Free tool

Aircraft Cost of Ownership Calculator

What owning an airplane costs — financing, hangar, insurance, fuel, oil, maintenance reserve, engine reserve, and your real per-hour cost based on actual utilization.

Acquisition
Fixed (annual)
Per-hour variable

Total cost of ownership

$31,462 / year

That's $315 per hour at 100 hours flown.

Loan payment

$10,012

$834/mo

Fixed annual

$10,750

Hangar, insurance, annual, fees

Variable annual

$10,700

$107/hr × 100 hrs

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See your real cost-per-hour, not an estimate.

Aloft360 tracks every dollar of fuel, maintenance, and reserves against actual Hobbs time. Co-owners see real per-hour cost on the ownership dashboard. Leaseback owners see revenue minus expenses, automatically.

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What goes into "cost of ownership"

Acquisition (financed loan)

If you finance the aircraft, the monthly principal + interest is a real cost. Even if you bought cash, there is an opportunity cost — the same money in a 5%-yielding account would generate income you are forgoing. The calculator uses a standard amortization formula.

Fixed annual costs

  • Hangar / tiedown: $200–800/mo depending on airport and shelter
  • Insurance: $1,500–6,000/yr for a piston single, varies with hull value, pilot hours, and use
  • Annual inspection: $1,500–4,000+ for a piston single, more for complex/twins
  • Registration & state fees: Varies wildly by state ($25–$1,000+)

Variable per-hour costs

  • Fuel: burn rate × fuel price. The single biggest variable cost.
  • Oil: $1–3/hr for piston engines
  • Maintenance reserve: $15–35/hr for unscheduled maintenance and ADs
  • Engine reserve: overhaul cost ÷ hours-to-TBO. Typically $18–28/hr.

Track real cost, not estimates

Aloft360 tracks every dollar of fuel, maintenance, and reserves against actual Hobbs time. Co-owners see real per-hour cost on the ownership dashboard. Leaseback owners see revenue minus expenses, automatically.

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Cost of ownership FAQ

What does it cost per hour to own a Cessna 172?
A typical owner-flown Cessna 172, financed over 15 years and flown 100 hours per year, costs roughly $200–$280 per hour all-in. Big drivers: hangar (~$3–6k/yr depending on region), insurance (~$2–4k/yr), fuel ($55–80/hr at 9 gph), and engine reserve ($20–30/hr to save for overhaul). The calculator on this page gives your specific number.
What is a maintenance reserve and how should I set it?
A maintenance reserve is a per-hour set-aside for unscheduled maintenance and inspections beyond the annual. For a piston single, $20–35/hr is typical. The reserve covers tire replacements, brakes, mag overhauls, prop work, instrument calibration, ADs, and squawks discovered between annuals. Heavier or older aircraft need more.
What is engine reserve?
Engine reserve is a separate per-hour set-aside specifically for the eventual engine overhaul or replacement. Calculate by dividing the expected overhaul cost by the engine's remaining time-in-service to TBO. A typical Lycoming O-360 overhaul runs $35–45k; if you have 1,800 hours to TBO, that is roughly $20–25/hr in engine reserve.
Should partnerships use this calculator?
Yes. Use the calculator to see total annual cost, then divide fixed costs equally among partners and bill variable costs by hours flown. Aloft360 automates exactly this — fixed expenses split per share percentage, variable expenses billed by Hobbs time, with monthly reconciliation.
Are these numbers tax-deductible?
It depends on the use case. Aircraft used in a business (Part 91 corporate, leaseback, instruction) can usually deduct operating costs and depreciation. Personal aircraft generally cannot. Talk to an aviation tax accountant — the rules around Section 280F and bonus depreciation are nuanced.