First Year of Ownership - Cost of a Cessna 182

Nikhiln25

Nikhiln25

Pre-takeoff checklist
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nikhiln25
Last October I bought a Cessna 182R 1981. I was lucky enough it came with a hangar. The plane was generally in good flying condition, though the paint was and still is in bad shape.

I tracked all my expenses for the first year. I know this is generally something people are looking for color on so I thought I'd share. I don't include cost of the plane (given its supposed equity), a reserve for TBO or my upcoming paint job. This is pure cash cost for operating a single owner Cessna 182

Hours Flown Oct 2024-Sept 2025: 168 Hobbs
Total Expense: $35,287 - $210/hour
Fixed Costs: $12,540
Hangar: $6,261
Insurance: $2,213
Subscriptions: $858 - Savvy, Pilot Association, GPS Database, Foreflight
Base Annual: $2,266
IFR Certification: $942 (though this is split over 2 years)

Variable Expense ex MX: $12,948
Fuel: $11,100 - $66/hour. Burning about 11 Gallons per hour/hobbs
Oil Supplies: $866
Landing/FBO Fees: $200
Labor for 2 Oil Change & 1 Spark Plugs - both beyond what was done at annual: $783

Mx: $7,192
Annual (Beyond base cost): $4,346
Other through out the year: $2,846 - two tire changes, an avionics issue which was about $1,500 and a couple of other things

Other: $2,607
Supplies: $1,917- covers, tie down stuff, cleaning, switcheon
JPI Upgrade: $690


I had budgeted $25,000 for the first year and went well pasts it. Next year the supply expense should be minimal - most of these were one time. Hopefully my maintenace expense will come down by $2,000 at least as well. Starting with a $30,000 budget this year for same number of hours.
 
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Thanks for posting, very interesting.... and one more reason why I will fly an E/AB

One thing I did notice is no 'reserve fund' for engine OH or large MX surprises.

At 150h/yr I think you're gonna need cash for a few cylinders or OH sooner than most.
 
pfarber said:
Thanks for posting, very interesting.... and one more reason why I will fly an E/AB

One thing I did notice is no 'reserve fund' for engine OH or large MX surprises.

At 150h/yr I think you're gonna need cash for a few cylinders or OH sooner than most.
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Being a single owner is definitely pushing my costs up. Breaking up the fixed and mx cost with a partner would save me a lot and something I think about. I think I will stay sole owner unless I upgrade to something that will be more maintenance.

For this exercise I’m only counting cash expenses. Actual expense higher with a engine reserve
 
First year is the worst.

You are spending a lot on MX labor that you could do yourself. Tires, oil, and spark plugs are all owner PM. You can cut your annual cost with owner assist.
 
Nikhiln25 said:
What stands out as higher for me vs you? Appreciate the insight
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My first thought is including gas as a variable expense. The cover is a one time expense and oil changes (and tires) can be done as owner maintenance. Two tires in a year is unusual in my experience.

We check and clean the plugs at each oil change, too.
 
Did I miss where you're based? That seems to be a huge variable not often considered in these posts. $6/gal for avgas makes me think you're more urban than rural, but then... I never see "plane+hangar" deals in my urban area :D so not too sure.
 
schmookeeg said:
Did I miss where you're based? That seems to be a huge variable not often considered in these posts. $6/gal for avgas makes me think you're more urban than rural, but then... I never see "plane+hangar" deals in my urban area :D so not too sure.
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I’m based under the nyc bravo. As luck would have it, when I was searching for a plane one became available at a near by airport (a little further from the bravo, 45 mins from my house.. technically in Allentowns airspace/in northwestern NJ). I asked the airport manager since the plane had been based at that airport for 20 years can I just takeover the hangar and he said sure.
 
Nikhiln25 said:
I’m based under the nyc bravo. As luck would have it, when I was searching for a plane one became available at a near by airport (a little further from the bravo, 45 mins from my house.. technically in Allentowns airspace/in northwestern NJ). I asked the airport manager since the plane had been based at that airport for 20 years can I just takeover the hangar and he said sure.
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You might have it worse than I do over there -- and shop rates near me are flirting with 200/hr. The HPN? $800/mo tiedowns are insane.

