First Year Cost of Ownership: C182

[JoseCuervo]

Just went past the anniversary of my purchase of a C182 late last June. I purchased the plane WITHOUT a pre-buy, but did allow the Seller's mechanic (who was brokering it ) to do the annual last June.

$60 Tie Downs (6 months x $10)
$1050 T-Hangar rent (6 months x $175)
$738 Insurance for 12 months ($1mil Liability)
$146 Oil (2 cases Aeroshell W100 x $73) (still have a few bottles not used)
$47 for two Oil Filters
$40 Labor for Oil Change after 50 hours
$13 for tub of GoJo cleaner to clean the belly
$10 for Lemon Pledge and cleaning rags
$837 for Annual inspection and ELT battery, July 2015

$2941 Total non-fuel costs for 80 hours
$37 / hour Dry Costs for Year 1

960 estimated Gallons of fuel 80% MoGas, 20% 100LL. (I think actual is 90/10 for AvGas to MoGas)

$2660 for 768 MoGas gallons at average $3.50??
$1,056 for 192 gallons 100LL at $5.50??? estimate

$47 per hour for gas: ( $3716 fuel / 80 hours)


Operating costs: $84 per hour ($37 dry +$47 fuel)


(Note: Forgot the $85 Annual State registration)
(Note 2: Not going to count my medical, ForeFlight, BFR, etc.... that have nothing to do with ownership of the plane)

 

[SkyDog58]

Of course, one must also take into account future maintenance costs such as engine & prop overhaul and should be building a maintenance reserve at an hourly rate.

Did you pay cash or did you take out a loan? If loan, you need to add in interest charges.

Unless you are certain that you can sell it for what you paid for it then you also have depreciation cost.

There are other possible costs considerations as well but your tally was overly simplistic.

 

[Shepherd]

Where do you live? Where do you keep your plane?

A tiedown at my closest airport starts at $80.00 a month, hangers start at $350.00 a month. I pay $5.50 a gallon for 100LL.

I have to get out of this hellhole of a state.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Of course, one must also take into account future maintenance costs such as engine & prop overhaul and should be building a maintenance reserve at an hourly rate. .

That is why I only reported the OPERATING costs. We can play imaginary games for days to determine what the imaginary reserve accounts and costs are. I had no desire to do that, and, the number is imaginary, so why report it. My engine might go 2 more hours, or it might go 1000 more hours. One could make an argument for both numbers, and reserve accordingly. But, it would be an imaginary number, and, I am certainly not going to segregate my funds from one coffee can in my back yard to another coffee can in my back yard so that I have 2 coffee cans. One for Zombie Attacks, and one for engine/prop overhauls.

Did you pay cash or did you take out a loan? If loan, you need to add in interest charges. .

It doesn't matter if I took out a loan or if I paid cash. Each person who reads this trying to figure out what it could cost for a plane will have a different position. And, if I borrowed the money at x% is no different than if I took money out of other investments that were yielding x%. So, no, I don't need interest charges.

Unless you are certain that you can sell it for what you paid for it then you also have depreciation cost. .

I am guessing I could sell it for more than I paid for it, as I would hope a regularly flown, fresh annual'd 182 that really doesn't have any issues is worth more than the "rarely flown" 182 that I purchased a year ago.

But, if you want to play that game, you tell me what a mid-60's C182 with 950 SMOH, 3000TT, 430w in the panel, paint of 4/10, interior 6/10, no corrosion, all AD's, etc... is worth. And, I will tell you if there was depreciation.

There are other possible costs considerations as well but your tally was overly simplistic.

My tally was not overly simplistic. It had math. That makes it difficult. What I reported were the annual operating costs for the first year. If you want me to add a bunch of imaginary numbers, then please provide those imaginary numbers.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Where do you live? Where do you keep your plane?

A tiedown at my closest airport starts at $80.00 a month, hangers start at $350.00 a month. I pay $5.50 a gallon for 100LL.

I have to get out of this hellhole of a state.

And, I question the $175 hangar expense, as that is the biggest ticket item I have. And, since the paint is faded, and the interior is faded (but usable, no holes), I question the value of the hangar.

I do like the hangar from the point of security from "kids" causing trouble at the previous unsecured, un attended tie down location.


