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Newbie questions re helicopter ownership

Posted: Sun Oct 9 2016, 20:51
by Ausrod
So I am wondering about getting a helicopter for transport mainly to work (in the country). I have worked out i should be able to claim 60-70 per cent as a tax deduction. I have worked out hangering costs.

What are the other costs I would face running either an R44 or R22?
I have no idea really.

For example with finance on a car there is a balloon payment which is close to the selling price at end of term.

So:
1. Lease/CHP costs?
2. Insurance? is there a CTP equivalent
3. Registration?
4. Maintenance?
5. Fuel?
6. What else am i missing?

Just want to work out if it will be at all economical and affordable.

R

Re: Newbie questions re helicopter ownership

Posted: Sun Oct 9 2016, 21:19
by havick
Remember the 3 F's, rent it.

Re: Newbie questions re helicopter ownership

Posted: Sun Oct 9 2016, 21:26
by hand in pants
I can answer some of your questions.
1.This will depend on who you get money through. Be careful and shop around a lot, I know this doesn't answer the question but I did say some of them.
2. No CTP as in a motor vehicle but again, shop around and find a policy that suits you. Make sure you're not paying for things like training and mustering or other operations you won't be doing.
3. Rego doesn't need to be renewed, once the helicopter is on the Australian register all you need to do is get it changed into your name.
4. Maintenance may cause you problems depending on where you are based. if you're nowhere near a maintenance provider, you will either be flying the machine to them or them to you. Cost of maintenance is sometimes a killer, especially if you're not earning a dollar with the machine. Best answer on maintenance will come from someone who does it.
5. Fuel consumption is pretty well set depending on wether you use a 22 or 44. From memory around 35 litres an hour for the 22 and around 60 litres an hour for the 44. Actual cost will vary when you buy it from different places and wether you get it from a bowser at an aerodrome or from drums delivered to you.
6. A lot. Do a lot of investigating, ask everybody thousands of questions and remember, the only dumb question is the one you didn't ask.

Is it economical and affordable, it's a question of how much money you have and how valuable is your time. Going somewhere in a helicopter takes about a third of the time it does in a car, but weather won't delay you in a car.
One very serious thing to keep in mind, there are a lot of owner pilots that are no longer with us for one reason or another, don't fall into the trap of thinking that flying is like driving, when you are flying, even short hops, you are the pilot in command and your mind must be on that, not on what you have to do when you get to wherever you are going, think about that before you leave or when you get there. A helicopter will punish you if you don't pay attention to it, just like you wife/girlfriend will, only the helicopter will kill you, quickly.