Pick an airframe, set how much you'd really fly, and see the annual bill the purchase price doesn't mention — fixed costs, the hourly meter, and where charter stops making sense.
The model assumes the aircraft is owned outright and flown Part 91. Financing, depreciation, and tax treatment are excluded on purpose — they deserve their own episode, not a footnote. See the methodology below.
—
A calculator you can't audit is just a sales tool. These are the exact planning figures behind every result above — rounded, dated, and deliberately conservative to the mid-range of published operating-cost guides.
| Assumption (illustrative, July 2026) | Phenom 300E | Citation Latitude | Gulfstream G500 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acquisition (new, typically equipped) | $12.5M | $19.5M | $49M |
| Crew (2 pilots, salaries + benefits) | $340,000 | $420,000 | $760,000 |
| Hangar + insurance | $110,000 | $160,000 | $330,000 |
| Recurrent training | $55,000 | $70,000 | $110,000 |
| Programs, subscriptions, admin | $135,000 | $220,000 | $420,000 |
| Fixed annual total | $640,000 | $870,000 | $1,620,000 |
| Fuel per hour | $950 | $1,350 | $2,500 |
| Maintenance labor + parts per hour | $480 | $700 | $1,250 |
| Engine + APU reserves per hour | $290 | $420 | $800 |
| Handling, catering, crew travel per hour | $130 | $180 | $350 |
| Variable total per hour | $1,850 | $2,650 | $4,900 |
| Typical retail charter range per hour | $3,500–4,800 | $4,800–6,500 | $9,000–12,500 |
Category structure follows published business-aviation operating-cost guides (the same categories broken down in EP·03). Figures are rounded planning mid-points for a well-maintained, professionally managed aircraft in US operation — not any specific operator's pricing.
Financing costs, depreciation, resale value, upgrade/refurbishment cycles, unscheduled major repairs, and all tax treatment. Each can move the total dramatically — which is exactly why they get labeled analysis in the films, not a hidden line here.
Model v1.0 · assumptions last reviewed July 2026. When figures are updated, the change and the reason are logged on the Corrections page like any other editorial correction.
This calculator is an educational, illustrative model published by an independent media brand. It is not a quote, an offer, or advice. The Empty Leg is not an air carrier, charter broker, aircraft dealer, tax adviser, or financial adviser. Before any aircraft transaction, engage a qualified aviation attorney, tax professional, and acquisition consultant.
Every line item in this model — plus the ones that only show up in the purchase process — as a checklist you can bring to a broker meeting.