COST OF FLYING

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 83, 9 April 1934, Page 9

COST OF FLYING

A PILOT’S TESTIMONY ABOUT SEVENPENCE A MILE CONSER VATI VE FIGURE “How much does it cost to fly?” is a question that has been asked a great deal recently. Mr. Thurston James, in the course of an article in “Quality,” the monthly magazine published by the Sheffield Chamber of Commerce, supplies the answer. He docs not discuss the cost of learning to fly, for that, as he points out, depends on a lot of things, including the ability of the pupil. One might allow between £3O and £5O for getting an English A licence. Owner-pilots of aeroplanes are like owner-drivers of Vars in that they arc much too busy going to places to keep elaborate notes of their expenses or to make detailed analyses of such at the end of the year, writes Mr. James. Air transport operators, on the other hand, naturally keep a careful tally of expenses, but are understandably reluctant to provide the figures for publication. Before considering such figures as are available, however, it might be as well to explain that the aeroplane covers a good many miles to the gallon of fuel, and indeed compares very favourably with the more highly priced cars in this respect. The Airspeed Courier, the fastest machine of its class in the country carries six people and does 13 miles to the gallon. In spite ot cruising at 140 m.p.h., the D.H. Fox Moth, carrying four people, does 18 miles to the gallon. The Leopard Moth, which has the same engine as tho Fox Moth, but is considerably faster, carries three people even more economically. AU these machines aro enclosed, and the degree of comfort they afford is directly comparable with that provided by an enclosed car. . Smaller Machines. For the cost of flying two or threeseat machines we cannot do better than examine some figures recently compiled by Mr. Nigel Norman, one of the driving forces behind Heston and Airwork, Ltd. He takes two machines, a second hand two-scat Gipsy Moth and a new Puss Moth with scats in tho cabin for three. Although we are quite definitely on the threshold of tho mass-production of light aeroplanes, they arc not yet produced in sufficient quantities to make them cheap. And because of the high standard necessary for a certificate of airworthiness, without which no machine is allowed to fly, secondhand machines cost quite a lot of money too. Now the second-hand two-seater can be bought for less than £3OO. Mr. Norman takes £450 as his figure to bo on tho safe side. At present the conventional allowance for obsolescence is taken at 25 per cent, per annum or the machine is assumed to be worthless in four years. Again a somewhat pessimistic decision, but one which ensures that the final result will not err in making flying appear too cheap As far as the owner-pilot is ‘concerned insurance is one of the bigger items. The amount varies with the degree of skill and the past record ot the pilot. Lest the charge for this item should make some readers think it reflects the danger of flying I would explain that it reflects the carefree w r ay people will strain under-car-riages and other long-suffering parts of their aeroplanes, and docs not suggest a sequence of serious accidents. Not only is insurance becoming less expensive, but it tends to decrease with the increasing experience of the pilot. I wish tho same applied to motoring, where it is all calculated according to horse-power, go that as one gets more experienced, also older and perhaps therefore able to buy a bigger car one’s insurance increases. The Total. One might assume £6O as the annual premium for a pilot without a groat many hours flying. Hangaragc will cost about £42 per annum and charges for maintenance, repairs, and annual overhaul (for Certificate of Airworthiness) amount to about £llO. If the machine flies 150 hours during the year and that means 12,750 miles, fuel and oil will cost £6O. And all that only works out at 7 J per mile. If instead of the Gipsy Moth one bought a now Puss Moth the figures would come out at Bjd per mile for the same amount of flying time, thougn owing to the faster speed of the machine it would cover 16,500 miles. Now these figures may very well be contrasted with some which have been got out for the commercial operation of a fleet of three Do Havilland Fox Moths. In the ordinary way these machines carry three passengers in the cabin at 105 m.p.h. and tho pilot sits behind in an open cockpit. Tn these calculations the annual charge for obsolescence has been reduced to 20 per cent. Insurance is 124 per cent. Wages and salaries are included for an operations manager, three pilots, one ground engineer and assistant. The costs based on 600 hours flying f r each machine include maintenance of engine and airframe and annual overhaul, and fuel and oil, but nothing for hangarage or other charges in connection with the aerodrome. Tho cost per aircraft mile is 7.08 d. Similar figures have been worked out for the I). IL Dragon, which is a twin-engined machine, cruising at 110 m.p.h. With seats for six people and pilot it costs £2905. And for a fleet of throe each flying .1200 hours a year, the cost per aircraft mile works out. at 8.41 d. The Catch. Figures have also been worked out for the Airspeed Courier, which as stated above, cruises at 140 m.p h. with five passengers and pilot on board. According to those for 509 hours flying a year the cost per mile is about 6.75 d. This figure again takes no account of hangaragc charges, landing fees, or other charge in connection with the aerodrome. And beware of comparing these figures with prices you may be charged when you take a trip yourself, for the operator has to cover the times when his machines run not fully loaded, and there aro the various ‘charges in connection with the aerodrome and the

organisation as a whole, to say nothing of a reasonable profit! On the other hand, they cannot be far out, for recently a friend of mine wanted to fly some 600 miles to a Continental capital and bring home an invalid who was seriously ill. Tho complete charge for the double journey which took two days, was £B5. And | that was for a machine big enough to I lake a stretcher.