TLDR: $850-ish a month for each of: Hangarage, insurance, yearly inspection and debt service/opportunity cost. $200/hr for fuel, $25/hr for oil change, $75/hr for engine overhaul (you either put it aside to pay for it, or lose it on the resale price). So if you fly on average two hours a week (100 hrs a year, more in summer, less in winter) - each week will be a bit over a grand in costs.
Can't even pencil whip for 30 hours of labor. Annual cost starts at 9:12 FYI Altogether sounds like a floor of $22,000 - 25,000 fixed costs [depending on Nav database] and $230/hr direct. But the ratio of non-routines to normal maintenance items is potentially big. It could easily double your annual outlay $5K is not enough rainy day money. Don't think you're gonna get into a C-340 and save money either - almost the same everything, just a bit faster. One point though is that a C-425 isn't that much more for better reliability and safety and performance. But the rainy day fund is more serious scratch like $50K and better treat overhaul fund like a mortgage payment. If you can find a reasonable Blackhawk 425, do it. Though Pratts are stupid money at overhaul, the interval is twice the time and fuel is less, so it comes close to a wash for the peace of mind.
This is the most honest cost brake down I've ever heard! Super to see someone who isn't sugar coating anything here. I would like to hear about the 310R cost with the same honesty. Thank you so much for the video
Thanks Kirk! The idea behind this video was to be as transparent and honest about the costs as possible. So many people requested the topic, that I figured it wouldn't be fair to the viewer to try and water anything down or be misleading in any way. I can definitely try and break down the 310R numbers a little bit, but for a good start, take $20,000 per year off of each scenario, and that would be fairly close.
Hello John, great job in explaining the ownership costs. At one time I've owned five airplanes, and can totally relate to what you are describing. Summarizing from your video, the hourly cost of owning and operating the C414A (100hr/year) would be around $700 per hour, considering you own the asset 100% (no loans) and you include engine reserves. Again, educational video explaining in real and simple terms, what it costs to own and operate a bird like that.
good luck with that, bro... let me know how it comes out... I tried the import business.. once... it's a whole lot easier to work for a living... and safer.. I'm not really worried about safety, if you know what I mean... but there are places where you better.. or else
I'm building personal sized dirigibles.. or trying to.. some day real soon.. they are radar transparent.. low altitude ones with electric ducted fans.. might make the job easier.. but don't tell em I told you
How times have changed $$. In 1970 I got my multi engine land rating. The aero club rented a Piper Apache for $15 per hour wet the instructed was $4 No idea what fuel was then but I think it only burned about 18 gallons an hour. I think the ramp parking was free as it was at the Naval Air Station.
This was an awesome breakdown of the cost of ownership of that plane! I was once told to double the cost of any airplane you own. Half of your money goes to purchasing the plane and half goes to operating the plane.
I love the detail of this. The 414 is on my list for a twin. Do you have any plans for the 340 review? So far the 340a ,from my research fits my budget and needs better than the 414.
I love youtube as I use it as my trip into fantasyland - I'm a 74 year old medically retired(cancer) 1- school bus driver(10yrs). 2 - Carpenter (20yrs). 3-A&P mechanic (10 years off and on). 4 - four year Marine , two year Air Force. 5 - a ten year gap (spread throughout) of self imposed "bumness" ....... most of my working life was "under the table" for reasons you can assume (if you wish) and therefore my Soc.Sec.& disability total $1,000 @ Month ........ I therefore proudly announce that I can pay the insurance on this A/C (if I don't eat)................ gotta love the internet ...............
I'd much rather hang out with you, than the [insert word] Audi driver at the start of this video. Do they implant a 'shallow showoffness' gene into you when you buy an Audi, d'you think? Having said that, the aviation content of this vid was great. He just needs to realize that the "look at how successful I am, in my Audi" opening sequence, just isn't cool.
I dream about owning something like this, sadly I'll never even come close to affording the cost of one. Just the annual inspection alone is to much for me.
I wouldn't bring the airplane to someone who quotes me a $3,500 annual. That's 35 hours of labor. It takes more than 35 hours just to take the airplane apart and put it back together again. Not to mention complete the actual inspection, plus squawks, parts, paperwork, etc. There's just no way you can properly annual one of these airplanes for $3-4K. Sorry, but its a fantasy. Like everything else in life, you get what you pay for.
Well Pablo, when you don't understand the context that the figures are being presented in, they are meaningless. Hence why I wanted to explain where the numbers come from, and the specific way that I calculate our operational costs, which may differ from the way that others do.
THANK YOU!.. for those that don't want to listen to blah-blah... you are looking at around $80-100k per year... only the rich need apply! LOL.. guess I'll stick to my car!
To do a good analysis it takes detail definition, which he did a really good job at. C'mon fellas you have to have more attention span than it takes to watch a super bowl commercial to appreciate the content provided.
Couple thoughts. Interest only is somewhat a good thing since well maintained aircraft appreciate in value generally. Tis a gamble though however, cashflow is always king. One can opt to pay down the principal if they want. Second insight. If the owner becomes familiar and is handy and opens up most of the access work for the IA then he can shave off a considerable amount of hours on the annual. This of course is if you build a good relationship with this contractor. Lastly, a more interesting perspective is if one is retired maybe go to A&P school. You'll then be licensed to do most of the work, can do the 100 hour yourself, you can also double as quality control, you'll be a better pilot and at 12 grand a year, maybe saving 75% of that annual cost, one would make up their investment in 5 to 6 years. All pluses As they say, if you need to ask the price, it's too much but, these however are creative ways of feeding that flying habit.
A great attempt at being thorough. Can I review this as if I was your consultant so you can truly know your estimated yearly cost? Your explanation Annual cost for this plane based on his summation for part 91 and not chartering and taking out a loan for 50% the value(but missing some major major pieces below from my finance brain) Fixed costs:Assumptions 100 hours per year, Gas at $5.00. $225 Hour Direct Cost for Fuel/Oil = 22K, Annual=$11K Gremlins found on the annual yearly = $????($2K?????) Insurance = $8.5K Hangar= $12K Other inspections/unscheduled maint = $5k. Allocations: TBO Engine reserve = $60k/1600 = $37.5/hour or $3,7K x 2 engines per year reserve plus labor or $75 per hour x 100 hours = $7.5k per year. Prop cost per hour = $5/hr or $500/year. Borrow for 20 years $200k at $10k per year in cost of that money for 20 years (or a freaking $400k in financing costs). The first scenario is not real and you stated you know it, as it just hides from the true costs and kicking the can down the road. The second with paying without borrowing at his stated $70k per year. The third is with borrowing 1/2 costs $80K. On the third scenario and as a financial analysis, you tried hard but are missing another 30% in yearly costs. I would look at three things that are in the end direct costs and cannot be ignored. First, if you are borrowing money, you have on the other side the opportunity cost of the cash $200k being ignored. Your $200k can generate at 7% $14k per year. You loose that. Put it on your analysis. Second, I know the cost of regular upgrades to the flight instruments are crazy costly. Say $50K every 10 years conservatively? That is $5k per year in reserve. And last, liquidation cost and depreciation. This plane, being up to date with equipment as an assumption will be worth in 20 years or in 10 years? $200K in value? Say you own it only 10 years and you loose $75k in value (if you upgraded the avionics) That is $7.5K per year. And last, do you pay a company to sell your plane? 5% of the value of that $325K? That is about $17K or $1.7K per year? My total now for cost of ownership in your third scenario is another $28k per year or $108k per year in your third scenario a full 30% above your figure. That is the true cost. I feel pain if this is not a chartered plane just eating up this money.
Mark H Well, you're entitled to your opinion, but nobody really calculates their cost of ownership this way. Your additions to my breakdown make quite a few assumptions, not the least of which is that aircraft owners dump $50,000 into their avionics every year. This just simply isn't the norm. In fact, we've owned this airplane for 18 years, and haven't touched the panel at all. Haven't needed to. I think your breakdown is a bit misleading, which is exactly the opposite of what I intended to do. Finally, good luck getting a 7% return on $200,000.
7%. Year on 200k. Hilarious. The other big thing he missed is that when you spend 50,000k on avionics it literally adds 50k to the value of the plane. It's not a depreciating costs His comment reminds me of when the low middle class with no business experience try's to make a financial analysis. Hilarious
This is why I fly a PA28 pay $1000 a year for Ramp parking spot change the oil every 50 hours and get about 7.7 GPH and fuel is $3.80 a gallon here. Flying can be as cheap and as expensive as you want it to be.