I asked because often these threads derail when someone comes in and mentions their annual cost them 3 shiny buttons and a signed picture of woody guthrie and proclaims everyone else are idiots. :D
 
NealRomeoGolf said:
I hit one year with my Seneca yesterday. I went and looked at the cost and then quickly tried to forget.
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it gets better Neal. But this last 20 months was FRIGHTFUL. 22 hours flow,n $110,000. None of it engines.

Now have G500, pair of GI275s, new tanks, new boots, and antyhing else we could think of.
However that meant able to do the attached....

B
 

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schmookeeg said:
I asked because often these threads derail when someone comes in and mentions their annual cost them 3 shiny buttons and a signed picture of woody guthrie and proclaims everyone else are idiots. :D
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My annual cost me $200 and took two hours to complete.
:stirpot:
 
If it flies, f*cks, or floats, it’s cheaper to rent. If I may offer some advice o lower costs……
perform as much owner maintenance as you can. This may require some tools but simple stuff like an harbor freight ATV tire dead breaker pays dividends…Items as tires and brakes and oil changes are super easy and there are a lot of videos on how to do it right. If your plane can have room in your hanger, but spare filters, tubes, tires etc when on sale.

Find an A&P willing to do inspections with you prepping and putting things back together…. Paying $100-150/ hr for him/her to simply open up inspection panels, pull plugs, and remove seats, servicing nose strut, ECT… adds up.

Hanger mate has c182 that fuel gauge was intermittent , shop charged him close to $800 to replace sender….. he was going to replace other sender when it started doing same, but I helped him do it as owner maintenance and it took less than 30 min start to finishing including calibration check, part was less than $325. … a local A&P at a flight school looked it over and signed it off for the cost of lunch. So little things can add up. These airplanes are old tech and simple, don’t be intimidated to consider fixing yourself….. part 43 allows and broadly lists OM parameters and most routine fixes are fall into to this and non complex repairs if you have a little mechanical ability and common sense.

My c172 can take car of gas so I use cheapest regular car gas, among other types, and it cost less than half of AVGAS. If your plane can get STC for non ethanol MOgas and it is available in your area, get the STC. As AVGAS is being replaced with new approved fuels the cost will continue to increase, likely upwards $2 more per gallon so that STC will pay dividends.
 
AV8R_87 said:
My annual cost me $200 and took two hours to complete.
:stirpot:
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Mine used to be $200 but with inflation is now $400 for A&P labor, plus my own free non-A&P labor, plus materials for periodic maintenance done at the same time. I spend a couple of days on it, the A&P spends half a day.

However, lowering costs is not my priority. I own a plane because I can, not to save money. Working on it is part of owning it and makes the plane better. Hangar rent is the most costly item, but likewise I rent a hangar because I can, and use it for all sorts of things including having a place where I can drink a Coke and look at my plane. Intangibles matter when buying your quality of life, as much as spreadsheets.
 
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Tusayan said:
Mine used to be $200 but with inflation is now $400 for A&P labor, plus my own free non-A&P labor, plus materials for periodic maintenance done at the same time. I spend a couple of days on it, the A&P spends half a day.

However, lowering costs is not my priority. I own a plane because I can, not to save money. Working on it is part of owning it and makes the plane better. Hangar rent is the most costly item, but likewise I rent a hangar because I can, and use it for all sorts of things including having a place where I can drink a Coke and look at my plane. Intangibles matter when buying your quality of life, as much as spreadsheets.
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Also having the plane available when you want to use it. I didn't have many problems like that at Aerodynamic Aviation. Most of the time if the plane was unavailable, it was broken, and many times they would try to reschedule me in a different plane.

Vector Aire, at KEIK, was really bad about that. Sometimes the plane would be down for its 100-hour inspection, but frequently it would be taken for someone who was doing their PPL check ride out of state at the last minute, and there wouldn't be anything available. I ended up scheduling 5 or 6 days a week and maybe got three lessons a week.

AeroSphere in Longmont is at least as good as Aerodynamic was. I've gotten to fly two maintenance flights to KBJC. Generally, if I can schedule 3 lessons a week, I fly 3 days a week, and that seems to be my optimum frequency.
 
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