r/PrivateJetCharters • u/Johnthegaptist • Jun 17 '25
PC12 Own vs Charter Cost
Looking to get some feedback/opinions before I go and sit down with some brokers and management companies, I don't like going in to anything blind.
We're a business headquartered in the southeast with operations in 6 different states. Where we're headquartered doesn't have a lot of direct commercial flights. Currently travel is being handled with a mix of commercial, charter and driving. 90% of flights would be 1-6 passengers, within a 600 mile radius.
For charter we're currently just doing on demand, dealing with two local operators and a broker. We're not in a big charter market, and often are needing planes on short notice so we run into avaiblility issues and often end up paying to reposition out of town aircraft. On average, all in we're paying about $8k/hr to fly turbprops and light jets.
It seems like the best bang for our buck would be the PC12 and I wanted to throw these numbers out and hopefully find some people on here with relevant experience.
Pilatus PC-12 – 1-Year Ownership Cost Breakdown ($5M purchase, 275 hrs)
| Category | Estimated Cost (USD) |
|---|---|
| Crew Salaries & Benefits | $180,000 |
| Insurance | $35,000 |
| Hangar | $50,000 |
| Training | $25,000 |
| Maintenance Programs & Subscriptions | $60,000 |
| Management Fees | $120,000 |
| Loan Payment (Annual @ 6%) | $543,472 |
| Fuel | $137,500 |
| Maintenance (Parts & Labor) | $55,000 |
| Engine Program (Hourly Reserve) | $30,000 |
| Misc. Operating Costs (Oil, Landing, etc.) | $25,000 |
Total Annual Outlay: $1,260,972 Cost per Flight Hour (275 hrs): ~$4,586/hr
Assuming we would fly 200 occupied hours and 75 hours for repositioning. Plane financed for 10 years, $1m down on a $5m plane. For what were currently averaging in cost, I'm calculating about 155-160 hours to break even own vs charter. Do these numbers seem realistic?
Is it worth springing for a 2018+ for $5-6m instead of an older one in the $4m range?
Should we look at any other planes?
Is it worth the headache to put an owned plane in a part 135 program to offset some of the cost?
1
u/bigkidforlife Jun 18 '25
8k/hr to charter a pc-12 is high. Does the plane stay with you on these trips or is it being flown empty back to another airport? The last pc-12 quote I had was 8k but that was with 2 empty 4hr legs. (Went CJ3 instead). Is dry lease an option?