jdwatson said:
I was at the FBO the other day and heard the reason the local school replaced their 152s with 172s was that the 152s were costing a lot to maintain.
A FBO is a
business with a different point of view than yours as an
owner. To them, an airplane is a source of revenue and a source of cost.
A C-152 brings in about 1/2 the revenue of a C-172 for two reasons:
a) Fewer people want to rent the 152 so it racks up fewer hours per month.
b) It must be rented at about 80% to 75% the rate of the C-172.
A C-152 costs about the same amount in maintenance as a similarly aged C-172 and costs more to maintain than a new aircraft that is under warranty, doesn't need major repair, and doesn't need to be upgraded. A new C-172 can be sold in a few years, possibly for more than the original purchase price. A C-152 cannot be expected to increase significantly in value.
As a result, the
business must spend more dollars in cost relative to dollars in revenue, making it too expensive to bother with.
The picture for you as an
owner is different.
The purchase price of a C-152 is considerably less than a C-172, especially a new one.
The old C-152 is just as reliable as the old C-172.
If you don't want to upgrade, you don't need to.
Your fuel burn rate is lower in a C-152.
Hull insurance costs less.
You don't care how much money the plane can be sold for.
The C-172 carries more stuff.
Would you buy a 152 today or avoid one because of costs of maintenance ?