You're absolutely right Dillon. It can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want it to be, but with lower cost comes lower capability. We wouldn't be able to take four adults from NY to Naples, FL in an afternoon (Which is a trip we make 5-7 times per year) in a PA28. Nor would we be able to cruise at FL250 and 220 knots true, in pressurized comfort. Not to mention deal with serious IFR weather, convective weather, icing conditions, etc. While it would certainly cost us substantially less to own an airplane like a PA28, it just doesn't suit or mission. We pay for the more expensive airplane because we require the capability that comes with it.
piper arrow seems to be the best capability for cost ratio i've seen. decent range, decent lifespan, fairly cheap used, decent fuel and can still carry 800 lb load with fuel. anybody sees a better one let me know. (plus they are super sexy imo and they have retractable landing gears so it counts towards complex aircraft hours.)
glad i own my hanger my last annual was 15 grand it is a 1980 414. love that plane. my insurance runs me around 6500 a year last year i only flew her 75 hours the annual was still 15 grand. they did it in my hanger. i am also part 91 i have owned her for 15 years. dont even ask what the new engines cost lol and last year all new panel and now sheis almost a full glass panel, was it worth it? i havent a clue buti like it.the 414 is a great airplane i have owned lots of planes over the years but this oneis by far the best plane ihave ever owned.
Hey Joe, I keep watching your vid on this particular plane-for some reason I’m drawn to this model. I could never afford it, but out on the horizon with it would be fabulous. Keep the wings up and be safe. Peace.
Excellent breakdown! Thanks for putting in the time to come up with some realistic numbers. I still think a 414 is great bang for your buck, considering a lot of new 4 place single engine piston aircraft are upwards of a million bucks now. You just get so much more airplane! That being said, I’ll probably never be able to afford a 414, at least on my own…maybe with a partnership, it would be a lot easier. I’ll probably be in the market for something like a Saratoga or a Bonanza instead.
Great and presumably realistic cost analysis. Makes me 'for sure' realize I would have no business in an airplane like this. If I get a Bonanza I'm sure that will be plenty expensive enough..
Thanks, David. I didn't want to mislead anyone or try to make the airplane appear more or less expensive to own and operate than it really is. A subscriber asked for the video, and it would be doing him, and every other viewer a disservice to try and make it appear to be something it isn't. Boy a Bonanza is a sweet flying airplane! Beechcraft parts are unbelievably expensive. I'd probably get a Turbo Arrow before I'd get a Bonanza. They'll do basically the same thing, but one will cost substantially less to acquire, own, and operate, as opposed to the other.
How much are landing and handling fees --- not only at the home airport but also at the other airports you end up flying to and from along with storage fees at those locations. .
I had a dream that a red and while Cessna 210 was spluttering low over semi open, undulating land and the plane crashed a mile away. And 3 days later it was on the news, everything the same including the single broad red stripe along the fuselage and white paintwork.
soo.... how do you make your money back? if it costs $80,000 just to keep it and fly 10 hours a month, how much do you charge/or how do you charge? is it $1000 an hour or is it charged by mile? even then, that's not making much money... how much does this aircraft bring in annually?
The cost you discuss is rather high, what percentage of the time do you use the airplane for business which would be deductible. I think I'm going to keep my 172 because I own it outright and I only use it for pleasure.
I would like to know how many charter flights you would have to do before you offset the cost of ownership.. that would help encourage people to see if they can afford it.
Depends on the year, but usually between 85-100 hours per year. This assumes that you have your own 135 certificate, crew the airplane yourself, and aren't paying a management company to manage the airplane on their 135.
Awesome video - this has inspired a lot of wild thoughts about starting a charter service and business ownership! Of course in the end I will not act on any of them, continue to work my 40h/week job and keep flying my little single for the $100 hamburger. But... you never know!
Hey Joe. Starting a 135 Certificate is not easy, but it is not impossible either. Do some research into what it would take to get yourself what's called a Single Pilot 135 Certificate, which basically allows you and only you to fly your airplane on charter under op-specs that are issued to you by your FSDO. I think you'll be surprised to find out that it's easier than you might imagine!
It does not seem to be outside the scope of possible. Making money or even braking even on a charter operation seems like it would be extremely difficult. The saying I always hear from the grey beards around the airport is that in order to make a million dollars in aviation, you have to start with 2 million and know when to cut your losses.
Wait a minute. $25 per hour for oil? Each engine takes 12 quarts, and shouldn't burn more than 3 quarts in 25 hours. That's 30 quarts for both engines, or 2.5 cases if you don't buy in actual bulk. At $90 per case, that's $225. Add $50 for a pair of filters, and even $125 to have someone do the work. That's $400, or $16 per hour. $25 per hour comes out to $625 every oil change, and the cost of materials doesn't change much, so that's a difference in labor cost. Some mechanic's helper somewhere is billing $350 in labor to do oil changes on both engines. That's just criminal.
You can't safely change oil on 2 aircraft engines in an hour ( 125$) The oil filters need to be cut and inspected. Oil saved, packaged and sent for anaylsis. Parts sAftey wired back correctly. $350 in labor is probably extremely fair
@@ryany4326 first of all, that comment is five damn years old, and we've had the worst president in history for the past three and a half years. So you have to adjust for democrat pricing. The cost of everything has gone up at least 50% since then. Second of all, no you do not need to inspect the filters and take oil samples. Even if you did, you take an oil sample and cut the filter while the oil is draining, and it doesn't add any time. Third, if it takes you 30 minutes to safety wire a filter, I probably can't help you understand any of this. I said it would come out to $400, and you're talking about $350. Add 50% to $400. Add 50% to $16 per hour. Whatever helps you figure it out.
+S4 Aviator... real question: If it costs 100k a year to have the plane and take 4 adults to florida 5-7 times a year... why are you not saving at LEAST 80k and flying them on JetBlue or Delta, etc, and getting there even quicker?
Hey Brandon. Great question. First off, that isn’t all we use the airplane for. The airplane is primarily a business tool. But to answer your question, there are a number of reasons. First, the airlines are slower, door to door, than the 414. When you factor in driving to JFK or EWR, going through security, waiting to takeoff, baggage claim at destination, and driving from fort Myers to Naples. We can just hop in the 414 and although it’s going 50% as fast as an A320. We actually save time using our own airplane because we don’t have to deal with all the other airline crap. Another reason is that the airplane actually gets used while it’s down in Florida. It makes anywhere in the state accessible in an hours time. Or a trip from Naples to Key West, which would normally be a 5 hour drive, a 25 minute flight.
Power Auto Then it wasn’t really getting an annual. Unless the dollar figure you’re using is 25 years old. $2000 is the equivalent of 20 hours of labor. A Cessna 172 can barely get an annual for $2000, let alone a cabin class, turbocharged twin.
I lived in us as a employee.Looks like a common family member may not able to own this airplane..wonder how much should one earn to keep this airplane...any thoughts to convience myself😃
The costs you quote are reasonable. I budget $50k/yr. for our 601p, which is faster and more efficient, at the expense of cabin space we don't require. We generally just fly about 50 hours a year though, so we usually end up well under budget. Your insurance cost is about 80% higher than ours, a fair amount of that is the difference in hull value. One thing you left out was opportunity cost. Our airplane was not financed, but $200k-$300k @ 6% after tax investment return is another $12k-$18k/yr. "expense" that is accrued, even if it doesn't stand out on the balance sheet.
PA60 Pilot Very true. We considered an Aerostar to replace our 310R when we purchased the 414. The cabin, as you know, is quite a bit smaller and we just really wanted the extra room. The biggest turn off for us with the Aerostar was the maintenance. While it seemed to us like most of the systems were pretty well built, and the airframe was undoubtedly well built, the engine installations didn’t make a whole lot of sense to us. Having to pull the engine off the airplane to get to a rear cylinder or accessory seemed odd. The cost of the Lycoming overhaul is also substantially higher. But with all that being said, nobody can argue the efficiency of the Aerostar. Especially the 601P. Not to mention that they’re probably some of the best looking piston twins ever made!
Great video on the 414AW ownership costs, thank you. Obviously things have changed a little bit five years down the road. But, I’m wondering if you actually have an outline or printed version of your 3 models? Also, this one was listed as Part 1, was there a Part 2 follow up with additional info?
since his company owns the plane, it also pays the expenses. Expenses are deducted from revenues as business expenses. If you have 0 net profit, you pay $0 in taxes. So in lieu of paying taxes, the company pays for the plane. This is the secret of incorporation.
25 hr oil changes better than 50 hrs is just an assertion - show me the data that relates oil change intervals vs indicators for overhaul . I doubt it is linear, it may be piece wise linear or otherwise nonlinear with a flat or shallow slope below 50 hrs or even higher furthermore any such data should control in some manner for any obvious statistical confounders. The time and money involved with very frequent oil changes begs for verification or not by data.
