UK vs USA hour building.
A visit to "Uncle Sam"
A visit to "Uncle Sam"
This document is intended for the pilot who is looking to build flying hours towards getting a commercial licence, and wants to make a well-informed choice between doing this in the UK or going to the USA.
So here is a clear, fair, like-for-like comparison between the prices charged by reputable aircraft providers in the USA and our own prices at Big Red Kite Aviation in the UK.All prices are correct as of January 2011: the UK-USA return flight price were the cheapest
on the Expedia website on January 3rd and the £/$ exchange rate used was from the same source on the same day.
So here is a clear, fair, like-for-like comparison between the prices charged by reputable aircraft providers in the USA and our own prices at Big Red Kite Aviation in the UK.All prices are correct as of January 2011: the UK-USA return flight price were the cheapest
on the Expedia website on January 3rd and the £/$ exchange rate used was from the same source on the same day.
50 hours flying Cessna 150 £2974.00
Airline ticket (direct) £444.00
Hotel Accommodation @ $50/night (18 nights) £600.00
Airport transfer £140.00
FAA licence issue fee £50.00
Grand total £4208.00
Airline ticket (direct) £444.00
Hotel Accommodation @ $50/night (18 nights) £600.00
Airport transfer £140.00
FAA licence issue fee £50.00
Grand total £4208.00
The conclusion is that the total cost per log book hour is £84.16.
Alongside that it should be noted that
1- the terms & conditions are usually quite restrictive and it is sometimes difficult to get money refunded for unused hours.
2- The aircraft are usually charged but hobbs time rather than take off to landing.
3- Fuel uplifted away from base is usually charged at a higher rate.
4- You will get very restricted access to the aircraft and be required to return it to base normally twice a day - this leaves you flying up and down the same airspace for two weeks.
5- Most American hour building packages quote 14 days duration but the small print at the bottom warns that you should add 3-5 days extra for weather delays etc (which is why 4 days have been added to the accommodation budget above).
Alongside that it should be noted that
1- the terms & conditions are usually quite restrictive and it is sometimes difficult to get money refunded for unused hours.
2- The aircraft are usually charged but hobbs time rather than take off to landing.
3- Fuel uplifted away from base is usually charged at a higher rate.
4- You will get very restricted access to the aircraft and be required to return it to base normally twice a day - this leaves you flying up and down the same airspace for two weeks.
5- Most American hour building packages quote 14 days duration but the small print at the bottom warns that you should add 3-5 days extra for weather delays etc (which is why 4 days have been added to the accommodation budget above).
Big Red Kite, the UK option.
Aircraft hire: Big Red Kite Ltd offers Cessna 152 aircraft at £50/hour+VAT if taken in 25 hour & one week blocks. This is a "dry rate so fuel costs are at the control of the pilot. For this you get exclusive use of the aircraft, and the freedom to base it at any licensed airfield (e.g. the one closest to your home).
Bad weather refund: we at BRK see flight safety as paramount and so we do not encourage flying in marginal weather conditions. So, accepting that the weather in the UK is not always VFR, the company will guarantee to refund up to 25% of the contract cost without any question if the full number of hours are not flown. In addition to that, if the hire period coincides with prolonged periods of weather which is genuinely unsuitable for VFR flight we will consider a full refund - or further time if the aircraft is nor immediately needed for another hours building contract - will be given provided that an average of at least three hours is flown on the suitable days and the METARS & TAFs issued for the time and region support the unsuitability of the weather.
Bad weather refund: we at BRK see flight safety as paramount and so we do not encourage flying in marginal weather conditions. So, accepting that the weather in the UK is not always VFR, the company will guarantee to refund up to 25% of the contract cost without any question if the full number of hours are not flown. In addition to that, if the hire period coincides with prolonged periods of weather which is genuinely unsuitable for VFR flight we will consider a full refund - or further time if the aircraft is nor immediately needed for another hours building contract - will be given provided that an average of at least three hours is flown on the suitable days and the METARS & TAFs issued for the time and region support the unsuitability of the weather.
