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.
Maintenance came to about $33 per hour flown this year against $26 the year before, about $5,133 more over this year's hours.
Ideas schools in this spot often explore
Whether the repairs share a cause (one system, one part) that a single fix would address.
Which maintenance items drove the rise, and whether they're one-offs or likely to recur.
How the aircraft's maintenance per hour compares with the rest of the fleet.
Ideas, not recommendations. Your situation may differ.
Show the numbers
N8123V's maintenance cost $33.12 per hour flown over 2025-09-01 to 2026-08-31, against $25.73 over 2024-09-01 to 2025-08-31: up 29%, about $5,133 more over this year's 694.6 hours.
Maintenance per hour, this year: $33.12/hr
Maintenance per hour, the year before: $25.73/hr
Hours flown this year: 694.6 h
Unscheduled repairs this year: $5,470
Unscheduled repairs the year before: $0
Maintenance per hour, this year: $33.12/hr
Maintenance per hour, the year before: $25.73/hr
Hours flown this year: 694.6 h
Unscheduled repairs this year: $5,470
Unscheduled repairs the year before: $0
Facts from your data, not a diagnosis.
Unscheduled maintenance came to $5,470 this year against $0 the year before. main factor
Unscheduled this year: $5,470
Unscheduled the year before: $0
Hourly (guessed) maintenance came to $612 this year against $0 the year before. smaller factor
Hourly (guessed) this year: $612
Hourly (guessed) the year before: $0
The cash flow forecast has months where more goes out than comes in, January 2027 most of all.
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 N8123V real flying time.
N8123V$2,100 est Scheduled value of cancelled hours
11% of bookings were cancelled or no-shows, 12.0 scheduled hours worth about $2,100 at the usual rate; most fell on Saturdays.
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.
Whether the time of day most cancellations fall in has something in common: early starts, end-of-day slots, or weather.
How the cancellation and no-show policy is set: notice period, fees, and whether it's applied consistently.
Ideas, not recommendations. Your situation may differ.
Show the numbers
N8123V had 6 cancelled or no-show bookings (11% of its 55 bookings) covering 12.0 scheduled hours; its revenue per hour was $175.00.
Cancelled or no-show bookings: 6
Cancellation rate: 11%
Scheduled hours: 12.0 h
Revenue per hour: $175.00/hr
Cancelled or no-show bookings: 6
Cancellation rate: 11%
Scheduled hours: 12.0 h
Revenue per hour: $175.00/hr
Facts from your data, not a diagnosis.
3 of the 6 cancelled or no-show bookings fell on a Saturday. main factor
On Saturdays: 3
Cancelled or no-show bookings: 6
5 of the 6 cancelled or no-show bookings with a start time were in the afternoon. main factor
In the afternoon: 5
With a start time: 6
One instructor was on 3 of the 5 cancelled or no-show bookings that name an instructor. main factor
With the same instructor: 3
Naming an instructor: 5
6 of the 6 cancelled or no-show bookings that name a customer were booked again by the same customer within 7 days. smaller factor
N8123V flew 32% 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
N8123V's 100-hour (about Sep 19, 2026) falls within 14 days of N744PS's 100-hour (about Sep 19, 2026) and N4521K's 100-hour (about Sep 24, 2026) (projected). N8123V flew 32% of the fleet's hours from 2026-06-03 to 2026-08-31.
N8123V 100-hour: about Sep 19, 2026
Also due: N744PS 100-hour: about Sep 19, 2026
Also due: N4521K 100-hour: about Sep 24, 2026
N8123V share of fleet hours: 32%
N8123V 100-hour: about Sep 19, 2026
Also due: N744PS 100-hour: about Sep 19, 2026
Also due: N4521K 100-hour: about Sep 24, 2026
N8123V share of fleet hours: 32%
Facts from your data, not a diagnosis.
N8123V: 100-hour (about Sep 19, 2026); it flies about 52.2 tach hours a month, and flew 32% of the fleet's hours from 2026-06-03 to 2026-08-31. main factor
N8123V hours per month: 52.2 h/month
N8123V share of fleet hours: 32%
Also due within 14 days: N744PS's 100-hour (about Sep 19, 2026) and N4521K's 100-hour (about Sep 24, 2026). smaller factor
Other aircraft due in the same weeks: 2
Not in your data: gallons on fuel bills. The cards leave out what depends on them.
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
2026-08-05
cancelled
—
—
—
—
gsheets
2026-08-04
solo
4787.3
4788.6
4068.1
4069.2
gsheets
2026-08-04
rental
4785.4
4787.3
4066.5
4068.1
gsheets
2026-08-02
maintenance
—
—
—
—
gsheets
2026-08-01
solo
4783.7
4785.4
4065.1
4066.5
gsheets
2026-08-01
dual
4782.5
4783.7
4064.1
4065.1
gsheets
Maintenance
Maintenance/hr (12-month)
$33/hr est
Hourly (100-hour inspections, oil, other flying wear)
$21/hr est
Calendar (annual and other date-driven items)
$228/month
Unscheduled repairs in this range
$0
Engine reserve per hour (overhaul cost ÷ TBO)
$21/hr
Maintenance booked in this range
$2,158
Per-hour and per-month figures cover 2025-09-01 to 2026-08-31 (694.6 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
2026-08-02
Hourly
$1,757
100-hour inspection N8123V
2026-08-24
Hourly
$205
Oil change N8123V
2026-08-01
Hourly
$196
Oil change N8123V
Coming up
Next 100-hour
About Sep 19, 2026 (at tach 4,166.5)
60% of the way
est
Next annual
Due by Jan 31, 2027
60% of the way
Overhaul
About July 2028
44% 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 52.2 tach hours a month, month by month as it flew from 2025-09-01 to 2026-08-31, × 1.06 for its recent trend.
Maintenance downtime
Maintenance2026-08-02 08:00
Back in service2026-08-02 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)
73.6
24.5%
$12,880
−$9,294est
$3,586est
$0
$3,586est
$126est
$138est
Operating cost by category
Fuel
−$4,946est
53%
Maintenance
−$2,158
23%
Insurance
−$390
4%
Hangar
−$400
4%
Lease payment
−$1,400
15%
Instructor pay
$0
0%
Other
$0
0%
Operating cost
−$9,294est
100%
Loan payments (after the operating margin, not in cost)
$0
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 $548 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
73.6
24.5%
$12,880
−$9,294est
$3,586est
$3,586est
Range total
73.6
24.5%
$12,880
−$9,294est
$3,586est
$3,586est
Cost per hour, month by month
Month
Hours
Fuel
Maintenance
Sep 2025
52.9
$67/hr
$42/hr
Oct 2025
63.3
$66/hr
$23/hr
Nov 2025
37.7
$64/hr
$88/hr
Dec 2025
36.1
$67/hr
$19/hr
Jan 2026
24.3
$73/hr
$191/hr
Feb 2026
34.9
$44/hr
$22/hr
Mar 2026
67.8
$73/hr
$3/hr
Apr 2026
60.4
$58/hr
$35/hr
May 2026
77.4
$48/hr
$33/hr
Jun 2026
74.9
$83/hr
$35/hr
Jul 2026
91.3
$80/hr
$3/hr
Aug 2026
73.6
$67/hr
$29/hr
Calendar maintenance (annual inspections and other dated items): 2024 (part) $0 · 2025 $3,073 · 2026 (part) $2,732
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: 27.5 hours a month to cover $2,378 of fixed costs; it flew 72.3 a month. est
Cancelled or no-show: 11% of 55 bookings (5 cancelled, 1 no-shows).