Matt R To respond to this simply, 25hr oil changes are called for both by Continental, and RAM. When you own/operate an airplane of this nature, you follow the manufacturers recommended maintenance and service intervals. Not to mention, while there may or may not be advantages to 25hr oil changes from a scientific standpoint, the one thing that can’t be disputed is that it can’t hurt! Thanks for commenting. Joe
Its a great airplane. It's actually slightly faster than the 414A. From a value standpoint, I don't think it offers the value for the dollar that the 414A does. A 340A is going to cost the same, if not more to own than a 414A. The cost for anything associated with the engines will be virtually identical, but the airplane uses several older systems, like the electric gear, and the bladder fuel system, that are going to cost more to maintain than the newer systems found on the 414A. So a 340A has a much smaller cabin, and costs the same if not more to own. Considering the cost factor, I'd rather go 10 knots slower and have the enormous cabin of the 414A.
Ok thanks S4 for the reply! I’ll definitely keep that in mind as I go through flight training. Thank you for posting the videos to. I’m going to keep watching.
Hard to say. Depends on how much of the work you could do, and would actually want to do. You need an A&P with a fair amount of experience on the type to really work on it properly, and there are a lot of unique systems in the airplane that a run of the mill A&P doesn't or has never seen. A good example would be the Janitrol fuel-fired heater. Not to mention all of the specialized tooling and equipment, like the jacks with a weight capacity to handle the airplane, etc.
I also like your comparative analysis of the C414A versus the C421C, very similar airframes, with different engine power plants. Granted the C421 has a higher operational cost due to its higher fuel consumption and increasing engine overhaul costs. However the asset acquisition cost is lower for a C421 than a C414 of comparable vintage and conditions. Around 100K lower according to my research. So this is something to bring to the ownership equation as well. Reading the articles of Jerry Temple, he asserts that Cessna launched the C421 Golden Eagle to compete with the turbo-prop market. If that was the case, Cessna had relative success, given the number of Golden Eagles produced from 1968 until 1985. I think it is important to mention that the geared engines on the C421 turn at lower RPM in cruise, (around 1800 RPM) versus 2400 RPM for the C414 which makes for a very quiet cabin, one of the great advantages of the C421 over the C414. The other being the higher payload available on C421 a direct consequence of the higher horsepower engines (375 HP per side). Off course all these features come at a price. Another point to remember: TCM is not producing the GTSIO-520 series that equip the C421 anymore. So what is out there must supply the market needs. Therefore the cost of replacing one of these engines is only going to increase as supply decreases. A few companies have tried to re-engine the C421 with turbo props, including ex Cessna president Jack Pelton. The Excalibur project did not go as planned due to unforeseen engineering challenges and costs involved.
Hey Eduardo. You are correct in all respects. However to many people, the cost of operating the airplane is more important in the long run than the cost of acquisition. Overall, the benefits offered by the 421C are either totally convenience based (for example, the reduced cabin noise) or are only recognizable in limited circumstances. There's a reason that the 414A has held its value better than the 421C, and it is generally considered in the market to be a more desirable airplane despite the slight reduction in performance over a 421C. There is no question that the 414A is a less expensive aircraft to own and operate than the 421C
It gears down prop rpm. Actual engine rpm is higher then a no gtsio engine. The tach measures prop rpm in 421. Engine rpm is higher. The prop has a 2.3:1 reduction.
@@torqueranch4396 - Yes but cabin noise (especially at altitude) is generally down to prop noise, not engine noise. So the lower RPM point relating to engine noise is certainly valid.
More than know how much it costs to own an aircraft I'd like to know how one can afford it. What do you do for a living, where do you get the money for something like this? This might seem like a weird question, but soon I will be graduating with an aerospace engineering degree and it is my dream to once own my own aircraft. With this goal in mind, I am trying to figure out how to get there one day. In some of your other video's you often say "we fly this plane..." who is we? Is the aircraft co-owned, is it owned by the company fo which you work or is it truly your own? Sorry if these questions are a bit bold.
I'll answer your question from a basic standpoint, without getting into too much detail. I'm sure you understand. Do we own the airplane? That depends on how you look at it. We own the company that owns the airplane, so yes, in turn we own the airplane. Very few people who own airplanes like this own them personally. Generally speaking, people who fly airplanes like these are entrepreneurs, and utilize their aircraft as both a business tool and a personal tool. 90% of the people I know who own an airplane like a 414A, or even turboprops like Conquest II's, MU-2's, Commanders, King Air's, etc, are all in business for themselves. Very, very rarely will you find someone who owns a larger aircraft who's sole source of income is from somebody else's payroll. Not saying it's impossible, but its rare. A Neurosurgeon with an annual salary of $750K to $1M could easily afford to do it, but things like that are the rare exception. So with all that being said, the takeaway is that 99% of the people who own large, multiengine, complex, high performance airplanes are considered high or ultra-high net worth individuals (High is a net worth greater than $1M, Ultra-High is a net worth of $5M or greater) and they are most often entrepreneurs, and occasionally high-income professionals like doctors, lawyers, stock brokers, etc. You have to find what you love doing, and then figure out a way to turn it into a business.
Good point! It definitely depends on the speciality. I have a bit of a background in healthcare too. A lot of it varies geographically along with speciality. Where I live, it isn't uncommon for an ER attending physician to have a salary approaching or exceeding $500K annually.
Hi, thanks for the time and info. I have been watching videos of c414s in general and wanted to know how come I have never seen any c414s with the g1000s? Is it too expensive or is it another reason? Thanks
HI! The biggest reason you won't see a G1000 in a 414, is because there's no STC for a G1000 installation in this airplane. So basically, it isnt approved for this airplane.
Thanks. I always wondered wondered why the c172 was compatible but not the c414 . The g1000 would look nice though. Too bad. Thanks again for your time.
I would say that those owners who charter to offset are a relatively small minority of owners. Getting your own 135 certificate if you have no experience with Part 135 isn't easy, and it can be a very, very lengthy process depending on what FSDO you deal with. Not to mention that most pilots don't want to have to fly with the feds every six months to do the required 299/297 ride.
S4 Aviator thanks for the insight. That's a great deal of money for a hobby. I would imagine then that most use planes like these for business and claim them as such.
Hmmm....these are very inflated numbers. At these rates it makes much more sense to learn to love mechanics, get an AP and IA and do your own wrench twisting and inspecting.
I calculated my geographic location in and came up with about $84,000/yr. 100LL@$6.30/gal. and my usual luck with older airplanes and annuals accounts for the discrepancy...
When he spoke about financing he mentioned a 20 year Amortization Loan with a 5 Year term. I would strongly recommend that anyone who is thinking about financing this type of aircraft not consider a 20 year Amortization but a 15 Year Amortization. Yes it will cost you more in terms of your monthly payment but with a 20 year loan you will not have paid that much down on the principal and with the additional 500 hours on the airframe and engines you may well find yourself upside down in the aircraft when it comes time to refinance. Just a thought.
Depends on what kind of airplane you want to own! There are smaller, more affordable airplanes out there. Some of them would be fairly similar to owning a high-end sports car in terms of cost of acquisition and ownership. But if you're looking beyond that, the majority of people who own airplanes like this one fall into a few categories. They either hold a high income job on a salary, such as a physician or an attorney, or they're in business for themselves. Many, many airplane owners are also business owners.
Wow! I've always liked the Cessna 414's... But after hearing the cost breakdowns, I think my budget is more along the lines of a 3-way partnership in a ratty old Cessna 152... LOL! :)
The devil is always in HOW you calculate your operating costs. There are several ways to look at it, but in the end, everything costs the same no matter who owns it. I tried to keep this as realistic as possible and didn't want to be misleading or try to make things appear more or less expensive than they really are. Although as the saying goes, you get what you pay for! Its an expensive airplane to own, but the cabin space, performance, etc. make up for it.
These planes come w astronomical operating costs and they are not particularly fast. Certainly not as fast as the owners would have you believe. Useful load w fuel is limited. Pressurization is overrated in most cases and unless your flying further than 500nm-it’s rarely worth it to fly above 15k-agl.
JR Gb You sound like an expert. The operating costs and performance figures I’ve given are real world figures. Perhaps other owners exaggerate the performance of the airplane. The market value of these airplanes is at an all time high, and most of them are 35-40 years old. So I’ll ask you, Mr. Expert, if you want an airplane with a cabin as enormous as this one, that will cruise at 25,000 feet, at 220 knots true, that’s all weather capable, and keeps you on a piston budget, what else are you going to buy? I’ve got news for you, the useful load of every piston twin is limited with full fuel. I’m not sure what you’d consider “particularly fast,” but 215-225 true, especially in an airplane with a cabin this size, is more than enough for me. Moreover, I challenge you to find me anyone who’s ever owned a pressurized airplane that says pressurization is overrated.
