Warbird operation hourly/yearly costs?

[oshosh84]

I was looking at this threadhttp://www.warbirdinformationexchange.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?p=63122
about operational costs and requirements for a t-6 or t-28, sticker shock to say the least. Have these costs stayed stable over the last 5 years?

What kind of expenditures could be expected with more "high end" warbirds?
When I say high end I am not trying to put down Texan or Trojan owners, please, keep them flying.
What I am referring to: P-51, P-47, P-38, F4U, P-39, Spitfires, Seafires, Skyraiders, Wild/Hell/Bear/Tigercat etc.

On the non for profit side of things.... What kind of $$$$ does it take to keep any of the bombers or transports in the air?

[b29flteng]

B-29 $10,000/hour

[Tripehound]

I went to a Confederate Air Force show in Galveston, Texas in the early '70's. The announcer was asking for donations to help keep FIFI in the air. He said it cost $400 an hour to fly it!

[51fixer]

I went to a Confederate Air Force show in Galveston, Texas in the early '70's. The announcer was asking for donations to help keep FIFI in the air. He said it cost $400 an hour to fly it!

When insurance was cheap it was pretty much left out of a question like this so it probably referred to direct operating costs like Fuel and oil. Of course, fuel at a buck a gal than you would have the $400/hr figure.
Fuel is now more than 5 times that and insurance is probably 10 times or more what they paid back in the day.

[Russ Blow]

Try this one for size. If you cant afford this or you hesitate at these costs you need to go no farther.

Costs to operate my L 4. I dont think you can find a simpler or lower cost warbird.

Cost to acquire : 33k fully restored with 100 smoh engine

Maint including annual : $1,300 / yr ( includes 4 oil changes at 25 hours each and 4 qt. per change )

Hangar : $ 2,748 / yr ( $ 229 / mo. your cost could be higher or lower )

Insurance : $ 840 / year ( 1 million lia. and zero ded. hull. I have 1k hours of taildragger time )

Fuel costs planned on 4 gph at a current cost of 5.20 / gal. ( Cut around 1.50 / gal for mogas if you choose too )

So your fixed annual costs will run $4,888 dollars with no surprises.

So if you fly the aircraft 100 hours a year your fixed costs are $ 48.88 / hr fuel is $ 20.80 / hr for a total of $ 69.68 / hour

The less you fly the higher the fixed cost per hour and the more you fly the lower the fixed costs. Of course if you are an AP/IA your maint costs would be far lower.

So in conclusion this is about as inexpensive as you can get into warbirds ( or warbugs I guess )

[K5DH]

Most B-17 operators quote $4,000 / hr operating costs.

[Obergrafeter]

Also in the 70's the CAF was not carying Hull insurance on the fleet.

[T-28mike]

"operational costs and requirements for a t-6 or t-28, sticker shock to say the least."

No offense, but if the operational costs of the T-6 or T-28 gave you sticker shock, the cost to properly maintain or operate any of the high performance fighters you listed would be way beyond your threshold. If you can not justify the cost of the fighter, then the cost to properly operate and maintain a high performance multi engine would be beyond consideration.

While the idea of operating these through a foundation may lower out of pocket expenses, doing so would not necessarily lower the operational cost any. It may actually increase them.


* Also, the rarer it is, the more expensive it is to insure, buy parts for, overhaul...

[tulsaboy]

oshosh84-

From some of our local guys, I have been recently hearing in the $2000-2500/hr range for P-51s. Similar numbers have been floated for B-25s/A-26s.

kevin

[oshosh84]

Thanks everyone for the replies. I was just asking out of pure curiosity. I do not fly as I think there is <0 chance of me being able to get a medical.

Try this one for size. If you cant afford this or you hesitate at these costs you need to go no farther.

I could handle that. I would have to pay somebody to fly me around, but I could do it. Sounds fun actually, wifey would probably kill me.

No offense

None taken. I was expecting to hear high fuel prices. What surprised me was the

$30,000.00 for a basic overhaul.

. and

A real Annual will probably run from $2500.00 to $5,000.00 from a reputable shop.

.

I just want to say thanks. Owners in the Warbird community rock.

[JDK]

And if you aren't in the US, you'll be paying a LOT more for fuel.

Avgas (I'm told) has also just gone up 5.5c a litre here in Victoria, Aus. The US dollar's buying a bit less than one A$ at the moment.

[EDowning]

The 3350 overhaul is now around 130K and the Aeroproducts prop is expensive as well. I think my hourly operating cost for the A1-E is about $2800 per hour. I am very careful not to calculate it exactly, ignorance is bliss.

Mr. Blissful

[Fearless Tower]

oshosh84-

From some of our local guys, I have been recently hearing in the $2000-2500/hr range for P-51s. Similar numbers have been floated for B-25s/A-26s.

kevin

B-25's these days are generally running in the $2500-3000/hr range.

C-47/DC-3's run from $1500-2000 per hour, so the 4k estimate on the B-17 above sounds about right (the Wright powered DC-3s use the same 1820's as the Fortress).

Those are fairly standard. I've seen the biggest spread in T-6 costs from $400/hr to $1000. I'd say if you were operating it yourself and not doing rides/flight training, you could probably keep it on the lower side (4-600/hr)

[snj-5]

The 3350 overhaul is now around 130K and the Aeroproducts prop is expensive as well. I think my hourly operating cost for the A1-E is about $2800 per hour. I am very careful not to calculate it exactly, ignorance is bliss.

Mr. Blissful

They way I heard it described is, money comes in from work / the job (whatever), I buy gas & write checks for parts and maintenance, insurance, etc. to go flying, and somehow it all just works out....

Bela P. Havasreti

[mr_warbird]

If I had a warbird I probably would not get hull insurance since that is a major expense but not really necessary since if you need to make a claim you probably would not be alive to make the claim.