And, within 30 miles of me, I likely have 6-7 municipal airstrips with empty tie down ramps, all charging $10-15 per month, if they remember to bill you. I am sure the place I had for $10 would never have remembered if I paid or not.

 

[rbridges]

wear and tear on the motor should be considered. If you had a "0" time prop and motor, I'd use 20-25/hr for a round number based on 2000 tbo. It looks like you still came out ahead per hour, and you also had the luxury of having access to the plane 24/7.

and not to rain on your parade, but something is gonna have to get repaired on replaced over time that's going to raise your hourly cost.

edit-I see what you said about operating costs. I always have wear and tear in the back of my mind, and that's the reason I mentioned it. also, about the hangar. If it's a closed hangar, I would keep it. It's nice to have a place to keep tools. It's also nice to get into a plane that isn't 120 degrees inside during the middle of the day.

my first year ownership was great except for the fuel leak that required bladders.

 

[asicer]

Tach hours or hobbs?

 

[frfly172]

You need to go to a different mechanic and get another view ,on the airplanes needs. Then you can get a true cost of maintenance. Your figures may be skewed.

 

[StevieTimes]

(like)

great job, you give hope to the dreamers who hear the horror stories and think "no way ever".

 

[timwinters]

Where do you live? Where do you keep your plane?

A tiedown at my closest airport starts at $80.00 a month, hangers start at $350.00 a month. I pay $5.50 a gallon for 100LL.

I have to get out of this hellhole of a state.

The last time I was paying for a hangar (I'm now staying for free in a heated hangae...eat your heart out) I was paying $125/mo. Nice new hangar, power door, electric (free) etc.

But then, the downside is it's in Missouri where rebel flags are outnumbered only by jacked up trucks with bull balls hanging off the trailer hitch. It was voted most redneck state in the Union for a reason dontchaknow.

 

[eman1200]

JoseCuervo, I'm glad to see you haven't factored in Jose Cuervo as an operating expense!

 

[JoseCuervo]

Tach hours or hobbs?

Tach.

Never look at the Hobbs.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[JoseCuervo]

You need to go to a different mechanic and get another view ,on the airplanes needs. Then you can get a true cost of maintenance. Your figures may be skewed.

Why?


Sellers mechanic is 600 miles away.

My mechanic, just completed the July, 2015 annual inspection, is only located 8 miles away.

How would going and finding a third mechanic show me the true cost of maintenance?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[James331]

Man, some folks got to complicate everything.

You figure expenses about the same way I do, and it's been working great for me for years.

Only thing you MIGHT have missed was garmin updates, if you're so equipped, you're using it, and presuming you don't have a hookup from a buddy for the updates.


I like your breakdown, it's realistic and simple.






As far as hangars go, I have a hangar in the upper NE (away from all the big city socialists), I pay 200mo, and it's a electric bi fold door, epoxy floors, flood lights and full electric (included) plus it's large enough for my plane x3.

I have a area by my house I can anchor/beach the plane, soon I'll build a dock, the beaching and anchoring are free, once the docks built that'll set me back a couple grand, and that is only a overnight at best spot.

 

[denverpilot]

Just went past the anniversary of my purchase of a C182 late last June. I purchased the plane WITHOUT a pre-buy, but did allow the Seller's mechanic (who was brokering it ) to do the annual last June.



$60 Tie Downs (6 months x $10)

$1050 T-Hangar rent (6 months x $175)

$738 Insurance for 12 months ($1mil Liability)

$146 Oil (2 cases Aeroshell W100 x $73) (still have a few bottles not used)

$47 for two Oil Filters

$40 Labor for Oil Change after 50 hours

$13 for tub of GoJo cleaner to clean the belly

$10 for Lemon Pledge and cleaning rags

$837 for Annual inspection and ELT battery, July 2015



$2941 Total non-fuel costs for 80 hours

$37 / hour Dry Costs for Year 1



960 estimated Gallons of fuel 80% MoGas, 20% 100LL. (I think actual is 90/10 for AvGas to MoGas)



$2660 for 768 MoGas gallons at average $3.50??

$1,056 for 192 gallons 100LL at $5.50??? estimate



$47 per hour for gas: ( $3716 fuel / 80 hours)





Operating costs: $84 per hour ($37 dry +$47 fuel)





(Note: Forgot the $85 Annual State registration)

(Note 2: Not going to count my medical, ForeFlight, BFR, etc.... that have nothing to do with ownership of the plane)

I'll have to look at our spreadsheet, but this isn't insanely far off from ours. Our annuals are more expensive here, our hangar is way more expensive but we bought it outright to help with that, and some repairs over the years have pushed up the MX above yours.

