Post on 29-Jan-2016
Cutting the Cost of Aircraft Ownership
AOPA Summit 2011, Hartford Connecticut
The Elephant in the Airspace
• It’s not your imagination.
• Flying is more expensive than it used to be.
1961 New Airplane Costs
• Piper Super Cub- $5,000
• Cessna Skyhawk- $9,280
• Beech Bonanza- $24,300
Inflation adjusted: $35,000
Inflation adjusted:
$64,500
Inflation adjusted:$170,100
Today’s New Airplane Costs
• Super Cub: $150,000 +
• Skyhawk: $283,000
• Bonanza: $650,000
428%
362%
382%
Avgas: Then and Now
• Then: 25 cents per gallon (about $1.75 today)
• Now: $5.70 per gallon (up more than 300%)
Other Fixed Costs
• Insurance, hangar, maintenance all cost significantly more.
High Prices Drive Students Away
And Reduce Pilot Population
Get Frugal or Get Grounded
• Partnerships and flying clubs can dramatically lower ownership costs
Partnerships
• 8,760 hours in a year
• Average pilot flies 100 hours a year
• Aircrafts are underutilized, so why not split the costs with others without giving up flight time?
AOPA Aircraft Partnership Program
• Launched July 2011
• “eHarmony” for aircraft partnerships
• 14,000+ participants nationwide
• Free for aircraft share buyers
• Sellers’ market: more than 90% of those registered are buyers
Future Features:
• Pre-packaged partnership agreements
• Online scheduling for flights and maintenance
• Group discounts for a broad range of services
Introducing the Experts
• David Kruger of the AOPA Aircraft Partnership Program
• Harv Greenberg of the Penn Yan Flying Club
• Janet Bressler of AOPA Aircraft Insurance