SIAM TAI Venture

28/04/2025

Aerodynamics is the study of how air moves and interacts with solid objects, particularly concerning forces like lift and drag. It's a branch of fluid dynamics and gas dynamics, crucial for understanding flight and the aircraft design.

29/09/2024

SIAM TAI Aviation Training

01/08/2024

In as little as 45 hours of flight training, you can become a private pilot. This will allow you to fly anywhere in Thailand and is the first step to becoming a professional pilot! When deciding which license is right, students should consider what type of flying they want to do. The Private Pilot License offers more freedom than the Recreational Pilot Permit. Being a private pilot has many advantages.

01/04/2018

13/02/2018

How much does an airliner cost per flying hour?

The cost of operating a commercial aircraft can be broken down into two main categories: airborne cost and ground cost. The airborne costs are the actual costs of flying the aircraft; the ground costs are the cost of the airframe, engine maintenance, as well as airport and hangar expenses. Both are typically measured hourly and are broken down per mile. The cost per seat mile is the cost of flying one passenger one mile and is used to measure operating costs. The average cost per seat mile is around 7 to 8 cents for low cost carriers and 11 to 12 cents for network carriers.

Labor and fuel are the largest expenses, accounting for about 12% of the total cost. On average, a pilot’s salary begins at $36,000 and caps around $196,000. The average fuel consumption per 100 kilometers is 3.035 liters (78.5 mpg) for turbo props, 3.126 liters (76.3 mpg) for regional jets, 2.405 liters (100.5 mpg) for short haul, 2.74 liters (86.8 mpg) for medium haul, and 2.959 (80.84 mpg) liters for long haul.

The 50 seat Bombardier Dash 8-300 costs around $1564.40 per hour, less per seat than the 42 seat ATR 42, which costs around $1552.77 per hour. The 72 seat ATR 72 costs around $2247.0 per hour. All three aircrafts are less expensive per hour than the 50 seat Embraer ERJ 145, which costs around $3503.70 per hour. The ERJ145 may offer economic advantages for an airline with a faster cruise speed up to 180 miles per hour more and a range 500 miles longer than other aircrafts of this category.

The CS300 costs around $5937.91 per hour, the 737-700 costs around $7073.40 per hour, the A320 costs around $7099.0 per hour, while the Boeing 757 costs around $8,383.15 per hour.

With limited data on the dual engine widebodies, it appears that the Boeing 767 costs around $9,138.19 per hour to operate, the 777 costs around $8,383.15 per hour, and the Airbus A330 costs around $5937.91 per hour.

More engines lead to higher prices. The average airborne operating cost of a Boeing 747-400 is between $24,000 and $27,000 per hour, around $39.08 to $43.97 per mile, using approximately $15,374 in fuel per hour. In perspective, according to a new Congressional Research Service report, Air Force One, a 747-200B (VC-25A) costs $179,750 per hour to operate. The Airbus A340-200 costs $14,000 per hour, while the larger A340-400 costs $21,000 per hour. The Airbus A380, the largest passenger jet, costs between $26,000 and $29,000 per hour, using roughly $17,467 of fuel, approximately $40.19 to $44.82 per mile. The engines on these aircraft account for 5% of the operating expenses. According to Airbus, a 475-seat A340 has an overall monthly cost advantage over the in comparison to the 747-400 of $557,000. However, even with the higher cost per seat mile, the 747-8’s cost per trip is just 12% lower than the A380’s, while the cost per seat is 9% higher.

A more detailed look at Qantas Airways flight offers a better understanding of typical costs. On a 14-hour A380-800 flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, the airline expenditures amount to $305,735; $11,414 in food and drink, $12,625 in staff pay and $37,157 in airport taxes and navigation services, and around $244,539 in fuel to fly the 484 seat plane. On a Boeing 777-300ER flight from Sydney to Los Angeles, the airline spends a total of $190,422. $9652 in food and drink, $9653 in staff pay, $31,117 in airport taxes and navigation services, and over $140,000 in fuel to fly the 361-seat plane on the 14- hour journey.