MX: Tires, Brakes, left bladder tank failure, new flush wing fuel drains, cowl flap cable issue, right aileron hinges, nose strut slow leak, panel clock, Hobbs, DME and transponder troubleshooting, cowl flap hinge, battery, elt battery, elt remote head battery, repairs to busted plastic near trim wheel, new panel cover plastic, free Cessna provided install of pilot seat doohickeys, had the mechanic re-work all loose screws in fairings and what not to get them all to stay put, and optional until we had them and now we don't consider them optional: LED landing and taxi lights, broken plug wire (replaced all)...

I think that's it. Over a pretty long period of time. Many years.

I think we'll have this year:

More DME work or trash it and start the evilness of finding a GPS, pilot side seat track may hit AD limit for cracks. Every so often we get a whiff of fuel from somewhere and we know it's the other bladder reminding us it'll go Tango Uniform eventually. Haven't found the leak yet and it rarely does it. Could also be a vent line. Seems to happen only during deceleration in the forward direction like a slam dunk approach from Vfe to Flap 40 all at once, which isn't done often either. (Flap tracks and rollers are also expensive. Why beat the hell out of them?)

So you haven't started the "real fun" yet but it's coming. Fixed MX cost will rise from where you're at now. Some will be deferrable, some won't. Still better to fly it knowing how it's been maintained vs renting it and not knowing.

Price ends up about the same in the end. Rentals aren't making much if anything on the aircraft in most places.

Stuff like our aileron hinges were outrageous because we have the Robby kit. $935 because the Robby kit uses a different sized rear half of the hinge than stock Cessna hinges. That one hurt a bit. Not so bad split three ways of course, but still. A frakking certified piano hinge half. Ha, oh well.

Oh. Your insurance. Is that $1M smooth or $1M/250,000 per occurrence and medical pilots similarly low or per seat? I suspect the latter. Doesn't really matter to me but folks thinking about an aircraft do have to decide what they want vs their other assets. Ours runs us about $950 to $1050 depending on the year and whim of the insurance company.

Our oil filters are cheaper and oil also but we add CamGuard and always do a Blackstone analysis, so it's probably a wash.

If your annuals are going by and it's feeling like they're a little too easy, they are. Something is being missed or deferred. It's a rare year if we push the mechanic a little that we don't have a decent sized squawk list to pick and choose from for things that could be deferred but we'd rather fix. We had a meeting a while back and decided that if we defer everything then we're essentially flying a rental at rental levels of MX and if we wanted that, we'd just rent.

Good list. I may have to publish the Cliff notes version of our spreadsheet sometime.

 

[Mike5250]

Why?


Sellers mechanic is 600 miles away.

My mechanic, just completed the July, 2015 annual inspection, is only located 8 miles away.

How would going and finding a third mechanic show me the true cost of maintenance?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Everyone is just upset they spent 3x per hr to fly. I got really lucky with a 150 for two years then needed an engine at 1000smoh. Prepare for the unexpected!

Enjoy it!

 

[James331]

I'll have to look at our spreadsheet, but this isn't insanely far off from ours. Our annuals are more expensive here, our hangar is way more expensive but we bought it outright to help with that, and some repairs over the years have pushed up the MX above yours.

MX: Tires, Brakes, left bladder tank failure, new flush wing fuel drains, cowl flap cable issue, right aileron hinges, nose strut slow leak, panel clock, Hobbs, DME and transponder troubleshooting, cowl flap hinge, battery, elt battery, elt remote head battery, repairs to busted plastic near trim wheel, new panel cover plastic, free Cessna provided install of pilot seat doohickeys, had the mechanic re-work all loose screws in fairings and what not to get them all to stay put, and optional until we had them and now we don't consider them optional: LED landing and taxi lights, broken plug wire (replaced all)...

I think that's it. Over a pretty long period of time. Many years.

I think we'll have this year:

More DME work or trash it and start the evilness of finding a GPS, pilot side seat track may hit AD limit for cracks. Every so often we get a whiff of fuel from somewhere and we know it's the other bladder reminding us it'll go Tango Uniform eventually. Haven't found the leak yet and it rarely does it. Could also be a vent line. Seems to happen only during deceleration in the forward direction like a slam dunk approach from Vfe to Flap 40 all at once, which isn't done often either. (Flap tracks and rollers are also expensive. Why beat the hell out of them?)

