Demo school. A sample flight school with four aircraft and two years of invented flights and bills (September 2024–August 2026). Sign in to see your own school's numbers.
In the forecast, revenue there is expected at about 61% of an average month, and N744PS's engine overhaul ($84,000) falls in it, leaving about $82,230 more going out than coming in.
Ideas schools in this spot often explore
When the large cost has to be paid: a deposit, payment terms, or financing that spreads it over several months.
What brings in revenue in the slow months: ground school, simulator time, or block-time packages sold ahead of winter.
Timing maintenance that isn't due yet into the stronger months before or after it.
Ideas, not recommendations. Your situation may differ.
Show the numbers
The cash flow forecast for September 2026 to February 2027 has 2 months with more going out than coming in. The most negative is January 2027: about $29,981 of expected revenue against $112,211 of costs, $89,002 of them known upcoming costs (N4521K's 100-hour inspection, N744PS's engine overhaul and N8123V's annual inspection). The running total over the 6 months ends at -$44,974 (an estimate, not a bank balance).
November 2026 forecast net: -$675
January 2027 forecast net: -$82,230
January 2027 expected revenue: $29,981
January 2027 expected costs: $112,211
January 2027 known upcoming costs: $89,002
Running total after 6 months: -$44,974
November 2026 forecast net: -$675
January 2027 forecast net: -$82,230
January 2027 expected revenue: $29,981
January 2027 expected costs: $112,211
January 2027 known upcoming costs: $89,002
Running total after 6 months: -$44,974
Facts from your data, not a diagnosis.
N744PS's engine overhaul ($84,000, from your overhaul cost setting) is projected for January 2027. main factor
N744PS's engine overhaul: $84,000
January 2027's expected revenue is $29,981, 61% of an average month by the pattern in your past months. smaller factor
January 2027 seasonal index: 61%
January 2027 expected revenue: $29,981
Cancellations are costing N4521K real flying time.
N4521K$2,960 est Scheduled value of cancelled hours
9% of bookings were cancelled or no-shows, 16.0 scheduled hours worth about $2,960 at the usual rate.
Ideas schools in this spot often explore
Whether the day most cancellations fall on has something in common: weather patterns, instructor rosters, or a recurring group of students.
How the cancellation and no-show policy is set: notice period, fees, and whether it's applied consistently.
Reminders before each booking, and how easy it is for a student to move a booking instead of dropping it.
Ideas, not recommendations. Your situation may differ.
Show the numbers
N4521K had 8 cancelled or no-show bookings (9% of its 92 bookings) covering 16.0 scheduled hours; its revenue per hour was $185.00.
Cancelled or no-show bookings: 8
Cancellation rate: 9%
Scheduled hours: 16.0 h
Revenue per hour: $185.00/hr
Cancelled or no-show bookings: 8
Cancellation rate: 9%
Scheduled hours: 16.0 h
Revenue per hour: $185.00/hr
Facts from your data, not a diagnosis.
3 of the 8 cancelled or no-show bookings fell on a Saturday. smaller factor
On Saturdays: 3
Cancelled or no-show bookings: 8
7 of the 8 cancelled or no-show bookings that name a customer were booked again by the same customer within 7 days. smaller factor
Booked again: 7
Naming a customer: 8
Rebooked share: 88%
N4521K's next inspection falls in the same two weeks as other aircraft's.
N4521K flew 48% of the fleet's hours, and the others are due within days of it, so they could all be down at once.
Ideas schools in this spot often explore
Bringing one inspection forward a few days so the aircraft aren't down at the same time.
Whether the shop can take two aircraft in the same week, and how long each would take.
Which bookings fall in those weeks and could move to other aircraft.
Ideas, not recommendations. Your situation may differ.
Show the numbers
N4521K's 100-hour (about Sep 24, 2026) falls within 14 days of N744PS's 100-hour (about Sep 19, 2026) and N8123V's 100-hour (about Sep 19, 2026) (projected). N4521K flew 48% of the fleet's hours from 2026-06-03 to 2026-08-31.
N4521K 100-hour: about Sep 24, 2026
Also due: N744PS 100-hour: about Sep 19, 2026
Also due: N8123V 100-hour: about Sep 19, 2026
N4521K share of fleet hours: 48%
N4521K 100-hour: about Sep 24, 2026
Also due: N744PS 100-hour: about Sep 19, 2026
Also due: N8123V 100-hour: about Sep 19, 2026
N4521K share of fleet hours: 48%
Facts from your data, not a diagnosis.
N4521K: 100-hour (about Sep 24, 2026); it flies about 74.1 tach hours a month, and flew 48% of the fleet's hours from 2026-06-03 to 2026-08-31. main factor
N4521K hours per month: 74.1 h/month
N4521K share of fleet hours: 48%
Also due within 14 days: N744PS's 100-hour (about Sep 19, 2026) and N8123V's 100-hour (about Sep 19, 2026). smaller factor
Other aircraft due in the same weeks: 2
est Includes estimated values: inferred bills, placeholder fixed costs or allocated fuel. Figures for cancellations, downtime and unbilled ground sessions are estimates by design.
Informational only, based on your data. Not financial, legal, or aviation-maintenance advice.
Utilization by month
Mar–Aug, by calendar month. Based on your weekly schedule.