Worth watching to the end, imho. Bottom Line?: If you buget and build reserves conservatively: $800/ Flight Hr. @ 100 Hrs per year. Another way to say it: If you have to ask, you can't afford it. 😜
Bentley A very successful one, with a diverse geographic footprint that requires frequent travel to destinations that are remote or isolated from an airline standpoint
Outside of annual inspections, recurring maintenance is virtually nonexistent on these airplanes. They don't use progressive maintenance schedules like turbine airplanes do.
You forgot the amortization the air plain value is going to depreciate and I have no idea how long can you keep an air plain? I am an auto mechanic you can keep a car forever keep fixing it but with air plains there is strict rules. By the way great video.
Peter Mec Hey Peter. Thanks for the comment. I left it out because 400 series Cessna’s are going up in value, not down. Been a steady trend for 20 years. So depreciation isn’t a real financial consideration
@@s4aviator804 Thank you for your response, but I was thinking at one point FAA going to force you to retire the air plain because of metal fatigue so if Max life is 20 years divide $400,000 = $20,000 / I'm sure they're not going to let an air plain fly for ever, do you think they will let an air plain fly for ever?
Peter Mec Why? This airplane is 38 years old with 6,000 total hours. There are hundreds of commercial airliners flying around that are 30 years old with 50,000+ hours on them. If you maintain them properly, their age is meaningless
Sucede que poco entiendo su idioma. Alguien se para frente a un vehículo ( un avion en este caso) y habla 15 minutos o más y no muestran nada.Me gustan los cables de aviación .gracias.
Good video - but I find the numbers conservative. I would have accounted for depreciation the cost of capital on you entire $400K purchase price. I round to $100,000 actual ownership/operating costs or a round $1,000 per hour to fly this plane. At the end of the day, not really all that bad if used for business purposes, where you would have been paying commercial airfare once a week (say 3 people for 100 hours or say $50K to $70K annually)
That is one expensive airplane to own. I appreciate you Making the video. I believe you're the only one out there who has made a video on the 414. In regards to the other twin Aircraft in its same class and relative size, would you say this is a more expensive aircraft to operate, or one of the cheaper of the twins to own?
I'd say its probably right in line with what to expect from any cabin class, or even light twin. The benefit to an airplane like the 414A, is that you get a lot of airplane for the money. The cabin is enormous and comfortable, and it has more storage space than you'll ever need. I'll cover the great features of the airplane in Part 2, which is coming up here in the next few days. For example, a Cessna 340 is a smaller airplane, but it would cost roughly the same (or maybe even a bit more) to own. The 300 and 400 series Cessna's, Aerostar, Navajo, etc. are all going to be roughly in this price range. Other airplanes can be deceptively expensive too. Like a Baron. On paper it appears to be less expensive, until you see the price of Beechcraft parts. It might actually be more expensive to own a Baron than a 414.
This video is actually a bad video on the actual cost of ownership because... What about pilot training costs? Crewed? Owner flown? Pilot gear i.e. headsets, IPads Jepsons etc. Travel expenses for pilot training? Lost earnings on the capital costs tied up on the "investment" in the plane and the expenses for each year? Brokerage commissions on the buy/sell transactions? Pre-purchase inspection fees? Title searches for the plane? Legal fees for transactional and counseling services related to the transactions? Accounting services to keep tract of the transactions and tax filings? Landing fees? Overnight parking fees? Overnight hanger fees? Deicing fees? Aircraft cleaning/washing fees? Catering fees for meal service, if needed by passengers? Tips to the line crew? Ground travel not available from FBO? Depreciation in excess of book value? FAA enforcement risk? Estate planning fees to accommodate aircraft ownership? Air Worthiness Directives Risk? Aircraft management fees? FAA flight training fees? FBO parking fees? His estimates of cost of oil, fuel, overhaul etc. are understated? Inflation risk on foregoing expenses? Imputed time value for your time and emotional angst to manage all of the above? If you calculate all of that, $1,000+ per hour all in is low.
I used to own a motor home and loved to travel in it. Same arguments as airplane ownership and flying. I could have driven a car and stayed in four star hotels for less. You do it because you love it, to because it makes financial sense. If you love it and can afford it, do it. If not, forget it.
Sky True Amen Sky True! While this airplane is also an important business tool for us, we certainly love having the ability to load it up and go get away somewhere! Thanks for saying hello!
You mentioned that if you fly the airplane over 100 hours in one year you need a 100 hour inspection. I believe that is false. You only need 100 hour inspections if you are using the airplane for commercial operations. If you are privately flying the aircraft, only a annual inspection is required.
S4 Aviator Awesome! Thanks for the reply! I was just confused! I'm a student pilot learning everything I can!:) the Cessna 414 is my dream airplane someday! Thanks for inspiring me! Keep making videos!
lol, $2000-$3000 annual on a 4xx. Can't imagine anyone saying that with a straight face. Without having thought through it for a 4xx I would've guessed more than $550/hr on 100hr/yr so not too horribly bad.
Misleading? I think not. It's called simple interest. Maybe the guy with the 172 wanted to invest his 30k into something with a better ROI than a used Cessna, and found a way to own one for a hundred bucks a month. Precomputed interest rate loans use actuarial, pro rata, or rule of 12/78's for payoff so the simple interest loan was the smart choice. Thanks for the video, thumbs up...
The guy with the 172 did a great job of getting to the point. I guess he assumed that clicking on a video titled "ownership cost" was sufficient explanation for the viewer as to the why of doing said video... Hint to other's, there are no actual figures in this video. Just many many why's and reasons...
TLDR: $850-ish a month for each of: Hangarage, insurance, yearly inspection and debt service/opportunity cost.
$200/hr for fuel, $25/hr for oil change, $75/hr for engine overhaul (you either put it aside to pay for it, or lose it on the resale price).
So if you fly on average two hours a week (100 hrs a year, more in summer, less in winter) - each week will be a bit over a grand in costs.
Can't even pencil whip for 30 hours of labor. Annual cost starts at 9:12 FYI Altogether sounds like a floor of $22,000 - 25,000 fixed costs [depending on Nav database] and $230/hr direct. But the ratio of non-routines to normal maintenance items is potentially big. It could easily double your annual outlay $5K is not enough rainy day money. Don't think you're gonna get into a C-340 and save money either - almost the same everything, just a bit faster. One point though is that a C-425 isn't that much more for better reliability and safety and performance. But the rainy day fund is more serious scratch like $50K and better treat overhaul fund like a mortgage payment. If you can find a reasonable Blackhawk 425, do it. Though Pratts are stupid money at overhaul, the interval is twice the time and fuel is less, so it comes close to a wash for the peace of mind.
This is the most honest cost brake down I've ever heard! Super to see someone who isn't sugar coating anything here.
I would like to hear about the 310R cost with the same honesty. Thank you so much for the video
Thanks Kirk! The idea behind this video was to be as transparent and honest about the costs as possible. So many people requested the topic, that I figured it wouldn't be fair to the viewer to try and water anything down or be misleading in any way. I can definitely try and break down the 310R numbers a little bit, but for a good start, take $20,000 per year off of each scenario, and that would be fairly close.
This plane expenses cost $6700 a month. You should have about $400K annual income to buy it yourself.
At that price, the only thing I’ll be flying anytime soon... Is a kite.
Hello John, great job in explaining the ownership costs. At one time I've owned five airplanes, and can totally relate to what you are describing. Summarizing from your video, the hourly cost of owning and operating the C414A (100hr/year) would be around $700 per hour, considering you own the asset 100% (no loans) and you include engine reserves. Again, educational video explaining in real and simple terms, what it costs to own and operate a bird like that.
Hi Eduardo. Thank you for you compliments! The $700/hr figure on a 100hr year is pretty accurate for most people.
Fair enough, looks like I'll simply have to fly a couple loads for the Cartel every year and have it for free!
Lmao lol
😂😂😂
good luck with that, bro... let me know how it comes out... I tried the import business.. once... it's a whole lot easier to work for a living... and safer.. I'm not really worried about safety, if you know what I mean... but there are places where you better.. or else
I was 21... just barely made it to 22... ;;☆》long time ago
I'm building personal sized dirigibles.. or trying to.. some day real soon.. they are radar transparent.. low altitude ones with electric ducted fans.. might make the job easier.. but don't tell em I told you
How times have changed $$. In 1970 I got my multi engine land rating. The aero club rented a Piper Apache for $15 per hour wet the instructed was $4
No idea what fuel was then but I think it only burned about 18 gallons an hour. I think the ramp parking was free as it was at the Naval Air Station.
Bravo! Your brake down of costs was fantastic. Thanks for providing!
This was an awesome breakdown of the cost of ownership of that plane! I was once told to double the cost of any airplane you own.
Half of your money goes to purchasing the plane and half goes to operating the plane.
I love the detail of this. The 414 is on my list for a twin. Do you have any plans for the 340 review? So far the 340a ,from my research fits my budget and needs better than the 414.
