GlobalAir launches real-time aircraft operating cost reports

GlobalAir.com has launched GlobalAir.com Operating Cost Reports, on-demand reports covering more than 200 aircraft from single-piston trainers through ultra-long-range jets. Each report costs $90.

The reports cover annual and hourly ownership and operating costs built on GlobalAir.com's fuel pricing data from more than 3,500 FBOs. Fuel data refreshes daily. Users can enter their own annual flying hours and watch the cost figures update in place of fixed estimates.

According to General Aviation News, GlobalAir.com officials identified two features distinguishing these reports from existing aircraft cost-estimate tools. The first is the accuracy and currency of fuel pricing. Fuel can account for over half the annual operating budget on most turbine-powered aircraft, and GlobalAir.com officials said that gap — between current fuel costs and the static, dated fuel assumptions in most existing reports — can swing an annual budget by tens of thousands of dollars.

"The fuel line on an operating report alone can swing an annual budget by tens of thousands of dollars, so getting it right, and showing our work, is the whole point," said Clay Martin, COO, GlobalAir.com. "We built a report where every number is sourced, and every assumption is visible."

The second distinguishing feature is source transparency. Every figure in the reports carries a label and grade indicating whether it comes from first-party GlobalAir.com data, OEM and government specifications, or cross-checked third-party sources. Buyers can trace and challenge any number rather than accepting results on faith alone, according to company officials.

Each report includes 10 sections: Executive Summary, Aircraft Details, Variable Costs, Fixed Costs, Annual Cost, Trip Cost, Spec Sheet, Imagery, Depreciation and Range Map. Reports are delivered by email as a PDF.

The reports allow users to customise estimates based on their own flying patterns rather than accepting fixed assumptions about annual hours. It is unclear from available reporting whether the reports can be updated after purchase, or whether users must buy a new report to reflect changed circumstances.