What did it cost you to fly last year?

I had to see my CPA yesterday about my personal property tax on the FabHoe. Besides helping me with that task, the dirty bastard tallied up the cash outlay and divided it by the hours flown.

In the last 12 months, it?s cost me $510.23 per hour to enjoy this plane!
Just about half of that cost was the down payment, sales tax and interest on the loan.

I?ll bet that if you?ve just finished a restoration or recently purchased your plane, your numbers are pretty big too? I certainly hope that the first year is the most expensive to operate?

Good news is, I only paid $72.00 in labor (thus far).

Come on, be honest?What did it cost you?

Did you buy those updated GPS cards every 28 days? Purchase camping gear for that fly in? Get those big tires or put it on it?s nose? Once you got there, what did you pay to stay?... Instructors (others that actually made money while sitting in the seat of their Cub) can deduct monies earned from their hourly cost. Put another way, simply take what came out of the bank account for Cub activities over the last 12 months and divide it by the hours flown.

Be honest.

removed

To keep the cost of flying at a minimum find a business use for it. You can set up an aerial photography business (probably the easiest), banner tow, aircraft sales, giving local rides, etc......anything you can show that generates SOME income(it doesn't have to make money).......your expenses can outweigh your income for a time limit(not sure how long)........check with your accountant. This can be part time. You then have the advantages of deducting the costs of operation, depreciation, maintenance, etc. Depreciation of aircraft is also accellerated compared to say buildings or vehicles. I'm not a numbers type guy but your accountant should be able to help you with this......or maybe we have a number cruncher on sc.org that could give some facts regarding using the cubs for business. :lol:

Cost

I don't realy want to know if I cant afford it I'll sell the planes.

Si

My family's vacation, my wife's new car, my daughter's education, my retirement, and counting.
SB

Stewart, you beat me to the punch on that one.... :lol:

As I tell my wife, "At what value do you place happiness?"

Too much, in other words...

sj

HOLY COW !!! Don't let my wife see this thread Rick

Dave
My accountant told me you have to make money once every 5 or 6 years. Also, isn't that hanger with the refridgeraters a "warehouse" and the jeep a "material handler"?

Right on Wilbur........there may not be a way to fly for free but you can sure make it a lot cheaper.......and isn't that 180 business transportation for personel( I do recall having a business discussion with you) and beverage equipment ( I did sample the final product ) ?

Can't wait to see my accountant roll her eyes the next time I see her. Won't be the first time.

Doesn't using your cub as a business loss require a commercial license?

GR

Nope, you can fly yourself around on business (like to meetings), etc as a private pilot. You just can't use the airplane for hire...

Unless somebody else is flying it.

sj

The calculator I have here by the computer doesn't have enough digits on it. I don't care. You only live once and there are just a few of us on earth that are blessed with being Super Cub pilots. Sorry for the wanna bes in here.

Torch

I would rather not know! There is no way to justify the costs. There also is no other way I would rather spend my money!