jim rosinski wrote:

This appears to violate the "3X" general rule of thumb that the total
cost of aircraft ownership is roughly three times the cost of the fuel
you put into it.

Yes. Actual ownership costs will nearly always "violate" this rule. That rule
might apply if you put something in excess of 200 hours a year on the plane. It
will not if you fly less.

Consider another "rule"; that the break-even point between renting and owning is
about 100-200 hours (depending on who you ask). Well, rental on an older 172 in
this area is about $80/hr. It will burn about $21/hr in fuel. Applying the first
rule-of-thumb, the ownership costs for that plane are about $63/hr. Applying the
break-even point rule, however, tells you that your ownership costs are likely
to be much higher.

Mine certainly are.

George Patterson
He who marries for money earns every penny of it.