Question: What does it cost to operate a Bell 206?
Answer: The average operating cost for a Bell 206 is $350-$400 per hour which includes fuel, oil, engine maintenance reserve and rotor maintenance reserve.
Overview:
Bell 206 operating costs are fairly straightforward and they are less expensive to operate and maintain that similar helicopters. Bell 206 operating costs are typically broken down by hour and include, fuel, insurance, tie-down or hangar storage fees, regular maintenance inspections, and landing fees. Typical 206 operating costs average about $375 per hour depending on a wide range of variables.
Fuel costs
The 206 burns about 30 gallons per hour with jet fuel typically costing about $6 per gallon, hourly fuel costs for the Bell 206 run around $130-$180 per hour.
Insurance
Depending on whether you just carry Liability coverage or Full Flight Hull Coverage, this cost will vary, but it typically runs between $2,000 for liability only or $11,480 including $400,000 in hull coverage. per year, which adds about $35-$50 per hour depending on the amount of total hours flown in a year.
Tie Down/Hangar Fees
Depending on whether the aircraft is hangered or tied down at an airport, these fees will typically run between $100-$300 per month.
Regular Maintenance Inspections
Bell 206 operating costs should include money set aside depending on the amount of hours flown for regular maintenance and inspections. Depending on the age and condition of the aircraft, these costs typically range between $15-$30 per hour.
Landing fees
Most small airports don’t have landing fees, but most of the larger and controlled tower airports do, Landing fees are typically a very small amount of the hourly operating costs of the 206 and depending on the airport and amount of landings, can range anywhere from $80-$200 per year.