On Saturday, December 14, 2019 at 3:23:41 PM UTC-8, Nick Kennedy wrote:
Several years ago I was helping Wilf Krueger K2 strap into his DG 800B motorglider.
He looks up at me and says "here goes the most expensive tow I'll ever buy"
He smiles and takes off.
I'm curious from those in the know, how much did that launch
really cost him?
Over say 25 flights a year over 10 years how much roughly does it cost per gasoline powered motorglider launch?
Including ALL maintenance and fuel and parts. And hands on time to keep the engine running at say 75/hr labor. Extra annual inspection costs too.
That's 250 launches
In my LS3a my average launch seems to be about 65 bucks.
65X 250 launches = $16,250

What are you motorheads really paying per launch over time?
Do you try to keep track?
Or is it just one of those necessary life expense's you really don't want to know the total as you'd pay it no matter what ?
Thanks in advance
T

A rare instance when I will agree with 2G . A MG is a convenience, not an economy. A self launch engine is at least a $50K option. At 5% interest (still available even in this economy) that is $2500 a year income, or at your prices 38 launches per year. Forever. Not counting gas, maintenance, etc. Historically you have gotten the capital back when you sell the MG, but you are still out the time value of the money.

On operations, it costs me about 1/2 gallon per launch at around $5/gal in 100LL, so $2.50 per. There is extra routine maintenance every year, paying someone to do it might amount to 5 hours or $375. Unscheduled is hard to quantify - I've had about $2000 worth in 20 years but some have had way more. Since I do most of the work myself, I'm averaging about $5 in maintenance per launch. Many fields now have a motorglider launch fee, to recover some of the fixed cost of the operation, where I fly that is $10 - so now I'm up to $17.50 for my free launch. A retrieve costs me about $5 in gas, vs. at least $200 in tow plane charges, average about one a year so that comes off of it. Best guess is under $10 per launch on operations.

But - roaring off the runway waving to your buddies who are 10th in line, or announcing on the CTAF "L6 will attempt an engine restart" above 5 of your best friends sitting on the ground at the landout site waiting for the towplane - priceless! I get to launch when I want, at my own pace, no one pushing me from behind or in my way in front. And the inconvenience of a retrieve is almost 100% mitigated which leads to more flying.