Thread: $75,000 2-33
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Old March 13th 18, 07:47 AM posted to rec.aviation.soaring
Tango Whisky
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Default $75,000 2-33

Le lundi 12 mars 2018 21:06:16 UTC+1, Papa3 a écritÂ*:
So help us understand the economics of your operation. In round figures, you're sitting on about $1M (USD) worth of aircraft when I include our two towplanes. Maybe a little more or a little less depending on how you acquired the Duos and K-21s (used vs new) as well as the Maule, but close enough.


Operation of a glider (all included) comes to about $5000 in fixed cost per year.
We spend something like $30k in various rents. In total, the soaring operation is about $70k in fixed costs p.a.
Members pay an annual fee of $650, regardless wether they fly their own glider (about 15 owners) or club gliders.
Those flying club glider either buy a slot of 30 h for $700, or 70 h for $1400. These slots can't be brought into the following year. Very few actually pay by the hour.
We do quite a number of introductory flights, which generate some revenue.
Tugs are self-financing, and rates are $5-7 per minute. Tug pilots are not paid.

No-one gets paid any money. Every member is required to put in 4-5 days per year for ground operation or maintainance. Instructors are excempted as they put in an average of 10 days riding the back seat.

The fleets was built up over a span of 50 years, so incrementals were small (and covered by net cashflow). "What's wrong with a 2-33" - guys don't exist in our club, or don't exist anymore. The last financially significant switch (changing 2 Pilatus B4 for 2 Discus) was done 15 years ago, and 5 years ago the Discus were switched for LS8-18.