Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 exptools 1/6/84; site ihnp4.UUCP Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!burl!ulysses!mhuxr!ihnp4!cfiaime From: cfiaime@ihnp4.UUCP (Jeff Williams) Newsgroups: net.aviation Subject: Driving vs. Flying Message-ID: <701@ihnp4.UUCP> Date: Mon, 14-Jan-85 19:29:13 EST Article-I.D.: ihnp4.701 Posted: Mon Jan 14 19:29:13 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 15-Jan-85 02:27:19 EST Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, IL Lines: 50 Several years ago I lived in Wichita, Kansas, and my family lived in the Chicago area. During this time, I made several trips between the two points, always careful to note how much it cost and how much time it took me. A typical trip from Wichita to Chicago took: air driving miles: ~500 ~700 time: 5 hours (nonstop) 17 hours (with stops) vechicle: Cessna 172 AMC Spirit DL (1.5 engine) Cost: ~$300 (rental, wet, ~$140 out of pocket (40 gallons round trip, block fuel @ $1.00 per gallon, $70 rate.) lodging, $30 food.) or $308 at the 22 cents per mile I was paid for use of the same car on company business. The auto cost MUST include the same items as the aircraft cost if there is to be a meaningful comparison. These include fixed and variable costs (ie. fuel, insurance, rotables maintenance, payment, insurance, and the like.) In the driving time, I did not allocate any time for overnight stops, but you should really add 6 hours, making 23 hours door to door. For the Cessna, add an hour on both ends for loading, unloading, and trip to the airport or house, making 7 hours door to door. I just realized an error in my figures above. At 22 cents per mile, the AUTO expenses were $308. You still need to add overnight lodging ($35 per night) and meals ($30) to that figure. Most of the trips that I flew were VFR, with one exception. Later I flew the Funk up to Chicago (it was being recovered at the time this whole mess happened), and it took about 9 hours door to door. But I took my time at lunch in Burlington, Iowa, and at another fuel stop in Kansas City. Using this as a basis, not only can an airplane be faster, but it can actually be less expensive on a trip. If you need to rent a car at the destination, your savings are gone in a hurry, however. As another excercise, compute the savings of time by using a light aircraft rather than the airlines for a typical trip. (Remember to include time to the airport, and pre-boarding wait time.) Jeff Williams AT&T Bell Laboratories ihnp4!cfiaime