So you haven't started the "real fun" yet but it's coming. Fixed MX cost will rise from where you're at now. Some will be deferrable, some won't. Still better to fly it knowing how it's been maintained vs renting it and not knowing.

Price ends up about the same in the end. Rentals aren't making much if anything on the aircraft in most places.

Stuff like our aileron hinges were outrageous because we have the Robby kit. $935 because the Robby kit uses a different sized rear half of the hinge than stock Cessna hinges. That one hurt a bit. Not so bad split three ways of course, but still. A frakking certified piano hinge half. Ha, oh well.

Oh. Your insurance. Is that $1M smooth or $1M/250,000 per occurrence and medical pilots similarly low or per seat? I suspect the latter. Doesn't really matter to me but folks thinking about an aircraft do have to decide what they want vs their other assets. Ours runs us about $950 to $1050 depending on the year and whim of the insurance company.

Our oil filters are cheaper and oil also but we add CamGuard and always do a Blackstone analysis, so it's probably a wash.

If your annuals are going by and it's feeling like they're a little too easy, they are. Something is being missed or deferred. It's a rare year if we push the mechanic a little that we don't have a decent sized squawk list to pick and choose from for things that could be deferred but we'd rather fix. We had a meeting a while back and decided that if we defer everything then we're essentially flying a rental at rental levels of MX and if we wanted that, we'd just rent.

Good list. I may have to publish the Cliff notes version of our spreadsheet sometime.

Not sure about the 182, but I've seen a few robertson STOL planes (droop ailerons) where the ASI was never re-marked, so folks who are just waiting to get to the white line to pull flaps are pulling flaps considerably past VFE.

I've also seen a few Robby STOL planes without the supplement in the POH

Something to check

 

[Brad Z]

Just went past the anniversary of my purchase of a C182 late last June. I purchased the plane WITHOUT a pre-buy, but did allow the Seller's mechanic (who was brokering it ) to do the annual last June.

$60 Tie Downs (6 months x $10)
$1050 T-Hangar rent (6 months x $175)
$738 Insurance for 12 months ($1mil Liability)
$146 Oil (2 cases Aeroshell W100 x $73) (still have a few bottles not used)
$47 for two Oil Filters
$40 Labor for Oil Change after 50 hours
$13 for tub of GoJo cleaner to clean the belly
$10 for Lemon Pledge and cleaning rags
$837 for Annual inspection and ELT battery, July 2015

$2941 Total non-fuel costs for 80 hours
$37 / hour Dry Costs for Year 1

960 estimated Gallons of fuel 80% MoGas, 20% 100LL. (I think actual is 90/10 for AvGas to MoGas)

$2660 for 768 MoGas gallons at average $3.50??
$1,056 for 192 gallons 100LL at $5.50??? estimate

$47 per hour for gas: ( $3716 fuel / 80 hours)


Operating costs: $84 per hour ($37 dry +$47 fuel)


(Note: Forgot the $85 Annual State registration)
(Note 2: Not going to count my medical, ForeFlight, BFR, etc.... that have nothing to do with ownership of the plane)

I don't doubt your numbers, but keep in mind, it's just a snapshot. Machines break, and even though your mechanic may only charge $40/hr, replacing a jug or replacing a bladder will add a few AMUs before you know it. Enjoy the cheap flying, but squirrel some money away for the big stuff...and they will come.

Brad Z. (Proud owner, '75 182P)

 

[frcabot]

Wow, $800 annual? The annuals here start at $3K, that's assuming there's absolutely nothing wrong with the plane and nothing that needs replacing (i.e., just the inspection).

 

[James331]

Wow, $800 annual? The annuals here start at $3K, that's assuming there's absolutely nothing wrong with the plane and nothing that needs replacing (i.e., just the inspection).

3k with no snags!

You need to find a new shop, sounds like you're putting the AP IA's kids through Yale of something.

 

[timwinters]

3k with no snags!

You need to find a new shop, sounds like you're putting the AP IA's kids through Yale of something.

^^^that^^^

At least if he's talking a 172...182 type plane.