I love youtube as I use it as my trip into fantasyland - I'm a 74 year old medically retired(cancer) 1- school bus driver(10yrs). 2 - Carpenter (20yrs). 3-A&P mechanic (10 years off and on). 4 - four year Marine , two year Air Force. 5 - a ten year gap (spread throughout) of self imposed "bumness" ....... most of my working life was "under the table" for reasons you can assume (if you wish) and therefore my Soc.Sec.& disability total $1,000 @ Month ........ I therefore proudly announce that I can pay the insurance on this A/C (if I don't eat)................ gotta love the internet ...............
I'd much rather hang out with you, than the [insert word] Audi driver at the start of this video. Do they implant a 'shallow showoffness' gene into you when you buy an Audi, d'you think? Having said that, the aviation content of this vid was great. He just needs to realize that the "look at how successful I am, in my Audi" opening sequence, just isn't cool.
@@DavidR_192 Cheers ..... just sayin'
I love that we included the crush washers in price haha
@ 10:14 Our syndicate Vixxen A32 is $9500 (Aus) or $6700 usd for insurance. The rates you are quoting are perhaps from some years back?
The figure I discussed here is what we're currently paying. Insurance premiums vary wildly depending on many, many factors.
it would've been great to see the numbers you mentioned listed on screen!
Next time!
Nice Aircraft!
I dream about owning something like this, sadly I'll never even come close to affording the cost of one. Just the annual inspection alone is to much for me.
My a&pia said 3-4k including all recurring items/ads for annual inspection just varies by region
I wouldn't bring the airplane to someone who quotes me a $3,500 annual. That's 35 hours of labor. It takes more than 35 hours just to take the airplane apart and put it back together again. Not to mention complete the actual inspection, plus squawks, parts, paperwork, etc. There's just no way you can properly annual one of these airplanes for $3-4K. Sorry, but its a fantasy. Like everything else in life, you get what you pay for.
@@s4aviator804 his labor is a lot less he did my annuals on single and twin Aircaft very knowledgeable and nice guy
He starts talking about prices at 9:18 .. Geez man, get to the point already!
Well Pablo, when you don't understand the context that the figures are being presented in, they are meaningless. Hence why I wanted to explain where the numbers come from, and the specific way that I calculate our operational costs, which may differ from the way that others do.
THANK YOU!.. for those that don't want to listen to blah-blah... you are looking at around $80-100k per year... only the rich need apply! LOL.. guess I'll stick to my car!
Thanks for actually summarizing the costs. I got tired of listening to all the rambling, I mean "context droning".
To do a good analysis it takes detail definition, which he did a really good job at. C'mon fellas you have to have more attention span than it takes to watch a super bowl commercial to appreciate the content provided.
Ralph Malone that’s just called poor communication, being concise is a virtue
Couple thoughts. Interest only is somewhat a good thing since well maintained aircraft appreciate in value generally. Tis a gamble though however, cashflow is always king. One can opt to pay down the principal if they want.
Second insight. If the owner becomes familiar and is handy and opens up most of the access work for the IA then he can shave off a considerable amount of hours on the annual. This of course is if you build a good relationship with this contractor. Lastly, a more interesting perspective is if one is retired maybe go to A&P school. You'll then be licensed to do most of the work, can do the 100 hour yourself, you can also double as quality control, you'll be a better pilot and at 12 grand a year, maybe saving 75% of that annual cost, one would make up their investment in 5 to 6 years. All pluses
As they say, if you need to ask the price, it's too much but, these however are creative ways of feeding that flying habit.
A great attempt at being thorough. Can I review this as if I was your consultant so you can truly know your estimated yearly cost?
Your explanation
Annual cost for this plane based on his summation for part 91 and not chartering and taking out a loan for 50% the value(but missing some major major pieces below from my finance brain) Fixed costs:Assumptions 100 hours per year, Gas at $5.00. $225 Hour Direct Cost for Fuel/Oil = 22K, Annual=$11K Gremlins found on the annual yearly = $????($2K?????) Insurance = $8.5K Hangar= $12K Other inspections/unscheduled maint = $5k. Allocations: TBO Engine reserve = $60k/1600 = $37.5/hour or $3,7K x 2 engines per year reserve plus labor or $75 per hour x 100 hours = $7.5k per year. Prop cost per hour = $5/hr or $500/year. Borrow for 20 years $200k at $10k per year in cost of that money for 20 years (or a freaking $400k in financing costs).
The first scenario is not real and you stated you know it, as it just hides from the true costs and kicking the can down the road. The second with paying without borrowing at his stated $70k per year. The third is with borrowing 1/2 costs $80K.
On the third scenario and as a financial analysis, you tried hard but are missing another 30% in yearly costs. I would look at three things that are in the end direct costs and cannot be ignored. First, if you are borrowing money, you have on the other side the opportunity cost of the cash $200k being ignored. Your $200k can generate at 7% $14k per year. You loose that. Put it on your analysis. Second, I know the cost of regular upgrades to the flight instruments are crazy costly. Say $50K every 10 years conservatively? That is $5k per year in reserve. And last, liquidation cost and depreciation. This plane, being up to date with equipment as an assumption will be worth in 20 years or in 10 years? $200K in value? Say you own it only 10 years and you loose $75k in value (if you upgraded the avionics) That is $7.5K per year. And last, do you pay a company to sell your plane? 5% of the value of that $325K? That is about $17K or $1.7K per year? My total now for cost of ownership in your third scenario is another $28k per year or $108k per year in your third scenario a full 30% above your figure. That is the true cost. I feel pain if this is not a chartered plane just eating up this money.
Mark H Well, you're entitled to your opinion, but nobody really calculates their cost of ownership this way. Your additions to my breakdown make quite a few assumptions, not the least of which is that aircraft owners dump $50,000 into their avionics every year. This just simply isn't the norm. In fact, we've owned this airplane for 18 years, and haven't touched the panel at all. Haven't needed to. I think your breakdown is a bit misleading, which is exactly the opposite of what I intended to do. Finally, good luck getting a 7% return on $200,000.
7%. Year on 200k. Hilarious. The other big thing he missed is that when you spend 50,000k on avionics it literally adds 50k to the value of the plane. It's not a depreciating costs
His comment reminds me of when the low middle class with no business experience try's to make a financial analysis. Hilarious
Great video on break down of cost.
This is why I fly a PA28 pay $1000 a year for Ramp parking spot change the oil every 50 hours and get about 7.7 GPH and fuel is $3.80 a gallon here. Flying can be as cheap and as expensive as you want it to be.
You're absolutely right Dillon. It can be as expensive or inexpensive as you want it to be, but with lower cost comes lower capability. We wouldn't be able to take four adults from NY to Naples, FL in an afternoon (Which is a trip we make 5-7 times per year) in a PA28. Nor would we be able to cruise at FL250 and 220 knots true, in pressurized comfort. Not to mention deal with serious IFR weather, convective weather, icing conditions, etc. While it would certainly cost us substantially less to own an airplane like a PA28, it just doesn't suit or mission. We pay for the more expensive airplane because we require the capability that comes with it.
Dillon Harper have you googled your name recently?
Protip: make sure safe search is disabled haha
Dillon Harper i doubt you can fly more than 200 miles.....
piper arrow seems to be the best capability for cost ratio i've seen. decent range, decent lifespan, fairly cheap used, decent fuel and can still carry 800 lb load with fuel. anybody sees a better one let me know. (plus they are super sexy imo and they have retractable landing gears so it counts towards complex aircraft hours.)
WOW 83 dollars a month for a ramp spot? I think were 10 or 15 at KPRB where are you tied down, must be a large airport.
WOW! Much much more than I expected.
There is a reason you see all those Baron 55/58s for sale COST ! Fuel, parts, and more expensive than a Cessna 300/400 series.
glad i own my hanger my last annual was 15 grand it is a 1980 414. love that plane. my insurance runs me around 6500 a year last year i only flew her 75 hours the annual was still 15 grand. they did it in my hanger. i am also part 91 i have owned her for 15 years. dont even ask what the new engines cost lol and last year all new panel and now sheis almost a full glass panel, was it worth it? i havent a clue buti like it.the 414 is a great airplane i have owned lots of planes over the years but this oneis by far the best plane ihave ever owned.
Hey Joe, I keep watching your vid on this particular plane-for some reason I’m drawn to this model. I could never afford it, but out on the horizon with it would be fabulous. Keep the wings up and be safe. Peace.
Excellent breakdown! Thanks for putting in the time to come up with some realistic numbers. I still think a 414 is great bang for your buck, considering a lot of new 4 place single engine piston aircraft are upwards of a million bucks now. You just get so much more airplane! That being said, I’ll probably never be able to afford a 414, at least on my own…maybe with a partnership, it would be a lot easier. I’ll probably be in the market for something like a Saratoga or a Bonanza instead.
