I bought a fleet of older aircraft to do cargo runs. My question is about the maintenance cost associated with the aircraft on the route. The cost seems unusually high. Is that because that aircraft was purchased used and will have to be brought back up to standards? Will the maintenance cost for that aircraft ever go down or will it always be high? I know older aircraft can require more maintenance but once properly cared for those operating costs should go down.
Maintenance cost for older aircraft is much more expensive.
Take a look into the aircraft type evaluation tool. You can select the age of the aircraft there and compare the maintenance cost.
It is possible that the aircraft you purchased was not in 100% condition, so you had to spend more than you normally would to get it back in shape. Keep an eye on your maintenance expanses in the next financial week.
Maintenance expanses oscillate a bit from week to week, but on average they can only get higher as your aircraft get older. You will also pay more the more you utilize your aircraft.
If you think you’re spending too much, you can either invest in younger aircraft, or choose a cheaper maintenance provider. However, cheaper provider might need more time for maintenance, which means that your fleet will have to spend more time on ground.
So when I see the maintenance cost listed on the route is that cost for that route for the day or is that per leg? I bought some Lockheed L-188Cs. I know I know they’re old. Most are in decent condition ranging from 90%+. They were cheap to acquire and can carry a decent load. My goal would be to purchase the entire fleet if I can make it work. I really like them as an aircraft, always have, and want to make it happen. My airline is Bear Air based out of Houston.
If I click on a route segment, haven’t started getting bookings or flying the routes yet, and it shows maintenance at $8,000 is that per leg? Might have to reset and start over.
Yes, if you’re looking at the flight information screen, then that shows your pro-rated share of mx costs for that flight. As Giraffe suggested, you will do well with more mx intensive a/c to use the cheapest mx provider possible and just fly the a/c less.
Making a go of air cargo can be quite challenging in this game, only certain aircraft are really out out for it, and you’ll need some experience to make a profit. If you’re new to the game you’ll find it much easier to lease a few Q400s, find an under served region, and make a go of it in the passenger market.
Thanks for the input. 8k per flight is a little excessive and cargo shouldn’t be hard to make money on. Guess ill be starting over