How many private owners - the same guys buying the expensive cars Robinson is comparing its helicopters to - fly 500 hours per year? I run a business with my helicopter and still don’t fly more than 200 hours a year on average. Unfortunately, however, Robinson prorates this fixed annual amount over 500 hours of flight time per year. The annual premium in the current estimated operating costs - around $11,000 - aren’t too far off from what I paid when I insured with them for my commercial operation. Pathfinder has a special relationship with Robinson that keeps its rates low. Robinson’s insurance costs are based on Pathfinder rates.Where did that come from? The W100+ oil I use costs about $6/quart and I seem to be adding a quart every 5 hours or so. And 14 gallons per hour? Realistically, its more like 15-17 gallons per hour. Tell that to the folks at Grand Canyon, who hit me up for $6/gallon early this month. Yet even today, they’re estimating $4.50/gallon for fuel. Just crossing the border from Arizona to California, you can expect to spend 50¢ more per gallon on auto fuel. Robinson is based in California, which has some of the highest taxes on fuel around. Robinson’s estimated fuel and oil costs were consistently lower than what I was paying.(Nowadays, Robinson estimates $70/hour, which is still very low.) So Robinson’s labor estimate was understated by 30-40%. He didn’t have the experience or specialized tools for the helicopter-specific inspections and maintenance I sometimes needed. The local airplane fix-it guy, who I sent to the Robinson maintenance course, was the least expensive, charging me $45/hour at first but then bumping it up to $55/hour. Later, I had a mechanic who charged me $75/hour. At the same time, I had one mechanic charging me $95/hour and another charging me $105/hour. Back then, Robinson was calculating labor at $55/hour.Some of the numbers just didn’t seem right. I knew from the start that the document was overly optimistic for my situation. The conclusion at the end of the “Operating Cost-Per-Road Mile” section stated that the calculated 98¢ per road mile “…compares favorably with some expensive automobiles, and will usually be lower when the value of time saved is considered.” The Underestimated Costs Titled “ R44 Raven II Estimated Operating Costs,” it painted a rosy picture of an “affordable” helicopter (if there is such a thing). Although my income fluctuates wildly - especially these days - I could foresee the ability to own and operate an R44 into the future, especially with added income from a small Part 135 on-demand charter operation.įueling my opinion on this matter was a document published by Robinson Helicopter Company on its Web site. In other words, I don’t live beyond my means. I live rather modestly in a home I can afford and although I own more than my fair share of motor vehicles, none of them are new, flashy, or expensive. A handful of bestselling computer how-to books - yes, they do exist - and a few good real estate investments left me with an excess of cash.
I was making a lot of money as a writer back then. My R44, parked out in the desert at a rides event.