPA $45/yr (.45/hr) (I use their legal service ($39/yr .39/hr) & other flight / con-ed stuff I think it's a bargain), EAA (I get my insurance through them) and other subscription fees-- such as weather, flight planning, A/FD & chart updates, etc
 
No wonder it's hard to make a living as an instructor- especially when you have to have an S-LSA.
 
Then again, I don't know how the typical GA planes that burn 10 - 30 GPH of AvGas (even more expensive than our MoGas) do it, and I am grateful every time that for two hours of flying, it only FEELS LIKE it's costing me about $10 in my trike!!!!
 
But in order to plan a retirement and /or vacation even, you gotta be realistic about what things really do cost & budget for them.  Which is why I came up with the calculation.
Also if you get in over your head with costs, not realistically planning, then you will probably be forced to skimp on maintenance-- which becomes a safety risk for you and OTHERS.