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2015 Update- How many hours did you fly per year averaged out over last 3 years ?

Flying can be an expensive hobby.



I saw an interesting recent post over on Homebuiltplanes.com. I was surprised that almost 15% of their folks fly < 5 hours per year. Maybe they enjoy tinkering and building in their workshops more than being in the air. Another 20 % flew < 25 hours per year. So combined roughly 35 % of the pilots flew < 25 hours per year. I am assuming PIC time and not just riding in the back seat.

Maybe the BCP crowd is different, and not so much focused on building, but a little more on flying. So, excluding commercial related flying time such as CFI, hauling freight, etc. how many recreational hours per year did you fly say averaged out for the last three years? Student pilots welcome to respond also.

Click the poll above.

The Homebuiltplanes.com. group encompasses not just back country flying enthusiasts. Also I am not sure whether their poll included those folks who flew commercially.

A good part of that last three year average has been work flying.

I'm budgeted to allow over 100 hours of "fun" flying annually. If there's another one of these after a year or two I'll let you know if I've been managing it.

I'm usually over 150 hours a year... Not enough if you ask me!

200 hours if the airplane is in service all year. 100 hours usually means significant maintenance. Now my plane is in maintenance so I'm borrowing a plane...might hit 200 anyway...

Owned my 182 for dang near two years now.......over 450 hours flown in it I think I have a problem!

I'm down a bit the last 2 years. Bought the 180 last spring and it needed some maintenance. Then got cancer and could fly all winter/spring. Put over 100 hrs on my citabria the year before though, which should be about average for me.

350hrs in the last 18 months -

Since buying the plane 2.5 years ago, I've been doing 100-130 per year. Dee said I have to back off a little this year if we are going to AK next year. I don't know how much I have. The important thing is if she THINKS I've backed off a little!

220 so far this year and the rate is increasing 150 or so in the C120 since buying it in March. It's one heck of an addiction.

Edit: Just looked at my flying-for-fun totals, and it's not too impressive: Just under 40 hours/yr.

Good thing I like my job.

180 hrs. + a year , mostly off pavement and strictly for fun. That is why my license says Recreational Pilot.

I have been averaging 65 hours a year for the last several years because my airplanes were a 40 minute drive away from my house. Now that the planes are in my yard, I should be able to fly more. Although now I spend a lot of time working on the property. I have over 20 acres of grass to mow and several acres of trees that need cut. I need to build another hangar, roll the runway, build a new house,...................

I think you need to add another pivot to your poll...

"Single"
"Married"
"With Kids"

You might just see a correlation to the average hours flown

I've averaged 150 hours per year for the last 7 years or so. Married with 2 young adult "kids" at home now. Had 3 kids at home for the 1st half of the 7 years. I'm on a mobile so can't do the poll.

All kinds of flying; off airport, remote strips, class Bravo, long x-countries, etc. All fun!

About 75 hours per year for me.

Single, no kids, busy work life!

Just under 200 a year but have been busy being Retired or would have flown more [emoji3]

I used to do 150-175 a year, but these days down to about 100 or so.

50 hours estimated.

Married
Working class male
Rent one bed room apartment
No children

My vote is based on the remainder of the year as an owner! If I continue flying as I am now I will make 98-hrs. I barely flew the last two years pinching pennies and taking care of babies. Now that I can stick them in booster seats (shoulder harnesses all 4 places), and take them along the wife has been up for about every opportunity to go somewhere.-Beyond blessed.

Just got my plane at the end of march and started flying the beginning of april. I am at 45 hours thus far. so i figure i will be well over 100 by the end of the year.