OK, to recalulate the per hour figures using 13 gallons per hour, we get
1 hour: $42,000 per hour
100 hours: $475 per hour
200 hours: $265 per hour
300 hours: $195 per hour
Hey, maybe I should slow down.
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As a data point, mine likes to burn closer to 13 gph.
Thatâs about $20/hr less @ $4/gal, though a typical trip may take a few extra minutes.
flew a bit yesterday. Ryan field in Tucson to Las Cruces to pick up wife and daughter after a formal dance, then back to Tucson to drop them off. Then back to El Paso International where I temporarily have a hangar. First two legs at max speed and best power, 189 knots all the way. 8500-9500 feet and burning about 19 gal per hour. Final leg was more fun; had no urgency, so I took your advice and throttled back. Manifold pressure down to 21, stayed at 7500 as the 396 showed more headwind above me, and asked the e max program to lean for peak economy. Presto, I was burning 12 gal per hour. On the way, I noticed there were some mountains in the windshield, so I flew through a gap at the north end of the Chiracaua mountains, and then on to Columbus new Mexico. I noticed that the balloon south of Deming, NM was up, and I had to divert to stay 5 miles away. I noted that it was putting out a transponder signal, which had mode c altitude information. It displayed on the MFD as a target3,000 feet above me, within the restricted zone which is a circle. Previously it did not put out mode c, or i was not picking it up.Then I flew over the city of el paso and landed on the 2++ mile runway. Had to taxi forever. Lot of concrete in El Paso, very safe. Anyway, you are right. the plane flew at 165 knots, and it was a delightful flight. I might burn less fuel in the future, which would give me more time in the air, come to think of itâŚ
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OK, to recalulate the per hour figures using 13 gallons per hour, we get
1 hour: $42,000 per hour
100 hours: $475 per hour
200 hours: $265 per hour
300 hours: $195 per hour
Hey, maybe I should slow down.
Is that how much this silly hobby is costing me? Geez, what am I, crazy? Iâm gonna buy a bicycle. Itâs better for me anyway.
according to AV web gas costs a little over 3.50 per gallon across the USA
so to refigure the operating costs based on average avgas cost;
100 hours flown per year; $468 per hour
200 hours flown per year $258 per hour
300 hours flown per year $188 per hour
the cost of flying your very own cirrus, next to corporate jets flown by a professional crew, or 50 year old sagging airframes held together by rusted spars::: priceless.
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âŚso I took your advice and throttled backâŚ
Bob,
That was never my advice (nor Walterâs).
Walter compares throttling back with a dirty air filter - voluntarily putting an obstruction (the throttle plate) in the path of the incoming air. It wonât hurt anything, but is not the most efficient way to burn fuel.
The general advice is to maintain âFull Throttleâ and just lean to the desired âRed Boxâ fuel flow.
For 7,500â I typically use 13.5 gph.
Right you are, i only assumed that you would be throttling back to get that low a fuel burn. Two things, one is i am going to move this discussion (regarding wide open throttle, then leaning for best power or best economy vs throttling back then leaning for best economy) over to the members side for some technical discussion. the other is that iâm sorry i made the assumption that you were closing the throttle to get that fuel burn. I donât see the problem in throttling back, but iâm not an expert on the subject. And throttling back give me many more speed options, rather than the two speeds you can achieve with wide open throttle at best power setting and wide open throttle with best economy setting.
I can appreciate your frustration. I am the Membership Director of COPA. The organization now has over 2000 members and, if you were able to look at the Members Forum regularly, you would see that only about 50 people are regular posters of all the commentary that you dislike.
As is often the case in Internet forums or polls today, the comments of the few do not reflect the sentiment of the entire organization.
We set up the forum to allow folks to âexpress themselvesâ as we do not believe in censorship. Therefore, within reason, anyone can say virtually anything they want.
But, I can assure you, that I have learned more from COPA about Cirrus airplanes than any course on any subject I have ever taken in school. It is an absolute encyclopedia resource of information on the plane.
The website was formed in 2001 and I was so impressed after seeing it that I decided to volunteer as membership director in 2002. At that time there were about 400 members. Obviously, when you increase the "crowdâ five fold in just four years, you have to expect the unexpected.
Feel free to email me if you have any questions or concerns about COPA.
Keep in mind the facts and information presented on COPA are what really makes us âtickâ. The personalities are individuals expressing themselves who do not necessarily represent the mission of COPA itself.
Dear Shepherd777;
I note your condesention. You are a private pilot and you have chosen to not post your name, or any information about yourself. You have also not read any of the many 10âs of thousandss of posts on the members forum. I also note that you have only posted one post (see above) and in that post, you have chosen to be very critical.
I am not a private pilot. I have been flying for 38 years. I have owned an SR20, an SR22 and several planes before that. Most importantly, I have seen too many people launch into questions and flights with too little preparation; some die, some just waste money.
So how shall we communicate to save lives and help our fellow pilots and friends.
We can just share answers; but will that help you find solutions for the future?
We can provide you with a highly technical analysis of a problem? Perhaps, but excessive technicality will be lost to many or confuse others. Few, even on this forum are engineers. We are pilots of many backgrounds and skills and skill levels.
So, for many, and in my case, we like to have fun . . . I guess that can come across as evasive, scarstic, etc. Cartoons have been known to cause wars, but they also break the ice of a situation with humor.
Delivering âfactsâ with and through applied humor, is an effective way to teach.
When simplistic questions are asked like in this thread titled, âoperating costsâ experience tells many of us that those asking havenât really thought out their question, because there is no simple answer, but rather, operating costs is a complex question.
Please do not give your left ___ to own an SR22. Just learn a little more before you criticize. Ours is not a private club. It is a membership club costing $50 that supports the overhead and consider the $50 as a down payment on your SR22
So, walk a mile in my/our shoes and attend a funeral of a friend who has passed because they chose to not properly prepare and you may then see from whence that which you are critical, emerges.
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What is the matter with you people?
I donât know, but I have a feeling youâre about to tell us.
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I absolutely agree that there are many sarcastic, idiotic, childish, condescending and patronizing responses in this forum.
UmmmâŚtell us something we DONâT know?
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You people own 1/2 million dollar airplanes and you post cartoonish icons of a cartoon character flipping the bird???
Just wait 'til we start with the Mohammed cartoons!
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Are there any Cirrus forums where the members donât talk stupid and represent themselves as idiots???
Donât know. Why donât you start one - talk is cheap. Youâd be free to over-moderate and ban anyone and anything thatâs an affront to your sensibilities.
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I think that lawyer should be nominated President of the More-Money-Than-Brains Club and go on a DEER hunting trip with Dick Cheney.
HYPROCRISY ALERT!
I currently frequent 3 sites on a regular basis: this one, one dedicated to a particular model of BMW motorcycle, and one dedicated to âAdventure Ridingâ in general. All get âsarcastic, idiotic, childish, condescending and patronizingâ posts from time to time. The ONE thing that will make a moderator step in is direct, personal attacks on a member or threats of violence.
I assume YOUâRE just being âsarcasticâ, but I think you sort of did just say youâd like one of our members to be shot in the face with a 30-06 deer rifle. Correct me if Iâm wrong.
While one less lawyer is never a bad thing, this is EXACTLY the kind of post that begins to step over the line, IMHO.