An average flight on a Delta Air Lines 737-800 costs $5625 per hour. The plane burns 850 gallons per hour. Fuel costs $4,156 based on Jet-A fuel costing $4.89 a gallon. Two-cockpit crew and five flight attendants cost around $500 an hour. Direct maintenance on the airframe is around $220, engines are around $130, and maintenance burden is around $150, for a total of $500. In addition to this cost is depreciation of $373 and aircraft rental of $96. An average flight on an American Airlines 737-800 costs $5308 per hour. The plane burns 850 gallons per hour. Fuel costs $4,156 based on Jet-A fuel costing $4.89 a gallon. A cockpit crew of two along with five flight attendants costs around $465 an hour. Direct maintenance on the airframe is around $200, engines are around $110, and maintenance burden is around $135, for a total of $315. Also added to this cost is depreciation of $259 and aircraft rental of $113.

An average flight on a Delta Air Lines MD-88 costs $5070 per hour. The plane burns 750 gallons per hour. Fuel costs $3,667 based on Jet-A fuel costing $4.89 a gallon. Same issue Two cockpit crew and three flight attendants cost around $460 an hour. Direct maintenance on the airframe is around $200, engines are around $140, and maintenance burden is around $140, for a total of $480. Also added to this cost is depreciation of $247 and aircraft rental of $216. An average flight on an American Airlines MD-88 costs $4938.5 per hour. The plane burns 750 gallons per hour. Fuel costs $3,667 based on Jet-A fuel costing $4.89 a gallon. Same issue Two cockpit crew and three flight attendants cost around $403 an hour. Direct maintenance on the airframe is around $185, engines are around $165, and maintenance burden is around $240, for a total of $590. Also added to this cost is depreciation of $86 and aircraft rental of $192.

There are several rules, regulations, and procedures that account for an increase in flight expenditures. Normally, pilots are limited to eight hours of continuous flying and must have a mandatory rest period of 10 hours, or 14 hours for multi-time zone flights. This means that three to five alternate pilots per airplane are required for long international flights. In addition to more pilots, long international flights often also require additional flight attendants. The number of flight attendants is directly correlated to the number of passengers aboard; therefore, a long international flight with a large number of passengers would require a large crewSeniority also factors in; pilots flying the larger aircraft demand higher pay, as they typically have more hours, and have been with the airline longer.

Other airport rules such as taxi procedures, takeoff, approach, and landing procedures all factor into the cost of the flight. Various landing patterns can extend the length of the flight, sometimes more than thirty miles. This is often dictated by the intensity of the winds, and which runway is in use. At London Heathrow for example, there are four holding stacks that act as waiting rooms for flights, adding time and fuel burn for the flight. Once flights are cleared to begin landing procedures for Heathrow, they follow a 29-mile approach path.

Operating an airline is very expensive. Airlines with multi-class seating have the option of charging more for first class, business class, or premium class, as opposed to the economy class. They also have the ability to charge ancillary fees, such as baggage fees or in-flight amenities to help increase revenue. The average airline’s operating expense equates to 90% of its total revenue, so each passenger makes a difference in this business.

Dennis S, Aviation & Space Enthusiast.

16/12/2017

Post-Maintenance test flying.

about STC Certificates and aircraft modifications:

a. Applicant Flight testing precedes issuance of the TIA. The FAA will >review the applicants flight test reports and repeat some or all of the >tests as necessary. These repeated tests will be identified and performed >per the FAA issued TIA.

b. FAA will perform flight tests for modifications which could affect the >aircraft's performance, flight characteristics, powerplant operation, >and/or overall handling qualities. Changes to systems, equipment, >instrumentation, and flight manuals may also require flight tests. Any >modification which may affect the noise signature and/or navigation of the >aircraft (including performance changes) will usually require fight >testing. The FAA project engineer can provide general information on the >types of tests which may be required.

