Aircraft comparison
Piper PA-38 Tomahawk vs Robin DR400: cost sharing compared
Two popular choices for a shared flight. Here is how their typical UK running costs compare, and what each person pays.
| Measure | Piper PA-38 Tomahawk | Robin DR400 |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | 2 | 4 |
| Typical wet hire / hour | £165-£215 | £200-£265 |
| Per person / hour, all seats full | ≈ £95 | ≈ £58 |
| Typical cruise | 95 kt | 120 kt |
| Hire cost per nautical mile | £2.00 | £1.94 |
| Fuel burn | 23 L/hr (AVGAS 100LL) | 34 L/hr (AVGAS 100LL) |
| 100 nm trip: time | 63 min | 50 min |
| 100 nm trip: hire cost | £200.00 | £194.17 |
| 100 nm trip: per person, all seats full | £100.00 | £48.54 |
Which is cheaper to share?
- The Piper PA-38 Tomahawk is usually cheaper to hire by the hour.
- With every seat filled, the Robin DR400 works out cheaper per person per hour - more seats spread the cost further.
- The Robin DR400 is faster, so on a 100 nm trip the Robin DR400 costs less to fly overall.
Rates vary a lot between clubs, so use the cost sharing calculator with your own operator's figures. Whichever you choose, no passenger can pay more than an equal share, so you always pay at least yours - see what counts as a direct cost.
Figures are indicative UK club wet hire rates and typical cruise performance, not quotes. Trip figures assume still air at cruise speed and exclude airfield charges.