My mechanic is $750 flat rate for the annual. Then...it just depends on what we run into.

But, yes, I understand that some parts of the country are far more expensive for just about everything.

 

[frcabot]

^^^that^^^

At least if he's talking a 172...182 type plane.

My mechanic is $750 flat rate for the annual. Then...it just depends on what we run into.

But, yes, I understand that some parts of the country are far more expensive for just about everything.

Mooney. California is just insanely expensive.

 

[James331]

Mooney. California is just insanely expensive.

Not that expensive, you got a fast plane fly 50nm and you'll get the same work for 500-750.

I lived in that cesspool for quite some time, plenty of crooks and scammers, some even have pretty websites, business cards and rent offices, for 3k, sorry man, you're being taken for a ride.

 

[FormerHangie]

Where do you live? Where do you keep your plane?

A tiedown at my closest airport starts at $80.00 a month, hangers start at $350.00 a month. I pay $5.50 a gallon for 100LL.

I have to get out of this hellhole of a state.

It's not any cheaper here.

 

[frcabot]

Not that expensive, you got a fast plane fly 50nm and you'll get the same work for 500-750.

I lived in that cesspool for quite some time, plenty of crooks and scammers, some even have pretty websites, business cards and rent offices, for 3k, sorry man, you're being taken for a ride.

It's a highly respected MSC. There are two in Northern California: LASAR (in Lakeport, CA) and Top Gun (in Stockton, CA). They both charge about $3K for the base annual. If you know of a competent Mooney Service Center that will charge me under $1K for an annual, within 500nm or so, give me their name/number/website/airport and I'll use them for sure next year.

 

[James331]

It's a highly respected MSC. There are two in Northern California: LASAR (in Lakeport, CA) and Top Gun (in Stockton, CA). They both charge about $3K for the base annual. If you know of a competent Mooney Service Center that will charge me under $1K for an annual, within 500nm or so, give me their name/number/website/airport and I'll use them for sure next year.

I'm not sure about their marketing, but I know of a few AP IAs who are familiar with the type.

I'm sure there are plenty of mooney people here and on the mooney boards who could point you in the direction of a good shop that won't gouge you too.


Frankly I don't care if they have Jesus himself taking inspection covers off, 3k with no snags is a HUUUGE rip.

 

[frcabot]

I'm not sure about their marketing, but I know of a few AP IAs who are familiar with the type.

I'm sure there are plenty of mooney people here and on the mooney boards who could point you in the direction of a good shop that won't gouge you too.


Frankly I don't care if they have Jesus himself taking inspection covers off, 3k with no snags is a HUUUGE rip.

Like I said, if anyone has referrals / recommendations anywhere in the vicinity of the Bay Area, I'll all ears (or eyes, I guess?).

 

[James331]

Like I said, if anyone has referrals / recommendations anywhere in the vicinity of the Bay Area, I'll all ears (or eyes, I guess?).

You got PM

 

[denverpilot]

Not sure about the 182, but I've seen a few robertson STOL planes (droop ailerons) where the ASI was never re-marked, so folks who are just waiting to get to the white line to pull flaps are pulling flaps considerably past VFE.



I've also seen a few Robby STOL planes without the supplement in the POH



Something to check

Yeah ours is all good in that regard, but those items do tend to get lost or not done properly on some of the Robby aircraft.

The Robby is generally useless on the 182 unless you regularly operate from rough or unimproved strips with no obstacles. It's better suited to the heavier haulers.

DW was kind enough to video a Flap 30 takeoff from Gastons a while ago. Fun but zero margin for an engine out other than to get the nose down and plant it immediately. I wasn't trying TOO hard on this one since the grass is bumpy and I didn't feel like having a tailstrike that day. About half fuel (LR tanks so 40 gallons), me, an iPad, and a headset. Everything else got tossed out in the grass.

Actually a little more ballast in the aft end would have made it not want to teeter-totter fore and aft after rotation. But I wanted it to be short.

http://youtu.be/D01jHXn2q28

DW had been playing with his STOL 172 and lifting off before the windsock so I figured I'd go do it, too. It came off far enough before the windsock that I probably didn't need to hold the brakes at throttle up, but I let it roll when the tires started sliding in the grass.

Some of the straight tail models get really close to the P model plus Robby for takeoff and landing is already so short on most 182s with 40 flap that you can get it in somewhere you can't get it back out of.

