On pace.. how much do you fly?

[gsxrpilot]

 

I don't have a CPL, so therefore all flying is discretionary. In buying an airplane I hoped to be able to fly more regularly and more often. In buying a Mooney M20C, I hoped to be able to afford to fly more and more often.

 

I was catching up the log book last night and noticed these numbers.  I like them :-)

 

I doubt I can keep up this pace, but I'm having fun.

[Cruiser]

2 hrs in Jan

4 in Feb

10 in March

14 in April

at least 20 in May (going to KERV)

 

my target is > 100

[MooneyBob]

Last 30 days. 

[carusoam]

Hour per day club...?

You guys are good!

-a-

[Mike A]

What digital logbooks are you all using?  I was on Avconnect but they are no more apparently.

[AndyFromCB]

97.2 hours as a pilot last year, probably another 100 as a passenger 

[N201MKTurbo]

My plane has been down for about the last 6 months. Too many squawks too little time. But everything is working now. Week before last I flew it to Oregon and back. 16 hours in 5 days.

[carl]

I am a low time private pilot  170 total hours and just got my Mooney 20 E in January . I have 10 hours in it, 5 in another M20 E total Mooney time 15.. I try to get 2 hours a week , or about 100 per year.

This is often hard to do since when I am free the weather is bad and when I am working the weather is great. Winter I was just frozen in the hanger.

 

I would like to fly down to fort Lauderdale over memorial day weekend , but if I get down there and it turns bad then I must take a airliner back and leave the plane there. If I plan on flying the plane down and Friday arrives and it is bad weather then I don't go at all. So I will book the airline and leave the plane in  the hanger. I will work on my IFR rating when I get my hours up there .   

 

The oil had 22 hours since I got it . So I changed the oil . That was fun. I am thinking  every 25 hours for a oil change.   

carl

[EDNR-Cruiser]

First quarter 2015 was a promising 22:38h total flight time but the second quarter is lagging behind so far.
Had my Mooney in the shop for an EDM-900 as primary engine display for five weeks and now one of my Nav-Coms is dead... 

Just 2:05h total in Q2 so far...
Will fly her back to the shop tomorrow and hope for a quick fix...

[mooneyman]

Jan   4.4

Feb   3.6

Mar  9.4

April 17.2

May  3.3 and counting but plane going for annual on the 18th

 

Planning trip out west in June and OSH in July. Would love to fly 100+ hours this year!

[Mooneymite]

Sad fact....

 

Based on all the fixed costs associated with aircraft ownership, I'm not sure I could fly enough hours to bring those costs into the category of "reasonable".

 

100 hours/year is what I base my calculations on, but I rarely fly that much.  To make matters worse, I have two airplanes.

 

This is a depressing subject for me.

 

Happily, my wife has a horse, so that's like "Carte Blanche" for extravagance....  

[RocketAviator]

103.25 Since Jan 1 2015

73.25 IFR flight plans

Balance in VFR & Formation Flying!

In addition to the above I have 14.4 hr as IFR Currency Safety Pilot.

Have a trip to CA, MT and Oshkosh still to go so might break 200 total this year.

When you live in El Paso NOTHING is close!

I calculate assuming 160kts average GS about 16520 statue miles...

3400 miles alone week before last RT SnF and back.

1250 miles RT Yuma Formation Clinic

1000 miles RT Kerrville Formation Clinic

800 miles multiple trips to Phoenix

1200 miles multiple trips to Granbury

850 miles multiple trips to Amarillo

This is making me realize how much $$$ I spend on flying I think I will quit now!!!!

Please dont show this to my wife... the one who manages the $ or should I say now the was the $$$$$

 

Fly safe all!

[gsxrpilot]

Electronic Log Book - I use LogTen Pro X. It costs but is well supported and I expect will stay around longer than the free options. 

 

I use CloudAhoy to auto log my time and update the LogTen log automatically.

 

My budget is for 150 hours this year. Last year was just over 100 so I hope to do better this year. 

 

Having an Instrument Rating sure makes it easier to do. I've not actually shot any approaches in actual IMC in the last 6 months, but have filed many times to get up and out through a low layer of clouds. Prior to the IA, I would either have to cancel or wait out the weather.

 

I've been fortunate with the maintenance and haven't had many major issues. I had a tach fail on a Saturday, but thanks to Mooneyspace I had a replacement in two days and flew again on Friday.

 

Fingers crossed... I'll exceed my target of 150 hours this year.

