Microlight running costs

[KobusBank]

Hi Guys,
Need some help please. We are a bunch of farmers in the Utrecht area and we are at wits end. We have serious stock theft issues and we are considering buying and flying a microlight in order to do aerial patrols. We first thought of drones, but since the CAA have banned the commercial use that idea was shelved. I was anti drone anyway as a plane has much more use.
I need to get some figures on running costs, MPI hours, ATF costs etc etc.
Also can anyone advise on what would be best suited. We obviously dont want to spend a fortune, but we do want to look at something safe and powerful. We live in a breezy area at times and we also have some beeeg hills....

Any info would be greatly appreciated

[KobusBank]

By the way , we are big okes so around 260Kg two up would be ideal....te veel bleddie biltong

[Alkemac]

Read this thread on costs to get an idea

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=23034&p=219940&hilit=cost#p219940

[Bundy]

Hi Kobus,

Alkemac has directed you to a thread about the Administrative costs which is pretty current I think.

In terms of Trike, there have been many threads dealing with this in the past but there are so many variables that go into it that I'd say it's pretty damn near impossible to get a "Rands per Hour" rate that is std.
It depends on many things...but I currently work on a rate of R180/h flown....that's dry...for our Aquilla 582.
Add to that the admin costs (above link) and of course the Fuel which on our 582 is between 12L and 17L/hour. (This is dependant on the type of flying you are doing. Circuit Training doing "up downs" eats fuel, whilst in the cruise she's obviously not so thirsty)

That should give you a good idea of what a Trike will cost you to run.

260 kg two up in a trike is a little heavy (in my opinion)...MAUW is 450kg in a WCM. Also a trike is a "fair weather aircraft".

Perhaps something like a 3 axis Savannah, Cheetah, Bushbaby or the like would be more suited to your needs for patrolling? More expensive sure....but more capability maybe?

Good luck!

PS....I did not add in the Beer costs (dis nou n kakhuis vol ook)....so leave a bit for that too...

[Grumpy]

Consider a gyro, best flying machine for stock patrolling, wind, mountains etc, but very pricey.

[KFA]

http://saplanes.co.za/
Lokaal vervaardig. Amper 300 wat vlieg.
Gebou vir die plaas en die langpad. Seker 40% van ons vliegtuie het huise op plase en word deur boere gebruik. Ons is hierdie jaar 21 jaar in die bedryf, ons is hier om te bly so jy kan verseker wees van goeie diens teen 'n billike prys.

[pit bull]

Hi Guys,
Need some help please. We are a bunch of farmers in the Utrecht area and we are at wits end. We have serious stock theft issues and we are considering buying and flying a microlight in order to do aerial patrols. We first thought of drones, but since the CAA have banned the commercial use that idea was shelved. I was anti drone anyway as a plane has much more use.
I need to get some figures on running costs, MPI hours, ATF costs etc etc.
Also can anyone advise on what would be best suited. We obviously dont want to spend a fortune, but we do want to look at something safe and powerful. We live in a breezy area at times and we also have some beeeg hills....

Any info would be greatly appreciated

DAG KOBUS,

jammer om van die diefstal tehoor.
net n idee;
is daar nie iemand wat ligter is wat julle ''pilots'' kan gebruik as n ''spotter'' nie ?........ sal help met mauw.
want om laag en stadig te vlieg is ''potensieel'' gevaarlik. so die pilot vlieg. en hou die vliegtuig veilig in die lug,en die spotter - neem waar. raporteer. foto's - koms met grond ondersteunnig ens.
dan kan jy miskien n trike gebruik, wat ek dink die goedkoopste gaan wees.
ek vlieg nie n trike nie ( het niks teen n trike nie )
maar ek betwyfel of n trike die ''beste'' vir julle gaan wees. want jy se dit is soms winderig.
daar is n verskydenheid vliegtuie op die mark. en n paar om van te kies. parke raad gebruik; bantams, bat hawk's, cheethas, en ek het n ruk terug gelees hulle gebruik jabi's ook ( rino wars)....... en ek glo daar is ander vliegtuie ook.
gaan julle die vliegtuig ''net'' vir patrolie werk gebruik.= grens draad inspeksie.
ek hoop jy kry waarnaa jy soek= wat vir julle gaan werk.

veilig vlieg
pit bull.

[Tumbleweed]

How big is the area you want to observe, whats the budget i.e. amount of contributors?

Do you want to train and fly yourselves or is there one amongst you who is a pilot or has the passion to learn to fly for recreation besides patrols?

How regularly do you want to fly. Any particular time of day?

I think you're in for around R300 k and 2 grand a month a month but suggest fly with a local buddy first with his plane and take turns spotting to see who's committed to proceed further.

Maybe best bet is hire someone qualified or invite a group and compensate via dop n' chop and biltong.

Similar initiatives have turned into lekker dop 'n chop adventures with landing wheels being shot and shotgun cartridges going through the prop but thankfully no one I heard was lying in bed for months on end.

[Turbo]

why don't you consider something that could fly SLOW so that you can spot someone hiding in a dense area, something that will allow you to take off in 20Meters, and land in 5meters

You can hold a weapon and operate it aswell form the air.

PPG -- much cheaper than any other form of flight, and a lot more silent too.