I think for a pressurized piston twin you should expect to pay $500/hr in op costs. This doesn’t include hangar or cost of capital. My experience with a C340A was between 250/hr and 580/hr over about 500 hrs.
For example, over 100 hrs per year:
Insurance $9k,
Annual 10k (range 7k-25k),
Fuel $22k, (40gph at $5.5/gal)
Parts $5k, (mags, vac pumps, hoses, bulbs, baffles, valves, fuel pumps, etc)
Oil changes $1k (every 25 hrs),
Charts and databases $1200

That’s 480/hr for pretty basic stuff, no engine reserves. An engine event is a substantial hit on the per hour cost (mine was about $65k).

Not turbine money, but not as reliable either.

No offense - but that question is like asking how long is a piece of string. Who knows, they are all different.

Airplanes are so tough to come up with one number, I have a friend with a pilatus… they had the heat/ac enviromental valve go out. Sounds like a simple valve, but it cost $80,000. That moves the needle on operating cost for the year…

The cost of operating an Aerostar will always be more than you think, by a long shot. It’s an Aerostar truism.

Tom is correct.

But, keep in mind, Aerostars have AAC ( https://aerostaraircraft.com/) providing support.

Other cabin class piston twins don’t have the same level of parts and engineering support.

Aerostars CAN continue to serve as reliable dependable modes of transportation because when they break (as machinery does) a part can be in your mechanic’s hands in days instead of weeks, months or unavailable.


Adding to Tom’s statement:

Old complex airplanes like the Aerostar, especially ones with deferred maintenance sell for seemingly low prices.
Buyers (unwisely) imagine that the maintenance cost will match that low cost of entry.

I LOVE Aerostars.

I really considered buying one, but realize the above. I paid more for my Mooney that some Aerostars are advertised for. But did not want the potential maintenance bills.

This is the understatement of the year! John Jurkovich in parts and Jim Christy were awesome for support when I owned mine. I remember several times trying to find a part, or other info and John would go pull the original plans out of the vault and give me the answer all while on the phone with him.

Is there a sim school for the Aerostar these days? I heard that SimCom now does it in a Twin Cessna sim, same as the Baron.

Or do new owners just get trained in their airplane?

I LOVE Aerostars.

I really considered buying one, but realize the above. I paid more for my Mooney that some Aerostars are advertised for. But did not want the potential maintenance bills.

I also loved having and flying the Aerostar. It was the fuel that got me, not the MX or insurance. I had the option of flying a very short flight (15 min wheels up/down), or driving a car (~1.5 hours). And the next thought was the fuel I would burn in comparison. After roughly 300hrs and two years, I knew I would never get used to the fuel flow and would eventually make a bad choice because of it. I had it listed for sale a few weeks later.

Tim

Gary, I think there's a couple pitfalls you've missed between misc parts and a full reserve for engine o/h.

The unscheduled mx costs on piston twins have gotten a bit murderous...starter adapters, turbos, wastegates, etc. I'm also not seeing an allowance for A/C, hydraulics, electrical, pressurization repairs, etc. which seems to be more common as the p-twins age.