Great and presumably realistic cost analysis. Makes me 'for sure' realize I would have no business in an airplane like this. If I get a Bonanza I'm sure that will be plenty expensive enough..
Thanks, David. I didn't want to mislead anyone or try to make the airplane appear more or less expensive to own and operate than it really is. A subscriber asked for the video, and it would be doing him, and every other viewer a disservice to try and make it appear to be something it isn't. Boy a Bonanza is a sweet flying airplane! Beechcraft parts are unbelievably expensive. I'd probably get a Turbo Arrow before I'd get a Bonanza. They'll do basically the same thing, but one will cost substantially less to acquire, own, and operate, as opposed to the other.
How much are landing and handling fees ---
not only at the home airport but also at the other airports you end up flying to and from along with storage fees at those locations. .
A Cessna 414 crashed a day ago in Cali and this is now recommended in my TH-cam
I had a dream that a red and while Cessna 210 was spluttering low over semi open, undulating land and the plane crashed a mile away. And 3 days later it was on the news, everything the same including the single broad red stripe along the fuselage and white paintwork.
Great video thanks for all of that info. Can you do a video about chartering the 414 to off set operating costs?
As you wish!
great! thank you
soo.... how do you make your money back? if it costs $80,000 just to keep it and fly 10 hours a month, how much do you charge/or how do you charge? is it $1000 an hour or is it charged by mile? even then, that's not making much money... how much does this aircraft bring in annually?
Lion's Head Enterprises ii
what does that mean? they give them x amount annually?
The cost you discuss is rather high, what percentage of the time do you use the airplane for business which would be deductible. I think I'm going to keep my 172 because I own it outright and I only use it for pleasure.
Excellent video - really appreciate the cost break down
I would like to know how many charter flights you would have to do before you offset the cost of ownership.. that would help encourage people to see if they can afford it.
Depends on the year, but usually between 85-100 hours per year. This assumes that you have your own 135 certificate, crew the airplane yourself, and aren't paying a management company to manage the airplane on their 135.
Is there an SB/AD mandating props to be overhauled? Usually that's on condition.
All I can say is ouch. Thank you for the breakdown which can be applied to any airplane you buy with the fixed costs changing of course.
Awesome video - this has inspired a lot of wild thoughts about starting a charter service and business ownership! Of course in the end I will not act on any of them, continue to work my 40h/week job and keep flying my little single for the $100 hamburger. But... you never know!
Hey Joe. Starting a 135 Certificate is not easy, but it is not impossible either. Do some research into what it would take to get yourself what's called a Single Pilot 135 Certificate, which basically allows you and only you to fly your airplane on charter under op-specs that are issued to you by your FSDO. I think you'll be surprised to find out that it's easier than you might imagine!
It does not seem to be outside the scope of possible. Making money or even braking even on a charter operation seems like it would be extremely difficult. The saying I always hear from the grey beards around the airport is that in order to make a million dollars in aviation, you have to start with 2 million and know when to cut your losses.
It really isn't. Take it from someone who's been involved in the charter business for quite a while!
Wait a minute. $25 per hour for oil? Each engine takes 12 quarts, and shouldn't burn more than 3 quarts in 25 hours. That's 30 quarts for both engines, or 2.5 cases if you don't buy in actual bulk. At $90 per case, that's $225. Add $50 for a pair of filters, and even $125 to have someone do the work. That's $400, or $16 per hour. $25 per hour comes out to $625 every oil change, and the cost of materials doesn't change much, so that's a difference in labor cost. Some mechanic's helper somewhere is billing $350 in labor to do oil changes on both engines. That's just criminal.
You can't safely change oil on 2 aircraft engines in an hour ( 125$)
The oil filters need to be cut and inspected. Oil saved, packaged and sent for anaylsis. Parts sAftey wired back correctly. $350 in labor is probably extremely fair
@@ryany4326 first of all, that comment is five damn years old, and we've had the worst president in history for the past three and a half years. So you have to adjust for democrat pricing. The cost of everything has gone up at least 50% since then.
Second of all, no you do not need to inspect the filters and take oil samples. Even if you did, you take an oil sample and cut the filter while the oil is draining, and it doesn't add any time.
Third, if it takes you 30 minutes to safety wire a filter, I probably can't help you understand any of this.
I said it would come out to $400, and you're talking about $350.
Add 50% to $400. Add 50% to $16 per hour. Whatever helps you figure it out.
Corps. have been overpricing aviation since it started , government also.
It certainly ain't cheap!
very informative, i own a baron 58. Is there any video you would recomend?
For some reason, I can't find that Baron video anymore. Maybe it got taken down?
+S4 Aviator... real question: If it costs 100k a year to have the plane and take 4 adults to florida 5-7 times a year... why are you not saving at LEAST 80k and flying them on JetBlue or Delta, etc, and getting there even quicker?
Hey Brandon. Great question. First off, that isn’t all we use the airplane for. The airplane is primarily a business tool. But to answer your question, there are a number of reasons. First, the airlines are slower, door to door, than the 414. When you factor in driving to JFK or EWR, going through security, waiting to takeoff, baggage claim at destination, and driving from fort Myers to Naples. We can just hop in the 414 and although it’s going 50% as fast as an A320. We actually save time using our own airplane because we don’t have to deal with all the other airline crap. Another reason is that the airplane actually gets used while it’s down in Florida. It makes anywhere in the state accessible in an hours time. Or a trip from Naples to Key West, which would normally be a 5 hour drive, a 25 minute flight.
Power Auto Then it wasn’t really getting an annual. Unless the dollar figure you’re using is 25 years old. $2000 is the equivalent of 20 hours of labor. A Cessna 172 can barely get an annual for $2000, let alone a cabin class, turbocharged twin.
Great presentation. Got me to think the way I need to go!
I lived in us as a employee.Looks like a common family member may not able to own this airplane..wonder how much should one earn to keep this airplane...any thoughts to convience myself😃
The costs you quote are reasonable. I budget $50k/yr. for our 601p, which is faster and more efficient, at the expense of cabin space we don't require. We generally just fly about 50 hours a year though, so we usually end up well under budget. Your insurance cost is about 80% higher than ours, a fair amount of that is the difference in hull value.
One thing you left out was opportunity cost. Our airplane was not financed, but $200k-$300k @ 6% after tax investment return is another $12k-$18k/yr. "expense" that is accrued, even if it doesn't stand out on the balance sheet.
PA60 Pilot Very true. We considered an Aerostar to replace our 310R when we purchased the 414. The cabin, as you know, is quite a bit smaller and we just really wanted the extra room. The biggest turn off for us with the Aerostar was the maintenance. While it seemed to us like most of the systems were pretty well built, and the airframe was undoubtedly well built, the engine installations didn’t make a whole lot of sense to us. Having to pull the engine off the airplane to get to a rear cylinder or accessory seemed odd. The cost of the Lycoming overhaul is also substantially higher. But with all that being said, nobody can argue the efficiency of the Aerostar. Especially the 601P. Not to mention that they’re probably some of the best looking piston twins ever made!
I thought that was a very good breakdown. Now I think I'll go out and learn how to fly a hang glider! Maybe I can afford that:)
Hello from New Port Richey , Florida . I was born in Yonkers , NY & grew up in Mahopac , NY . Moved here from Beacon , NY 10 / 97.
Vid starts with guy turning up in a 100K Audi RS. From there you know it's not for normal people lol.
I wish it was an RS, and I'm glad it wasn't $100K!
Great video on the 414AW ownership costs, thank you. Obviously things have changed a little bit five years down the road. But, I’m wondering if you actually have an outline or printed version of your 3 models? Also, this one was listed as Part 1, was there a Part 2 follow up with additional info?
Great video. Beautiful aircraft, It cost a lot to own one of those beauty. I wish one day Ill be able to afford just to get my pilot license.
since his company owns the plane, it also pays the expenses. Expenses are deducted from revenues as business expenses. If you have 0 net profit, you pay $0 in taxes. So in lieu of paying taxes, the company pays for the plane. This is the secret of incorporation.
GO TO THE HEAD OF THE CLASS !
Up until the point you touched that prop at the 17:25 mark I legitimately thought you were sitting in front of a greenscreen. Great video though.
great video, fantastically put together by an obviously clever AND honest owner. Well done to you sir following frm Australia
25 hr oil changes better than 50 hrs is just an assertion - show me the data that relates oil change intervals vs indicators for overhaul . I doubt it is linear, it may be piece wise linear or otherwise nonlinear with a flat or shallow slope below 50 hrs or even higher furthermore any such data should control in some manner for any obvious statistical confounders. The time and money involved with very frequent oil changes begs for verification or not by data.