Anyway in relation to this thread, watch the STCs when going for cheap flying. The Robby kit is fun but costs more to maintain now that Robertson is long gone and someone else holds the STC and can put whatever price they want on the parts. And a rigging job will take longer ($$), too.

 

[SkyDog58]

I don't doubt your numbers, but keep in mind, it's just a snapshot. Machines break, and even though your mechanic may only charge $40/hr, replacing a jug or replacing a bladder will add a few AMUs before you know it. Enjoy the cheap flying, but squirrel some money away for the big stuff...and they will come.

Brad Z. (Proud owner, '75 182P)

Basically my point about maintenance reserves. Also, I am a big proponent of a separate coffee can for it. To each their own though.

 

[Tom-D]

Man, some folks got to complicate everything.

those folks are known as "Tire Kickers" they will find any excuse to not buy.

 

[SkyDog58]

those folks are known as "Tire Kickers" they will find any excuse to not buy.

Oh I agree that thinking things over frequently turns into over thinking things but I do not see that in the comments on this thread. It is more just a difference of opinion on how to figure your actual costs and how to ensure funds are available for major repairs.

 

[Tom-D]

Oh I agree that thinking things over frequently turns into over thinking things but I do not see that in the comments on this thread. It is more just a difference of opinion on how to figure your actual costs and how to ensure funds are available for major repairs.

Wrong approach to buying, you only spend half of your budget for any aircraft. hold the rest in reserve you know you'll need it.
That way no matter what happens day 1 you are ready.

 

[James331]

Wrong approach to buying, you only spend half of your budget for any aircraft. hold the rest in reserve you know you'll need it.
That way no matter what happens day 1 you are ready.

Maybe if you're buying a basket case, or your prebuy mechanic is a blithering idiot, or you're a really bad pilot.

I've never spent near that, I don't think I know anyone who bought a non-project airplane who spent anywhere near that.

So if you bought that 172 for 25k, you would presume there was 25k worth of things wrong with it

 

[JoseCuervo]

Man, some folks got to complicate everything.



You figure expenses about the same way I do, and it's been working great for me for years.



Only thing you MIGHT have missed was garmin updates, if you're so equipped, you're using it, and presuming you don't have a hookup from a buddy for the updates.





I like your breakdown, it's realistic and simple.













As far as hangars go, I have a hangar in the upper NE (away from all the big city socialists), I pay 200mo, and it's a electric bi fold door, epoxy floors, flood lights and full electric (included) plus it's large enough for my plane x3.



I have a area by my house I can anchor/beach the plane, soon I'll build a dock, the beaching and anchoring are free, once the docks built that'll set me back a couple grand, and that is only a overnight at best spot.

Yep. Those are actual $$$ that I wrote checks, or swiped credit cards, or peeled Benjamin's off of a money roll.

That is all I was reporting and sharing.

And, in cases where I did not bother to track, like fuel, I showed my assumptions and estimates. People can adjust the $$ per gallon based as they see fit.

In all honesty, I likely spent way less than $3.50 a gallon on mogas. But, what I spent last year per gallon of gas is a useless number for anyone else to use going forward. This year's fuel costs are gonna be what they are gonna be.

And, the whole "reserve" accounting does not matter either, as everybody manages their assets and investments differently.

Just like me not sharing the tax advantages I got from buying the plane, that actually, effectively lowered the purchase price by 33%. Those advantages are unique to me (or some one in a similar financial situation) and really aren't anything helpful to share going forward.

 

[JoseCuervo]

I'll have to look at our spreadsheet, but this isn't insanely far off from ours. Our annuals are more expensive here, our hangar is way more expensive but we bought it outright to help with that, and some repairs over the years have pushed up the MX above yours.

MX: Tires, Brakes, left bladder tank failure, new flush wing fuel drains, cowl flap cable issue, right aileron hinges, nose strut slow leak, panel clock, Hobbs, DME and transponder troubleshooting, cowl flap hinge, battery, elt battery, elt remote head battery, repairs to busted plastic near trim wheel, new panel cover plastic, free Cessna provided install of pilot seat doohickeys, had the mechanic re-work all loose screws in fairings and what not to get them all to stay put, and optional until we had them and now we don't consider them optional: LED landing and taxi lights, broken plug wire (replaced all)...

I think that's it. Over a pretty long period of time. Many years.

