Pretty close. Usage related maintenance is more than $2 an hour. More
like $10, or $15 if you have an IFR panel to support. Tires, brakes,
light bulbs (landing lights, nav lights, strobes, interior lighting),
battery and gyros all give out. Then there are the occasional starter,
alternator, magnetos and nose wheel shimmy things, vacuum pump and
radio repair. This list is not exhaustive either. Maintenance is the
one recurring item that is difficult to predict.

wrote in message news:H0u2d.8226$MS1.2892@trnddc02...
On 16-Sep-2004, vincent p. norris wrote:

Can anyone who owns a Cessna 172 tell me approximately what it costs
per hour to operate--fuel, oil, normal maintenance, engine overhaul
fund?


It depends primarily on number of hours flown per year, but given that value
it's not too tough to calculate.

DIRECT OPERATING COST:
Figure 8 gal fuel/hr @ $3.00/gal = $24/hr
Figure $16000 for engine overhaul, 2000 hr TBO = $8/hr
Figure usage related maintenance = maybe $2/hr (assuming you do your own oil
changes)
TOTAL DIRECT OPERATNG COSTS = $34/hr

FIXED COSTS:
Tiedown/hangar, could be anywhere from free to $500/mo. Lets say tiedown at
$100/mo = $1200/yr
Insurance will depend upon pilot experience and hull value. Let's say
$800/yr
Annual inspection and other maintenance: When we had a 172 I think it
averaged around $1600/yr. (including avionics).
TOTAL FIXED COSTS = $3600/yr

If the plane is flown a typical 150 hrs/yr, fixed costs as estimated above
come in at $24/hr, so total operating cost per hour would be $34 + $24 =
$58. But if you only fly 50 hrs/yr the hourly cost is a whopping $96.

Note that this analysis does not include depreciation (or appreciation) or
costs for periodic painting and interior upgrades, or interest charges on a
loan, if applicable. YMMV.