Cost of ownership

Greg Arnold wrote:

Eric Greenwell wrote:

Owning a motorglider means more money to purchase the same soaring
performance, more maintenance, and higher insurance cost because of
the higher price. It also means more complexity for the pilot, and
more responsibility, because you are now the towpilot, too. You have
to decide if the ability to fly more and to explore more is worth the
cost.

If you want to know more about owning and flying a motorglider, I
suggest starting with "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane
Operation", downloaded from www.motorglider.org

Do you have any numbers for the annual maintenance cost on your '26E?
I wonder how that compares to the saving on tows.
The costs for maintaining the airframe and it's instruments are the same
as any glider, because the vibration from the Wankel rotary motor is so
small it doesn't cause any problems.

The annual is more expensive than a towed glider because of the
propulsion system. My cost for the annual is low because of special
circumstances, so asking your mechanic, or someone like Rex Mayes (who
does a lot of 26 E's), will provide a better number.

Routine maintenance is very small:

* New batteries every 3 or 4 years: ~$100 plus installation (owner
can do it)
* If you taxi a lot, a new main tire every 3 or 4 years: ~$100 plus
installation (owner can do it)
* New coolant hoses every 5 years: ~$150 for the hoses and new
antifreeze, 1 or 2 hours shop time, plus removing/replacing the
engine (2 hours total). Usually done when the engine has to be
removed for other reasons.
* the carburettor might need tuning every few years.

The major maintenance costs will be "black swans" - unexpected events.
I've owned my glider for 15 seasons. It now has 3000 hours airframe, and
147 hours engine. Over the years, replacements include the fan (AD) and
muffler (AD), both of which were early "new model" problems. Also
replaced were the propeller extension motor when I suspected it was
getting noisy, but it was probably OK. The water pump was replaced
preemptively, just because it had 130 hours and the engine was out for
other reasons. My cost doesn't mean much, because the parts were a lot
cheaper when the $ was stronger, and I do most of the work with the aid
of a friendly mechanic. Ask Rex about current costs.

Still, my major costs due to the propulsion system are the cost of
buying it (about $30,000) and the cost of insuring that extra purchase
price. At 5% interest, the "opportunity cost" is $1500 year; the extra
insurance cost is about $500, for a total extra yearly cost of $2000.

My major savings are tow costs, retrieve costs, and travel costs. A
2000' AGL launch takes less than 0.5 gallons of 100LL, so 50 flights a
year x $40 launch = $2000 saved. Without the motor, I'd land out about
10 times a year, so guessing at $100 average for tow and trailer
retrieves = $1000. That's $3000 avoided costs.

But wait, there's mo I can fly from the airport that's 4 miles away
instead of driving 110 miles to the nearest towplane. That ability is
almost priceless, but let's say for a weekend (2 flights) I avoid 4
hours and 220 miles of driving, and a night in a cheap motel: $30 gas +
$40 motel = $35/flight; times 50 flights = $1750.

So for me, I avoid $2000 (tows) + $1000 (retrieves) + $1750 (driving,
motels) = $4750. Net of the extra ownership costs ($3500) = $1250. After
15 years x $1250 = $18,750, I'm way ahead of the game, but a major
"black swan" event would change that.

Your mileage (literally and figuratively) will definitely vary, so run
the numbers to get an idea of your cost. Once you have the dollars, you
can begin considering if the cost and complexity are worth the
additional amount and quality of the flying you'll get.

One more thing: this is the 5th glider I've owned, by far the most
expensive to buy, but my wife thinks it's the very best one ever,
because I always get home!

--
Eric Greenwell - Washington State, USA
* Change "netto" to "net" to email me directly

* "Transponders in Sailplanes" http://tinyurl.com/y739x4
* Sections on Mode S, TPAS, ADS-B, Flarm, more

* "A Guide to Self-launching Sailplane Operation" at www.motorglider.org