[Hank]

Fixed costs are fixed--annual, insurance, hangar, pitot static checks, etc., do not vary with use and are simply the cost of ownership.

Operating costs are the ones I consider: fuel, oil, tires, battery, GPS updates, etc.

Things like panel upgrades, radio updates, engine overhaul, interior update, etc., are all one-time expenses that I will worry about when they happen. I bought the plane with a loan, I can overhaul the engine with another one.

Fuel = 9 gph long term, ~$40-45/hr; oil = 10-11 qts per 50 hours, or a little over $1/hour. Nose tires seem to last me about five years; I replaced the mains over six years after I bought the plane, and they weren't new then. My Concorde battery is going strong, and is now < $5/month. Garmin data costs what it costs--is it higher for the GTN than for my old GNS?

The real secret to acceptance is to not add up everything. Never do all of the math . . .

[gsxrpilot]

103.25 Since Jan 1 2015

73.25 IFR flight plans

Balance in VFR & Formation Flying!

In addition to the above I have 14.4 hr as IFR Currency Safety Pilot.

Have a trip to CA, MT and Oshkosh still to go so might break 200 total this year.

When you live in El Paso NOTHING is close!

I calculate assuming 160kts average GS about 16520 statue miles...

3400 miles alone week before last RT SnF and back.

1250 miles RT Yuma Formation Clinic

1000 miles RT Kerrville Formation Clinic

800 miles multiple trips to Phoenix

1200 miles multiple trips to Granbury

850 miles multiple trips to Amarillo

This is making me realize how much $$$ I spend on flying I think I will quit now!!!!

Please dont show this to my wife... the one who manages the $ or should I say now the was the $$$$$

 

Fly safe all!

 

I aspire to be RocketMan. I'm just Rocket now, but some day... 

[MooneyBob]

What digital logbooks are you all using?  I was on Avconnect but they are no more apparently.

I use MyFlightBook app on my iOS devices. Plus I keep my paper one current too.

[carl]

first i want to say this . it really is not about the time you fly. it is only about the fact that you can fly.  

You are happier because you own an airplane . you walk with a different walk because you know you can soar with the eagles in your own plane.

 

in retrospect the times you are faced with a major repair or the plane is in the shop for months and you are trying to get it sorted out . these will become great pleasures to you, because you have overcome them .  Only the few , owners, can relate , we are a special breed, we are above the groundlings, because we have decided to undertake this. Not because it is easy ,but because it is hard ( some Kennedy speech) .

 

An hour flying your own plane , what can compare to that....grilling on saturday ?... yes we do that too, while we talk about airplanes!

 

owning an aircraft complete us (some movie)

 

actual hours really doesn't matter 

carl

[ryoder]

Sad fact....

 

Based on all the fixed costs associated with aircraft ownership, I'm not sure I could fly enough hours to bring those costs into the category of "reasonable".

 

100 hours/year is what I base my calculations on, but I rarely fly that much.  To make matters worse, I have two airplanes.

 

This is a depressing subject for me.

 

Happily, my wife has a horse, so that's like "Carte Blanche" for extravagance....  

We have three horses. Yeah I know.

[Mooneymite]

We have three horses. Yeah I know.

 

Now wait a minute!  

 

There's a qualitative difference between extravagance and opulence.

 

Three horses?  

[MB65E]

Well Said Carl!!! It's an amazing freedom.

-Matt

[ryoder]

Now wait a minute!  

 

There's a qualitative difference between extravagance and opulence.

 

Three horses?  

One horse is at the show barn with training board and two we still own and are in retirement at www.retiredhorses.com

[Guest]

It not just the horse, its the stable fees, the feed, the vet bills and the truck and trailer to haul the horse all over the country.

Clarence

[Mooneymite]

It not just the horse, its the stable fees, the feed, the vet bills and the truck and trailer to haul the horse all over the country.

Clarence

As I tell my wife.....much more expensive than the care and feeding of a Mooney!

[Ftlausa]

Last year - 150 hours.  Behind schedule for this year, so probably 100 hours. 

[jlunseth]

I have generally flown about 150 hours a year, but in late 2014 I got my commercial and you would think I would have flown more after that.  Instead, I was flying quite a lot to make the goal and once I did I only flew when I needed to so probably 50 hours last year.  I am back on pace this year, almost all long trips, Angel Flights from KFCM to Ohio, IL, western NE, and a trip to the Bahamas for the fishing.