Flights, newest first
Date
Kind
Hobbs start
Hobbs end
Tach start
Tach end
Source
2026-08-31
rental
7483.5
7484.7
6350.2
6351.2
gsheets
2026-08-31
dual
7481.8
7483.5
6348.8
6350.2
gsheets
2026-08-31
dual
7480.0
7481.8
6347.3
6348.8
gsheets
2026-08-30
dual
7478.9
7480.0
6346.4
6347.3
gsheets
2026-08-30
rental
7477.9
7478.9
6345.6
6346.4
gsheets
2026-08-29
solo
7476.9
7477.9
6344.8
6345.6
gsheets
2026-08-29
solo
7475.4
7476.9
6343.5
6344.8
gsheets
2026-08-29
cancelled
—
—
—
—
gsheets
2026-08-29
dual
7473.5
7475.4
6341.9
6343.5
gsheets
2026-08-28
dual
7472.1
7473.5
6340.7
6341.9
gsheets
2026-08-28
solo
7470.8
7472.1
6339.6
6340.7
gsheets
2026-08-28
rental
7469.8
7470.8
6338.8
6339.6
gsheets
2026-08-28
rental
7468.7
7469.8
6337.9
6338.8
gsheets
2026-08-27
rental
7467.7
7468.7
6337.1
6337.9
gsheets
2026-08-27
solo
7466.8
7467.7
6336.3
6337.1
gsheets
2026-08-27
dual
7465.5
7466.8
6335.2
6336.3
gsheets
2026-08-26
dual
7463.8
7465.5
6333.8
6335.2
gsheets
2026-08-26
rental
7462.5
7463.8
6332.7
6333.8
gsheets
2026-08-26
solo
7461.4
7462.5
6331.8
6332.7
gsheets
2026-08-25
solo
7459.8
7461.4
6330.5
6331.8
gsheets
2026-08-25
rental
7458.3
7459.8
6329.2
6330.5
gsheets
2026-08-25
rental
7456.8
7458.3
6327.9
6329.2
gsheets
2026-08-23
maintenance
—
—
—
—
gsheets
2026-08-22
dual
7455.7
7456.8
6327.0
6327.9
gsheets
2026-08-22
no show
—
—
—
—
gsheets
Maintenance
Maintenance/hr (12-month)
$25/hr
Hourly (100-hour inspections, oil, other flying wear)
$22/hr
Calendar (annual and other date-driven items)
$238/month
Unscheduled repairs in this range
$0
Engine reserve per hour (overhaul cost ÷ TBO)
$21/hr
Maintenance booked in this range
$2,805
Per-hour and per-month figures cover 2025-09-01 to 2026-08-31 (1102.8 Hobbs hours), so one month's annual or a month with few hours doesn't swing them. The operating break-even uses them too. Operating cost and margin stay as booked.
Largest in this range
Date
Category
Amount
Memo
2026-08-23
Hourly
$2,365
100-hour inspection N4521K
2026-08-22
Hourly
$222
Oil change N4521K
2026-08-08
Hourly
$218
Oil change N4521K
Coming up
Next 100-hour
About Sep 24, 2026 (at tach 6,427.9)
23% of the way
est
Next annual
Due by Dec 31, 2026
69% of the way
Overhaul
About July 2027
61% of the way
est
Reserve per hour
$21.00 needed
Dates marked est are estimates: the 100-hour from this aircraft's upcoming bookings and its last 90 days of hours (hover it for how), the overhaul projected at about 74.1 tach hours a month, month by month as it flew from 2025-09-01 to 2026-08-31, × 0.97 for its recent trend.
Maintenance downtime
Maintenance2026-08-23 08:00
Back in service2026-08-23 17:00
Downtime counted against utilization in this range: 9.0 h (times in America/Chicago).
Summary
Hours flown
Utilization
Based on your weekly schedule.
Revenue
Operating cost
Operating margin
Loan payments
After loan payments
Cash view: includes loan principal
Cost/hr
Cost/hr (12-month)
115.3
38.3%
$21,331
−$9,887est
$11,444est
−$1,150
$10,294est
$86est
$94est
Operating cost by category
Fuel
−$6,207est
63%
Maintenance
−$2,805
28%
Insurance
−$425
4%
Hangar
−$450
5%
Lease payment
$0
0%
Instructor pay
$0
0%
Other
$0
0%
Operating cost
−$9,887est
100%
Loan payments (after the operating margin, not in cost)
−$1,150
est Includes estimated values: inferred bills, placeholder fixed costs or allocated fuel.
Bars are drawn against the largest category; striped bars include estimates. The percent is each category's share of the operating cost.
Fuel includes $859 allocated to this aircraft from fuel with no tail number, split by Hobbs hours each month (an estimate).
By month
Month
Hours flown
Utilization
Based on your weekly schedule.
Revenue
Operating cost
Operating margin
After loan payments
Cash view: includes loan principal
August 2026
115.3
38.3%
$21,331
−$9,887est
$11,444est
$10,294est
Range total
115.3
38.3%
$21,331
−$9,887est
$11,444est
$10,294est
Cost per hour, month by month
Month
Hours
Fuel
Maintenance
Sep 2025
107.7
$73/hr
$22/hr
Oct 2025
90.2
$67/hr
$24/hr
Nov 2025
61.1
$71/hr
$3/hr
Dec 2025
63.2
$46/hr
$45/hr
Jan 2026
56
$50/hr
$47/hr
Feb 2026
52.3
$69/hr
$4/hr
Mar 2026
92.9
$68/hr
$31/hr
Apr 2026
103.3
$58/hr
$19/hr
May 2026
111.1
$71/hr
$21/hr
Jun 2026
125.6
$51/hr
$18/hr
Jul 2026
124.1
$47/hr
$36/hr
Aug 2026
115.3
$54/hr
$24/hr
Calendar maintenance (annual inspections and other dated items): 2024 (part) $3,086 · 2025 $2,862 · 2026 (part) $0
Maintenance per hour is lumpy month to month (an annual lands in one month); the 12-month rate above smooths it.
Break-even and cancellations
Break-even: 10.1 hours a month to cover $1,098 of fixed costs; it flew 113.2 a month. est
Cancelled or no-show: 9% of 92 bookings (6 cancelled, 2 no-shows).