Cost breakdown
50 hours flying Cessna 152 @ £50/hour dry+VAT £3000.00
Fuel for 50 hours flying Avgas 100LL (23lts/hour) @£1.60 ltr £1955.00
14 nights parking@ £12/night £168.00
25 landing fees @£15 £375.00
Grand total £5498.00
50 hours flying Cessna 152 @ £50/hour dry+VAT £3000.00
Fuel for 50 hours flying Avgas 100LL (23lts/hour) @£1.60 ltr £1955.00
14 nights parking@ £12/night £168.00
25 landing fees @£15 £375.00
Grand total £5498.00
This fairly and transparently shows that the total hourly cost in the UK is £109.96 per hour. But this is charged take-off to landing so the taxi time is free: assuming about 10 min taxi time per flight it is likely that you will only need to fly about 45 hours to get 50 hours "log book time".
So this equates to a "hobbs rate of £ 103.96.
So this equates to a "hobbs rate of £ 103.96.
How to reduce the price further and do more interesting, skills-building flying.
Fuel cost reductions can be made by flying to Europe and the Channel Islands to take advantage of Customs fuel drawback - the current rate of drawback of 0.3457/ltr reduces the cost of flying by £7.95/hour - and tax free fuel. We offer high quality, regularly serviced safety equipment (life raft, lifejackets & PLB) for hire at modest cost for over water flying.
Free landings - with wise flight planning you can use the free landing fee coupons in the flying magazines and fly to airfields that don’t charge landing fees if you uplift fuel
Free aircraft parking & landing at company base -if you would like to park the aircraft at the company maintenance base at Membury no parking or landing fees will be charged provided that fuel is uplifted (the price is UK average) and circuits are not flown.
With a Membury basing of the aircraft, a few trips abroad, wise destination choice and only flying 45 or so airborne hours it should be possible to get fifty hours in the log book for about £100/hour. Impossible to price is the obvious advantage of the varied and at times more demanding European flying experience when it comes to taking the commercial flight tests - as opposed to following the interstate highways in gin clear conditions of the USA, which almost guarantees that you will need 3-5 hours more commercial training in preparation for the UK ATPL skill test if you fly in the USA. You will need to budget for at about £220/hour to cover this.
Hours builder support.At Big Red Kite we are always available to give help and advice to help you get maximum value from your flying, but we don’t think that charging hundreds of pounds to mollycoddle the hours builder is beneficial to the pilot or his wallet.
We will be available to offer general advice on your flying but it is for you to take responsibility for the conduct of your flights and develop your captaincy skills.
Technical support is always just a phone call away with the company licensed and approved engineers should you require technical advice
Please look at the recommendations section of this website for what others have said about Big Red Kite.
Free landings - with wise flight planning you can use the free landing fee coupons in the flying magazines and fly to airfields that don’t charge landing fees if you uplift fuel
Free aircraft parking & landing at company base -if you would like to park the aircraft at the company maintenance base at Membury no parking or landing fees will be charged provided that fuel is uplifted (the price is UK average) and circuits are not flown.
With a Membury basing of the aircraft, a few trips abroad, wise destination choice and only flying 45 or so airborne hours it should be possible to get fifty hours in the log book for about £100/hour. Impossible to price is the obvious advantage of the varied and at times more demanding European flying experience when it comes to taking the commercial flight tests - as opposed to following the interstate highways in gin clear conditions of the USA, which almost guarantees that you will need 3-5 hours more commercial training in preparation for the UK ATPL skill test if you fly in the USA. You will need to budget for at about £220/hour to cover this.
Hours builder support.At Big Red Kite we are always available to give help and advice to help you get maximum value from your flying, but we don’t think that charging hundreds of pounds to mollycoddle the hours builder is beneficial to the pilot or his wallet.
We will be available to offer general advice on your flying but it is for you to take responsibility for the conduct of your flights and develop your captaincy skills.
Technical support is always just a phone call away with the company licensed and approved engineers should you require technical advice
Please look at the recommendations section of this website for what others have said about Big Red Kite.
Conclusion
In money terms, flying in the USA seems the obvious winner. However when taking into account all the requirements with the aim of getting the (f)ATPL the price difference is too close to call.
What you need to decide is: do you want to do 18 days in the USA flying a very "well used Cessna 150 and being given very tight time slots in which to do it or do you want to fly one of the nicest Cessna 152s in the UK and have the freedom to chose your own flying programme?
What you need to decide is: do you want to do 18 days in the USA flying a very "well used Cessna 150 and being given very tight time slots in which to do it or do you want to fly one of the nicest Cessna 152s in the UK and have the freedom to chose your own flying programme?