Matt R To respond to this simply, 25hr oil changes are called for both by Continental, and RAM. When you own/operate an airplane of this nature, you follow the manufacturers recommended maintenance and service intervals. Not to mention, while there may or may not be advantages to 25hr oil changes from a scientific standpoint, the one thing that can’t be disputed is that it can’t hurt! Thanks for commenting. Joe
How much for a private jet with a pilot, a jet that carries at least 6 people. Around 150?
hi Joe, great video, what about depreciation of it for a year ?
Since buyers guides are getting more popular on YT...please show interior overview as well.
What are your thoughts about the 340A? I’m still in flight training, but when I get my PPL I’m going to go for my MEI endorsement.
Its a great airplane. It's actually slightly faster than the 414A. From a value standpoint, I don't think it offers the value for the dollar that the 414A does. A 340A is going to cost the same, if not more to own than a 414A. The cost for anything associated with the engines will be virtually identical, but the airplane uses several older systems, like the electric gear, and the bladder fuel system, that are going to cost more to maintain than the newer systems found on the 414A. So a 340A has a much smaller cabin, and costs the same if not more to own. Considering the cost factor, I'd rather go 10 knots slower and have the enormous cabin of the 414A.
Ok thanks S4 for the reply! I’ll definitely keep that in mind as I go through flight training. Thank you for posting the videos to. I’m going to keep watching.
If you had your AMT Lic how much would you save in Inspection/Repair cost? Just curious... Thanks
Hard to say. Depends on how much of the work you could do, and would actually want to do. You need an A&P with a fair amount of experience on the type to really work on it properly, and there are a lot of unique systems in the airplane that a run of the mill A&P doesn't or has never seen. A good example would be the Janitrol fuel-fired heater. Not to mention all of the specialized tooling and equipment, like the jacks with a weight capacity to handle the airplane, etc.
Very interesting, many thanks for posting.
I also like your comparative analysis of the C414A versus the C421C, very similar airframes, with different engine power plants. Granted the C421 has a higher operational cost due to its higher fuel consumption and increasing engine overhaul costs. However the asset acquisition cost is lower for a C421 than a C414 of comparable vintage and conditions. Around 100K lower according to my research. So this is something to bring to the ownership equation as well. Reading the articles of Jerry Temple, he asserts that Cessna launched the C421 Golden Eagle to compete with the turbo-prop market. If that was the case, Cessna had relative success, given the number of Golden Eagles produced from 1968 until 1985. I think it is important to mention that the geared engines on the C421 turn at lower RPM in cruise, (around 1800 RPM) versus 2400 RPM for the C414 which makes for a very quiet cabin, one of the great advantages of the C421 over the C414. The other being the higher payload available on C421 a direct consequence of the higher horsepower engines (375 HP per side). Off course all these features come at a price. Another point to remember: TCM is not producing the GTSIO-520 series that equip the C421 anymore. So what is out there must supply the market needs. Therefore the cost of replacing one of these engines is only going to increase as supply decreases. A few companies have tried to re-engine the C421 with turbo props, including ex Cessna president Jack Pelton. The Excalibur project did not go as planned due to unforeseen engineering challenges and costs involved.
Hey Eduardo. You are correct in all respects. However to many people, the cost of operating the airplane is more important in the long run than the cost of acquisition. Overall, the benefits offered by the 421C are either totally convenience based (for example, the reduced cabin noise) or are only recognizable in limited circumstances. There's a reason that the 414A has held its value better than the 421C, and it is generally considered in the market to be a more desirable airplane despite the slight reduction in performance over a 421C. There is no question that the 414A is a less expensive aircraft to own and operate than the 421C
Hi John, agreed as well and thanks for sharing all these operational information.
It gears down prop rpm. Actual engine rpm is higher then a no gtsio engine. The tach measures prop rpm in 421. Engine rpm is higher. The prop has a 2.3:1 reduction.
@@torqueranch4396 - Yes but cabin noise (especially at altitude) is generally down to prop noise, not engine noise. So the lower RPM point relating to engine noise is certainly valid.
Seems like $800 per hour
More than know how much it costs to own an aircraft I'd like to know how one can afford it. What do you do for a living, where do you get the money for something like this? This might seem like a weird question, but soon I will be graduating with an aerospace engineering degree and it is my dream to once own my own aircraft. With this goal in mind, I am trying to figure out how to get there one day. In some of your other video's you often say "we fly this plane..." who is we? Is the aircraft co-owned, is it owned by the company fo which you work or is it truly your own? Sorry if these questions are a bit bold.
I'll answer your question from a basic standpoint, without getting into too much detail. I'm sure you understand. Do we own the airplane? That depends on how you look at it. We own the company that owns the airplane, so yes, in turn we own the airplane. Very few people who own airplanes like this own them personally. Generally speaking, people who fly airplanes like these are entrepreneurs, and utilize their aircraft as both a business tool and a personal tool. 90% of the people I know who own an airplane like a 414A, or even turboprops like Conquest II's, MU-2's, Commanders, King Air's, etc, are all in business for themselves. Very, very rarely will you find someone who owns a larger aircraft who's sole source of income is from somebody else's payroll. Not saying it's impossible, but its rare. A Neurosurgeon with an annual salary of $750K to $1M could easily afford to do it, but things like that are the rare exception. So with all that being said, the takeaway is that 99% of the people who own large, multiengine, complex, high performance airplanes are considered high or ultra-high net worth individuals (High is a net worth greater than $1M, Ultra-High is a net worth of $5M or greater) and they are most often entrepreneurs, and occasionally high-income professionals like doctors, lawyers, stock brokers, etc. You have to find what you love doing, and then figure out a way to turn it into a business.
A point of clarification the average doctor or lawyer can't afford these planes either. :D
Good point! It definitely depends on the speciality. I have a bit of a background in healthcare too. A lot of it varies geographically along with speciality. Where I live, it isn't uncommon for an ER attending physician to have a salary approaching or exceeding $500K annually.
S4 Aviator WOW! I want to live there! My PA28-180 is more on on the Family Practice budget. :D
Family practice up here is fairly in line with what you're experiencing, based on your comment lol. But ER attendings up here do VERY well.
Hi, thanks for the time and info. I have been watching videos of c414s in general and wanted to know how come I have never seen any c414s with the g1000s? Is it too expensive or is it another reason? Thanks
HI! The biggest reason you won't see a G1000 in a 414, is because there's no STC for a G1000 installation in this airplane. So basically, it isnt approved for this airplane.
Thanks. I always wondered wondered why the c172 was compatible but not the c414 . The g1000 would look nice though. Too bad. Thanks again for your time.
Great job explaining the cost. That's a ton of money to fly. Do most charter to offset it ?
I would say that those owners who charter to offset are a relatively small minority of owners. Getting your own 135 certificate if you have no experience with Part 135 isn't easy, and it can be a very, very lengthy process depending on what FSDO you deal with. Not to mention that most pilots don't want to have to fly with the feds every six months to do the required 299/297 ride.
S4 Aviator thanks for the insight. That's a great deal of money for a hobby. I would imagine then that most use planes like these for business and claim them as such.
I think I will stick with a single engine like a TBM 850 or Piper M500
Both are going to cost more to acquire, and more to own. They're also both faster, but they have cabins that are less than half the size of a 414A's.
Lol - A single PT6 turbo prop is going to cost more to run than two Cessna piston engines! And around 6x more to acquire.
Do planes like this benefit from synthetic oils?
Wow! I'll stick to my powered unbrella and free medical exams by the TSA. Love the plane though.
Hmmm....these are very inflated numbers. At these rates it makes much more sense to learn to love mechanics, get an AP and IA and do your own wrench twisting and inspecting.
I calculated my geographic location in and came up with about $84,000/yr.
100LL@$6.30/gal. and my usual luck with older airplanes and annuals accounts for the discrepancy...
When he spoke about financing he mentioned a 20 year Amortization Loan with a 5 Year term. I would strongly recommend that anyone who is thinking about financing this type of aircraft not consider a 20 year Amortization but a 15 Year Amortization. Yes it will cost you more in terms of your monthly payment but with a 20 year loan you will not have paid that much down on the principal and with the additional 500 hours on the airframe and engines you may well find yourself upside down in the aircraft when it comes time to refinance. Just a thought.
Thanks for the cost brakedown. My only question now is, how do you afford these costs? What kind of job is required to afford owning a plane?
Depends on what kind of airplane you want to own! There are smaller, more affordable airplanes out there. Some of them would be fairly similar to owning a high-end sports car in terms of cost of acquisition and ownership. But if you're looking beyond that, the majority of people who own airplanes like this one fall into a few categories. They either hold a high income job on a salary, such as a physician or an attorney, or they're in business for themselves. Many, many airplane owners are also business owners.
