Hello everyone.
I “lead” a small french aeroclub (30members).
We have an old (1976) C172, we are happy with it even if the maintenance is quite expensive, with some surprises each years.
Several members in the club consider operating (renting) an (old) C152 to get bigger.
I strongly disagree and I foresee better a C182S for the club to launch new activities (real cross country flights with 4pob, night VFR, even some IFR flying and teaching (EIR)) all that in a nice a “modern” aircraft that has some appeal!
So my questions to the community are :
What are the operating costs of a C182 ?
Do you know other clubs that are operating this type of aircraft and are they happy with it ?
Thanks a lot !
Romain
Depends on priorities
A C152 will become a workhorse training PPL’s for little money (100-115€/h). Nobody gets super excited but guaranteed it will fly a lot and the club (and flying hours) will grow!
A C182 will please a happy few in the club who actually enjoy travelling and can spend the money (200€/h at least). Don’t be dissapointed in offering extra ratings. Lots of club pilots are not all that ambitious.
If you persist on the C182 route, consider other aircraft: DA40? SR20? Acquiring will be more costly but you get modern (glass) aircraft, with probably lower maintenance/fuel expenses.
As for your most important question: exact maintenance cost: no idea
With 30 members, it should be possible to ascertain what THEY will spend money on.
If your Club intends renting, (leasing?), as you say, then the maintenance costs may not matter, depending on your contract terms. And if the terms are not too hard, the 182 should not bankrupt your Club if it turns out to be the wrong choice.
frequent_flyer wrote:
What are the operating costs of a C182 ?
One aeroclub in the Paris area that operates 2 C182T (G1000) lets them for about 280 €/h. The airplanes have limited appeal because of the price.
@PetitCessnaVoyageur on this forum operates a C182T that he lets.
Thanks a lot for your answers, it helps. The risk is too high that the airplane will spend its life in the hangar, and the club will go bankrupt..
My last option is too ask to each member a participation, but I think almost nobody will agree,wich is a bit sad because it would be a good option.
We can’t always get what we want !
Get a TB20 and make it a matter of national pride, give a presidential speech 
Not quite as good as a C182 but close.
I think DA40s are good for aeroclubs. Modern airplane, very easy to fly, very capable and efficient. Usually well booked in clubs that have it. The maintenance issues are of anecdotal interest today.
achimha wrote:
I think DA40s are good for aeroclubs. Modern airplane, very easy to fly, very capable and efficient.
And a lot cheaper to operate than a C182, but less load capacity. A DA40-180 is an excellent two-seater, a reasonable 3-seater but an very poor 4-seater. If choosing the Diesel version, make sure to get a NG with the 168 HP engine.
Even better is a DA40 with the 155hp Continental engine. I know one aeroclub that operates one and it is a very capable and popular aircraft. The 155hp Conti outperforms the 168hp Austro due to mass and drag.
Re the DA40, preferably with the modifications that remove some crippling weight restrictions.
The C182 will outperform all the others when it comes to grass strips though. At a push, right conditions etc, you can do 200m grass. It also has quite a reasonable range – can cross the whole of France for example. So the sort of places you want to fly to are relevant to consider. It is also sufficiently “agricultural” to not suffer too badly from club-type abuse It is also very good for “old” people many of whom cannot get into a low wing plane (hard to lift their legs up onto the wing – I used to fly with some).