I think we'll have this year:

More DME work or trash it and start the evilness of finding a GPS, pilot side seat track may hit AD limit for cracks. Every so often we get a whiff of fuel from somewhere and we know it's the other bladder reminding us it'll go Tango Uniform eventually. Haven't found the leak yet and it rarely does it. Could also be a vent line. Seems to happen only during deceleration in the forward direction like a slam dunk approach from Vfe to Flap 40 all at once, which isn't done often either. (Flap tracks and rollers are also expensive. Why beat the hell out of them?)

So you haven't started the "real fun" yet but it's coming. Fixed MX cost will rise from where you're at now. Some will be deferrable, some won't. Still better to fly it knowing how it's been maintained vs renting it and not knowing.

Price ends up about the same in the end. Rentals aren't making much if anything on the aircraft in most places.

Stuff like our aileron hinges were outrageous because we have the Robby kit. $935 because the Robby kit uses a different sized rear half of the hinge than stock Cessna hinges. That one hurt a bit. Not so bad split three ways of course, but still. A frakking certified piano hinge half. Ha, oh well.

Oh. Your insurance. Is that $1M smooth or $1M/250,000 per occurrence and medical pilots similarly low or per seat? I suspect the latter. Doesn't really matter to me but folks thinking about an aircraft do have to decide what they want vs their other assets. Ours runs us about $950 to $1050 depending on the year and whim of the insurance company.

Our oil filters are cheaper and oil also but we add CamGuard and always do a Blackstone analysis, so it's probably a wash.

If your annuals are going by and it's feeling like they're a little too easy, they are. Something is being missed or deferred. It's a rare year if we push the mechanic a little that we don't have a decent sized squawk list to pick and choose from for things that could be deferred but we'd rather fix. We had a meeting a while back and decided that if we defer everything then we're essentially flying a rental at rental levels of MX and if we wanted that, we'd just rent.

Good list. I may have to publish the Cliff notes version of our spreadsheet sometime.

As this was the first annual with "my mechanic", I wasn't sure what to expect. I mostly was advised the first year that I should spend money on AvGas and get plenty of hours on it so we know what we got, and build some history.

I have a list of things I want to do with the plane and stuff that will need to be done:

New paint
Oversized front fork
New motor ( in 500 hours, +\- 499 hours)
New Transponder
Replace all the cowl fasteners with stainless steel
Ads-B
New windshield
Engine Analyzer
Vortex generators, maybe

And, I am guessing once I start upgrading, we will find additional things to replace. ( replace the front windshield and not make the rest of the windows look new???)

Or, do none of the above, and just enjoy flying a solid, plain vanilla 182.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Everyone is just upset they spent 3x per hr to fly. I got really lucky with a 150 for two years then needed an engine at 1000smoh. Prepare for the unexpected!



Enjoy it!

Agreed.

These engines are the biggest unknown, and the most expensive part. Could be 1 hour, could be 1000 more hours.

 

[JoseCuervo]

I don't doubt your numbers, but keep in mind, it's just a snapshot. Machines break, and even though your mechanic may only charge $40/hr, replacing a jug or replacing a bladder will add a few AMUs before you know it. Enjoy the cheap flying, but squirrel some money away for the big stuff...and they will come.



Brad Z. (Proud owner, '75 182P)

I hope I did not mis-represent it as anything other than a "snapshot" of what I spent the first year in operating the 182.

 

[JoseCuervo]

Wow, $800 annual? The annuals here start at $3K, that's assuming there's absolutely nothing wrong with the plane and nothing that needs replacing (i.e., just the inspection).

And that included a new ELT battery and a bit of repair on some hangar rash (that was there when I bought the plane,).

It is a Mom and Pop type of shop, older mechanics that have been wrenching on similar planes for years. Most of the planes I have seen them working on are all frequent backcountry visitors. Lots of high wing planes with bigger motors and tires.

 

[JoseCuervo]

It's a highly respected MSC. There are two in Northern California: LASAR (in Lakeport, CA) and Top Gun (in Stockton, CA). They both charge about $3K for the base annual. If you know of a competent Mooney Service Center that will charge me under $1K for an annual, within 500nm or so, give me their name/number/website/airport and I'll use them for sure next year.

Why do you need a Mooney Service Center for an annual? Wouldn't a competent, independent mechanic be able to work on a Mooney?