Looking for Maintenance/Expense Software

[BigTex]

Guys,

I've been using spreadsheets to track maintenance events (Oil changes, AD's/SB/SI, 337,etc) as well as other flying expenses.  I'd like to move it to a software package but I'm not finding much out there that geared toward individuals.  There's tons out there for FBO and flight schools but I can't find anything for individuals.  AvConnect has ome but they want $50/month.

What's everyone else doing?

Thanks,

Gary

[FAST FLIGHT OPTIONS LLC]

I use a pretty simple and free method.  It's my USAA credit card. The card is dedicated to my flying expenses.  Each time a charge involving a new vendor is made I can go on to the USAA web site and create a category/sub-category for the expense.  Any future charges will automatically get pushed into the category set up for that vendor so long as the vendors name does not change.  The USAA web site will also generate a pie chart for you covering whatever time frame/specifications you set.

[Hank]

My system is similar to Nick's, except I only use the one card for everything, and will one day get around to creating categories beyond the few their system creates. Right now, my "travel" expenses are significant, and from time to time I show large "Misc" expenses. I have a large pile of statements from the FBO ranging from annual to fuel to hangar rent to CFI & CFII time--there were once plans to figure out what all of this was costing me, but I have decided that the answer is more frightening than catching up all of the paperwork.

I really don't want to know!

But a spreadsheet will probably be the simplest way to go. Flexibility is great, you aren't locked in to any designs, and you can add and remove categories as needed. Subtotal vertically by category [add rows as needed for each invoice, and columns as needed for new expense types], and horizontally to match each invoice, or by month, quarter, year, however you want to slice it.

But I really don't want to know!!

P.S.--should my restaurant bills be added in to flight expenses when I fly somewhere for supper?? And since I don't fill up after every flight, actual per-flight expenses will require guesstimation anyway.

[Parker_Woodruff]

I use an excel document with the following pages

- Airframe investment (purchase price, upgrades,).  Engine overhaul will be included on this page since the value of the airplane is dependent on this.

- Maintenance Expense

- Fuel Expense

- Misc. Expenses (insurance, tie-down, parking fees, etc.)

- Summary page (Airframe investment, minus depreciation which is an amount that will leave me with the current estimated value of the aircraft)

Total expenses, including depreciation / hours flown = hourly rate.

[rbridges]

I made an excel document, also.  I needed to know totals for tax reasons.  Made me a little sick in the stomach when I saw what my hourly cost was, but I still like owning my own plane.

[FlyDave]

Your post got me thinking about tracking expenses.

I just downloaded a very simple FREE app for my Android phone that will track everything I want to track with primary and sub categories. The nice thing about this is I always have my cell phone with me so I can enter the expenses when I puchase fuel, parts, etc. I don't have to go home and do it on the computer. This app will also export to a CSV file if I want to import it to Excel or just for a backup. Pretty darn handy!

It's called..ready...."Expense Manager". There's probably 100's of apps out there that are similiar for Android and iPhone - this is the first one I found and it has great reviews.

Best of luck!

[Hank]

Rob, the easy fix to your problem is to fly more! That will immediately lower your hourly cost.

Or divide the expenses into two categories:

1. 
   
2. Ownership--annual, insurance, hangar, pitot-static & transponder checks, equipment upgrades, "speed" mods, etc.
   
3. Operation--fuel, oil, oil changes, repairs, maintenance, GPS databases, CFI/CFII time, etc.
   

Discretionary items will fit into one or the other. Handheld GPS goes toward Operation, while a new installed IFR GPS unit would go towards Ownership [in my book, anyway]. Not sure which place to put my tank reseal; it wasn't cheap, but because it was becoming an airworthiness issue, I'm leaning towards an Ownership expense--if the plane can't be flown, my operating expenses will become zero, and I can quit many of the repetitive ownership costs.

I just hate it when people include all of the fixed costs, including hangar, insurance, etc., that must be paid anyway, and then produce an exhorbitant hourly figure for what it costs to fly. Lower insurance limits, move out of the hangar, and look at the reduction in your hourly costs. Those figures are what it costs to own an airplane and keep it in airworthy condition; fly one hour, and your hourly cost will be nearly infinite. Fly a second hour, and cut your hourly cost in half. Me, I run ~$50-60 per hour Operating expense, and several AMUs in ownership expenses. Where should I charge my medical?

Either way, I don't want to know my total expenditures for any given year. It's been five great years, I'm not broke yet, and I manage to go places with and without my wife and enjoy the process. There are no stop signs, no speed limits [yeah, I know, 250 kts below 10,000 msl, but that is WAY above redline!], no roadside wrecks or construction zones, and only very rare traffic jams. Life is good at 9000 msl! [outside of big storms . . . ]

And those weekend trips are now possible. Two Mooney hours is often 6-8 Honda hours, which would kill the weekend just in getting somewhere and back. Now, we get to go visit, leaving Friday evening and returning late Sunday with a full day-and-a-half wherever we went. As our parents age, this is becoming more important. There's no dollar figure on that!

[rbridges]

Hank,

part of the problem were the bladders.  That added quite a bit to my hourly costs.  Of course, it's not a repeat cost (knock on wood.).  But you're right, I need to fly more.  I only hit 50 hours last year.