Tiger Moth cost per hour

We seriously considered buying an Auster that was recently for sale, so we could have a spare engine for our Chipmunk. 

65k ,no wonder they were buying Austers a few years back just for the engines.

Oracal , 2k in 1973 is the equivelent buying power of 30k today UK.

So its £4k in 73 prices now

This advice from the Moth Club is not precise on figures, but might  be of interest.

https://www.dhmothclub.co.uk/mothenomics/

Cripes! £65k. [Not disputing you]

I remember when we cringed at one of our engines costed £2K for a time-ex rebuild back in 1973. 

12k per year £120/£200 hour without hangarag

Allow 65k for an engine rebuild UK

through a mate who knows a mate that flys them here.

Thanks Andy and Prop Strike good to hear your takes on operating Tigers and both of your cost estimates tally with what I had thought.Even better, you both have practical experience of operating them so it’s not guesswork. Thanks once again

 Propstrike is quite right. I’ve never really calculated the per hour cost.

I’m in a rather fortunate position. Three of us partnered in the aeroplane. Cost divided by three.

Two of us are aircraft maintenance engineers. If I had to pay someone to maintain my moth then count me out. Couldn’t do it.

Here is a rough rundown. Big ticket items are as follows (figures are in Canadian dollars)

We rent a Hangar (shop with a furnace actually on a private strip) Currently $700 per month.

Insurance is about $3000 annually. Maintenance involves mostly our own time. Most years that is the only requirement.

We have had Magnetos serviced, Occasional other parts, but being our own maintenance makes this possible for us. 

Oil can be counted on for $20 per hour. (Changes and consumption) The ol’ Dripsy Major lives up to her name.

Fuel is about $2.00 per litre. Let’s say $70 per hour.

We had the initial purchase price and spent 2 years going through it before she made her first flight as CF-MAD.

That was 10 years ago!

We typically fly between 30 – 50 hours. Divide that up and there you go ( Please don’t tell me though ;-P…. )

It’s not built for comfort, or speed. A marvelous flying contraption, that’s in no danger, of replacing the aeroplane.

Andy

I suspect that a lot of owners don’t particularly choose to know their  hourly rate, and that is not actually a flippant comment.

They own the thing, presumably like it, almost inevitably fly fewer hours per year than they thought they would, and of course a bad spell, with the need for new parts or fabric overhaul,  can send the cost ‘per hour’ sky high, £300 per hour or maybe more, which in a rational analysis becomes quite hard to justify. Easier not to crunch the numbers too hard, and just put it down as a bad year.

Personally, I think shared ownership makes much more sense, as the aeroplane is ALWAYS under-utilised. I was in a group with no capital up front, just a monthly fee and fly it for fuel.  It was great while it lasted ! 

On a broader perspective, I do wonder where the new blood will come from to own and operate Tigers. They are such hard work- to move, to pre-flight, to start, to manoeuvre on the ground, added to which you get freezing cold, vibrated half to death and deafened,  and all the time it is trying to go sideways and have a crash !  I should know, having crawled out from under an inverted one! I am on a the committee of a Historic flying organisation, and I remember scanning the room once and realising nearly everyone there had had an accident ( of varying severity)  with a Tiger Moth!  

But there are the good days, the calm evenings, flying in shirtsleeves, the wind in the wires, touching down like a feather on a sun-baked grass field.  And you need those good memories to keep you going through the horrible days, when the rain hits your face like little bites, and your hands are so cold you can barely feel the throttle or the stick.

But they are great to see, and a major part of our flying heritage. If someone else is paying for keeping them flying, so much the better ! 

So what is your considered cost per hour DH82EH and Trolley Aux please?,  The more train of thought the better 

Thank you for the confirmation DH82EH

Gipsy Major engines can reach 2000 Hours TBO for the bottom end.

Top overhauls are generally required every 500 hours +/-

Engine work is never cheap, nor should it be. You want the thing to operate correctly!

Hangarage at 2000 pounds ? sounds very cheap, more like 400 to 600 PCM Id have thought today.

100 hours isnt it on Tiger engines now? and anew engine is not cheap. 

Thanks for your reply Prop Strike, that’s roughly what I had thought, thanks for the confirmation, much appreciated.

These are the current costs of a Tiger Moth Group known to me, in the S.E.

Pilots with previous Tiger Moth experience are preferred.
Operating costs are £85 per month (hangarge and insurance etc )  plus £168/hr (wet).
Share price £6,500

For your own aircraft you could fly it just for fuel  ( £70 per hour ?? ) but you will pick up ALL the fixed costs so hourly rate will be high. Most Moths seem do about 25 hours  ( or less ) per year in sole ownership.

Say £2,000 hangarage,  £1,300 insurance,  £1,000 permit fees, inspection, general maintenance ( coud be much more) 

Add your fuel cost and you are looking at maybe £230 per hour for your 25 hours.

Cambridge Flying Group are charging £247 per hour to hire, which is probably cheaper than sole ownership, plus you dont have to spend £70,000 !