NOTE: Successful completion of the TIA tests by the FAA is one of the final >steps to STC issuance.

c. Applicant testing.

(1) Research and development flight tests are to ensure the design changes >are in compliance with the applicable 14 CFR's. The FAA will not >participate in or witness these tests. However, the FAA will discuss and >provide general guidance in order that such tests can be made meaningful >and safe. Alternatively, a Flight Test Pilot DER may be utilized to perform >such tests.

(2) Flight test proposals are based on the knowledge of the modification >and development tests. The proposal should be based on the certification basis and include recommended tests, instrumentation to be used, necessary safety equipment, data acquisition, and reduction methods. Upon approval of the test proposal, descriptive and compliance data, and conformity established with the data, the FAA will issue a TIA. FAA flight test personnel should then be contacted to assure that potential hazards are recognized, the required test methods and criteria are understood, and for concurrence.

NOTE: An applicant's flight test report should be submitted to the FAA for review upon successful completion of the inspection and test requirements equivalent to those required in the TIA.

d. FAA testing may include repeating of tests, partially or in their entirety, to verify compliance to the certification requirements. FAA testing may be accomplished by an FAA pilot or an authorized DER flight test pilot.

e. Installation Conformity inspection of the modified aircraft to be used for flight tests will be performed by the FAA or FAA designee prior to FAA testing. If discrepancies are found, they should be corrected and any test which could have been influenced may be repeated before further tests are performed by the FAA.

f. Aircraft weight and the Center of Gravity (CG) location that is current and accurate is extremely important to assure the modified aircraft can be loaded to the critical weight and CG limits for flight testing. The aircraft to be used for official flight tests should be weighed and witnessed by an FAA representative before testing begins. The resulting weight and balance determination will be carefully checked by the FAA and, when found to be accurate, will be used for all subsequent flight test weight and CG calculations.

g. Ballast necessary for flight testing should be securely restrained in such a manner as to withstand the inertial loads resulting from a survivable emergency landing. The preferred form for ballast is small, solid pieces of a high density metal (lead, cast iron, steel, or depleted uranium) fixed to the structure or in a suitable container that is fixed. Using passengers as ballast is not acceptable.

h. Instrument calibration, when required, should be accomplished by an approved instrument repair inspector prior to the FAA flight test program with calibrated cards provided. Types of instruments to be calibrated may include: altimeters, tachometers, temperature gauges, airspeed indicators, etc. Calibrations should be performed within 3 months of the test. However, on critical items, this requirement may be 30 days.

NOTE: Usually, the entire airspeed system is calibrated before flight testing.

i. Rapid emergency egress provisions will be demonstrated to the FAA inspector and pilot for acceptability prior to FAA flight tests. Parachutes will be provided to the FAA, if required.

j. Experimental Airworthiness Certificates, or special flight permits, are issued before operation for any aircraft which does not have a valid TC, or does not conform to its TC. Although the operations may eventually lead to a TC, they may be conducted only as a matter of research, or to show compliance to the appropriate 14 CFR.

k. Flight manual supplements, or if an FAA approved Aircraft Flight Manual (AFM) does not exist, a supplemental flight manual, if required, will be provided to the pilot as a result of the modification, regardless of the method used on the original aircraft. A draft flight manual should be provided to the FAA prior to any flight tests. After FAA flight testing, the draft manual should be finalized and submitted for FAA review and approval. A guide for the format and preparing of a supplemental flight manual is provided in appendix 5 of AC 23-8A, AC 27-1, and AC 29-28.

NOTE: The aircraft TCDS should be checked for identification of the FAA approved Aircraft Flight Manual, if appropriate. TCDS of many older aircraft state placards and markings are required (in lieu of a flight manual). Manufacturer owners' manuals may not be FAA approved.