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Aircraft operating cost per hour
The direct cost of each hour in the air, before hangar, insurance and the annual. Use it to set a partnership or club hourly rate.
Formula
Hourly = gph × fuel price + oil + maintenance reserve + overhaul ÷ (TBO − SMOH) + prop reserve. A mid-time engine needs a bigger reserve: a $65,000 overhaul with 1,400 hours left is $46 an hour, not $30.
Estimates only. These results are estimates for planning, not quotes, and not financial, insurance or maintenance advice. Real costs depend on the airplane, the airport, your insurer and your mechanic. Get quotes.
Sources
- AirNav fuel price report (nationwide 100LL average $7.40/gal, min $4.45, max $15.42; report dated Nov 5, 2026)
- AirplaneHub: cost to own a Cessna 172 (2026) (citing Flying, May 2026: T-hangar $400–$600/mo, tie-down $75–$300; annual inspection base $1,500–$2,200, $2,500–$4,500 total on a healthy airplane, $8,000–$12,000 if maintenance was deferred; oil change $100–$200 every 50 h; O-320/O-360 overhaul $28,700–$39,500 from Corona, Gann and Airworx; Lycoming SI 1009BF TBO 2,000 h; ForeFlight $130–$390/yr)
- PistonAircraftLoans: Piper Cherokee cost by model (140: 7.5 gph, engine reserve $17/hr, ~$184/hr at 100 h; 180: 9.5 gph, ~$205/hr; loan example 15% down at 7.75%) and HangarMath PA-28-140 (O-320 overhaul $26,000–$35,000, 2,000 h TBO)
- HobbsHour: Cirrus SR22 cost per hour (15 gph typical; IO-550-N rebuilt $64,241 over 2,000 h; insurance $3,000–$10,000; hangar/tie-down $780–$10,020/yr; annual $3,500–$6,500; CAPS repack reserve $1,400–$1,800/yr; ~$364/hr at 100 h before loan) and Narber Aviation (16.5 gph at 75% power; IO-550 overhaul $55,000–$75,000, 2,200 h TBO)
- AOPA: Hypothetical operating cost calculation (1975 Cessna 172M: insurance $1,200/yr, hangar $250/mo, 8 gph, maintenance $25/hr at 100 h or $13.34/hr at 300 h, engine reserve $17/hr; total $225/hr at 100 h, $108/hr at 300 h; own vs rent break-even just under 100 h/yr vs a $135/hr wet rental)
Common questions
What does a Cessna 172 cost per hour to operate?
Fuel at 8.1 gph and $7.40 is about $60 an hour. Add oil, a maintenance reserve and a $17 engine reserve and direct costs run about $95 to $100 an hour before fixed costs.
What is a good maintenance reserve?
AOPA's 172 example worked out to $13 to $25 an hour depending on hours flown. Older or more complex airplanes need more.