My neighbor has one and he owns a dairy farm. He also has a helicopter and a couple of smaller planes too.
Wow! I've always liked the Cessna 414's... But after hearing the cost breakdowns, I think my budget is more along the lines of a 3-way partnership in a ratty old Cessna 152... LOL! :)
The devil is always in HOW you calculate your operating costs. There are several ways to look at it, but in the end, everything costs the same no matter who owns it. I tried to keep this as realistic as possible and didn't want to be misleading or try to make things appear more or less expensive than they really are. Although as the saying goes, you get what you pay for! Its an expensive airplane to own, but the cabin space, performance, etc. make up for it.
You might as well buy a Weephopper outright. You can do just about as much traveling.
These planes come w astronomical operating costs and they are not particularly fast. Certainly not as fast as the owners would have you believe. Useful load w fuel is limited. Pressurization is overrated in most cases and unless your flying further than 500nm-it’s rarely worth it to fly above 15k-agl.
JR Gb You sound like an expert. The operating costs and performance figures I’ve given are real world figures. Perhaps other owners exaggerate the performance of the airplane. The market value of these airplanes is at an all time high, and most of them are 35-40 years old. So I’ll ask you, Mr. Expert, if you want an airplane with a cabin as enormous as this one, that will cruise at 25,000 feet, at 220 knots true, that’s all weather capable, and keeps you on a piston budget, what else are you going to buy? I’ve got news for you, the useful load of every piston twin is limited with full fuel. I’m not sure what you’d consider “particularly fast,” but 215-225 true, especially in an airplane with a cabin this size, is more than enough for me. Moreover, I challenge you to find me anyone who’s ever owned a pressurized airplane that says pressurization is overrated.
Worth watching to the end, imho. Bottom Line?: If you buget and build reserves conservatively: $800/ Flight Hr. @ 100 Hrs per year. Another way to say it: If you have to ask, you can't afford it. 😜
Very informative and well done. Thank you.
Thank You Robert!
What sort of business would one would have to have that would justify that expense?
Bentley A very successful one, with a diverse geographic footprint that requires frequent travel to destinations that are remote or isolated from an airline standpoint
What about scheduled maintenance
Outside of annual inspections, recurring maintenance is virtually nonexistent on these airplanes. They don't use progressive maintenance schedules like turbine airplanes do.
Started out looking into Mosquito helicopters and wondered what it would cost to own an airplane... Going back to Mosquito vids...
Excellent, very well articulated. Thanks.
He explained the plot in a clear and interesting manner, wow...😊
How did he do that? 😌
Great video, Thank you!
Very good presentation and the numbers must be quite similar for a Aero Commander piston model.
You forgot the amortization the air plain value is going to depreciate and I have no idea how long can you keep an air plain? I am an auto mechanic you can keep a car forever keep fixing it but with air plains there is strict rules. By the way great video.
Peter Mec Hey Peter. Thanks for the comment. I left it out because 400 series Cessna’s are going up in value, not down. Been a steady trend for 20 years. So depreciation isn’t a real financial consideration
@@s4aviator804 Thank you for your response, but I was thinking at one point FAA going to force you to retire the air plain because of metal fatigue so if Max life is 20 years divide $400,000 = $20,000 / I'm sure they're not going to let an air plain fly for ever, do you think they will let an air plain fly for ever?
Peter Mec These airplanes have no life limit. Most don’t. Our 414A is 38 years old and doesn’t have a calendar or hour limit
@@s4aviator804 I am dumfounded hearing this.
Peter Mec Why? This airplane is 38 years old with 6,000 total hours. There are hundreds of commercial airliners flying around that are 30 years old with 50,000+ hours on them. If you maintain them properly, their age is meaningless
Sucede que poco entiendo su idioma. Alguien se para frente a un vehículo ( un avion en este caso) y habla 15 minutos o más y no muestran nada.Me gustan los cables de aviación .gracias.
Canales
I think I'll stick to my little Cub. Thanks!!
Well done and very informative
Good video - but I find the numbers conservative. I would have accounted for depreciation the cost of capital on you entire $400K purchase price. I round to $100,000 actual ownership/operating costs or a round $1,000 per hour to fly this plane. At the end of the day, not really all that bad if used for business purposes, where you would have been paying commercial airfare once a week (say 3 people for 100 hours or say $50K to $70K annually)
Is the 10-12 grand for annual per side or combined?
Christian Fairly an anual is a full inspection of the entire aircraft including both engines.
That is one expensive airplane to own. I appreciate you Making the video. I believe you're the only one out there who has made a video on the 414. In regards to the other twin Aircraft in its same class and relative size, would you say this is a more expensive aircraft to operate, or one of the cheaper of the twins to own?
I'd say its probably right in line with what to expect from any cabin class, or even light twin. The benefit to an airplane like the 414A, is that you get a lot of airplane for the money. The cabin is enormous and comfortable, and it has more storage space than you'll ever need. I'll cover the great features of the airplane in Part 2, which is coming up here in the next few days. For example, a Cessna 340 is a smaller airplane, but it would cost roughly the same (or maybe even a bit more) to own. The 300 and 400 series Cessna's, Aerostar, Navajo, etc. are all going to be roughly in this price range. Other airplanes can be deceptively expensive too. Like a Baron. On paper it appears to be less expensive, until you see the price of Beechcraft parts. It might actually be more expensive to own a Baron than a 414.
Sounds good. Thank you again for the video and I look forward to part 2.
I can imagine! Especially with the price of Beechcraft parts...
This video is actually a bad video on the actual cost of ownership because...
What about pilot training costs? Crewed? Owner flown?
Pilot gear i.e. headsets, IPads Jepsons etc.
Travel expenses for pilot training?
Lost earnings on the capital costs tied up on the "investment" in the plane and the expenses for each year?
Brokerage commissions on the buy/sell transactions?
Pre-purchase inspection fees?
Title searches for the plane?
Legal fees for transactional and counseling services related to the transactions?
Accounting services to keep tract of the transactions and tax filings?
Landing fees?
Overnight parking fees?
Overnight hanger fees?
Deicing fees?
Aircraft cleaning/washing fees?
Catering fees for meal service, if needed by passengers?
Tips to the line crew?
Ground travel not available from FBO?
Depreciation in excess of book value?
FAA enforcement risk?
Estate planning fees to accommodate aircraft ownership?
Air Worthiness Directives Risk?
Aircraft management fees?
FAA flight training fees?
FBO parking fees?
His estimates of cost of oil, fuel, overhaul etc. are understated?
Inflation risk on foregoing expenses?
Imputed time value for your time and emotional angst to manage all of the above?
If you calculate all of that, $1,000+ per hour all in is low.
I am getting my private pilots license now! Loving the 414 vibes
Thanks John! It really is a truly fantastic airplane!
Can you perform roughly the same mission with a single engine plane with the same performance?
The Socarter.
Yep! I’m still flying coach!
Great video. Long but very detailed. Thank you loved it.
I used to own a motor home and loved to travel in it. Same arguments as airplane ownership and flying. I could have driven a car and stayed in four star hotels for less. You do it because you love it, to because it makes financial sense. If you love it and can afford it, do it. If not, forget it.
Sky True Amen Sky True! While this airplane is also an important business tool for us, we certainly love having the ability to load it up and go get away somewhere! Thanks for saying hello!
You mentioned that if you fly the airplane over 100 hours in one year you need a 100 hour inspection. I believe that is false. You only need 100 hour inspections if you are using the airplane for commercial operations. If you are privately flying the aircraft, only a annual inspection is required.
yama cat correct! This airplane has almost always been a 135 airplane, so my mind tends to default to 135 maintenance :)
S4 Aviator Awesome! Thanks for the reply! I was just confused! I'm a student pilot learning everything I can!:) the Cessna 414 is my dream airplane someday! Thanks for inspiring me! Keep making videos!
A well built finally tuned engine will like fresh oil !
There’s a great benefit for it in the life of the engine .
lol, $2000-$3000 annual on a 4xx. Can't imagine anyone saying that with a straight face. Without having thought through it for a 4xx I would've guessed more than $550/hr on 100hr/yr so not too horribly bad.
A 414A just crashed in California (N414RS)!
Misleading? I think not. It's called simple interest. Maybe the guy with the 172 wanted to invest his 30k into something with a better ROI than a used Cessna, and found a way to own one for a hundred bucks a month.
Precomputed interest rate loans use actuarial, pro rata, or rule of 12/78's for payoff so the simple interest loan was the smart choice.
Thanks for the video, thumbs up...
The guy with the 172 did a great job of getting to the point. I guess he assumed that clicking on a video titled "ownership cost" was sufficient explanation for the viewer as to the why of doing said video... Hint to other's, there are no actual figures in this video. Just many many why's and reasons...