Piston helicopter · operating costs
Robinson R22 Beta II Operating Costs and Cost per Hour
A Robinson R22 Beta II costs about $320 an hour to operate at 200 hours a year: $20,000 a year fixed plus $221 per flight hour, itemised with sources.
CRAFT estimate, fuel priced October 4, 2026
At a glance
- Per flight hour at 200 hrs a year
- $322
- Per year at 200 hrs
- $64,339
- Fixed costs / year
- $20,139
- Variable / flight hour
- $221
- 100LL, $59/hr today
- Fuel burn
- 8 gal/hr
- no pilot salary
- Crew assumed
- Owner-flown
CRAFT estimates in USD for a U.S.-based aircraft. How we estimate them is below; every line has its source.
What a Robinson R22 Beta II costs per hour
The Robinson R22 Beta II is a piston helicopter with 1 seats, burning 8 gallons of 100LL avgas an hour. In our estimate it costs $221 for every hour it flies and $20,139 a year whether it flies or not. Spread over 200 hours a year, that is about $322 a flight hour; over 100 hours, $422; over 400, $271.
The estimate assumes the owner flies it, so there is no pilot salary in it. Hiring a pilot adds about $120,808 a year; the calculator below has a switch for that. The largest single cost at 200 hours is rotor and drive components, at $13,200 a year.
Robinson R22 Beta II cost calculator
Robinson R22 Beta II annual cost
$64,395 per year
$20,139 fixed + $221/hr × 200 hrs ($59/hr of it fuel: 8 gal at $7.41). About $322 per flight hour with the fixed costs spread over the hours. Robinson R22 Beta II, CRAFT estimate.
Fixed costs
What the Robinson R22 Beta II costs a year before it flies an hour.
| Fixed costs | Per year | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Crew Salary | $0 | Owner-flown: no pilot salary. A hired pilot would add about $120,808 a year: $84,540, the BLS 25th percentile, commercial pilots, plus 43% for benefits and payroll costs (BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026). Switch it on in the calculator.Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (released May 15, 2026); BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, June 2026 (released September 9, 2026) |
| Crew TrainingEstimate, $1,500 to $4,000 | $2,750 | Recurrent training for the pilot each year (a flight review or instrument proficiency check with an instructor, or a type course), $1,500 to $4,000 for a piston helicopter. CRAFT estimate. |
| HangarEstimate, $5,400 to $8,460 | $6,930 | From Concord-Padgett's helicopter hangar rate ($450 a month) to a 40 to 42 ft T-hangar at Naples ($705): $450 to $705 a month. Big-city airports cost more, a tie-down much less.Source: Published airport hangar and tie-down rates (Concord-Padgett Regional, City of Concord NC; Naples Airport Authority FY2026) (read October 15, 2026) |
| Insurance | $9,059 | The maker's published insurance example: $9,059 a year, liability $1,920 and hull $7,139 for a pilot with 200 hours of helicopter time, 40 of them in an R22, and the Robinson safety course. A newer pilot pays more.Source: Robinson Helicopter Company, R22 Estimated Operating Cost, 2026 |
| Management | $0 | Owner-managed: no management company. The owner books maintenance and keeps the records. |
| Miscellaneous FixedEstimate, $800 to $2,000 | $1,400 | Navigation database and chart subscriptions, an EFB app, weather, tie-down away from home and the aircraft's paperwork: $800 to $2,000 a year for a piston helicopter. CRAFT estimate. |
| Total | $20,139 |
Variable costs
What each flight hour adds. Fuel is priced at $7.41 a gallon; every dollar a gallon moves the hourly cost by $8.
| Variable costs | Per flight hour | How it is worked out |
|---|---|---|
| Fuel Cost | $59 | 8 gallons of 100LL avgas an hour (Robinson Helicopter Company, R22 Estimated Operating Cost - 2026, '8.0 gph for average use' in the manufacturer's own operating-cost estimate (priced at $6.51/gal); manufacturer estimate, not a POH table) at $7.41 a gallon, our u.S. average FBO price for 100LL avgas on 2026-10-04.Source: Robinson Helicopter Company, R22 Estimated Operating Cost - 2026; CRAFT fuel price data: AirNav Fuel Price Report, national 100LL average |
| Maintenance | $50 | The maker's published estimate: $50 a flight hour, periodic inspections ($39.88) and unscheduled maintenance ($9.91), labor at $130 an hour.Source: Robinson Helicopter Company, R22 Estimated Operating Cost, 2026 |
| Engine Overhaul | $26 | A reserve for the next overhaul: $57,300 per engine (Robinson Helicopter Company) over the 2,200-hour time between overhauls, $26 an hour.Source: Robinson Helicopter Company, R22 Estimated Operating Cost, 2026 |
| Rotor and Drive Components | $66 | The maker's required overhauls, reserved by the hour: 2,200-hour aircraft overhaul parts kit $117,000 over 2,200 hours ($53 an hour); overhaul labor (225 hours at $130) $29,250 over 2,200 hours ($13 an hour). Prices from Robinson Helicopter Company.Source: Robinson Helicopter Company, R22 Estimated Operating Cost, 2026 |
| Crew/Landing/Handling FeesEstimate, $5 to $20 | $13 | Landing and ramp fees away from home: $5 to $20 a flight hour for a piston helicopter. CRAFT estimate. |
| Miscellaneous VariableEstimate, $3 to $10 | $7 | Oil, filters and cleaning supplies: $3 to $10 a flight hour. CRAFT estimate. |
| Total | $221 |
Annual cost at 100, 200 and 400 hours
| Hours a year | 100 hours | 200 hours | 400 hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed costs | $20,139 | $20,139 | $20,139 |
| Variable costs | $22,100 | $44,200 | $88,400 |
| Total a year | $42,239 | $64,339 | $108,539 |
| Per flight hour | $422 | $322 | $271 |
Robinson R22 Beta II specs
- Class
- Piston helicopter
- Engines
- 1 × Lycoming O-360-J2A
- Fuel
- 100LL avgas
- Fuel burn
- 8 gal/hr
- Seats
- 1
- Cruise
- 96 kts
- Range
- 250 nm
- Max takeoff weight
- 1,370 lb
- Engine TBO
- 2,200 hours
- Price
- $375,000
Specs: Wikipedia, Wikipedia (Robinson R22); Robinson Helicopter Company, Robinson Helicopter Company product page. Price: the maker's list price new with standard equipment, Robinson Helicopter Company.
The Robinson R22 Beta II compared with similar aircraft
Same method, same fuel prices, at 200 hours a year.
| Aircraft | Per hour | Per year | Fuel burn |
|---|---|---|---|
Robinson R22 Beta IIPiston helicopter | $322 | $64,339 | 8 gal/hr |
 Robinson R44 Raven IIPiston helicopter | $460 | $91,968 | 15 gal/hr |
 Robinson R66Single-engine turbine helicopter | $1,867 | $373,372 | 22 gal/hr |
 MD 500CSingle-engine turbine helicopter | $2,390 | $478,031 | 23 gal/hr |
 Bell 206B3 JetRanger IIISingle-engine turbine helicopter | $2,421 | $484,231 | 27 gal/hr |
 MD 500ESingle-engine turbine helicopter | $2,428 | $485,631 | 28 gal/hr |
How we estimate these costs
Every aircraft on our operating cost calculator is costed the same way: fixed costs a year plus a cost per flight hour, from public inputs. Crew pay comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, hangar rates from published airport schedules, insurance from a broker's published guidance, fuel from our fuel price data, and the fuel burn, engine overhaul interval and price from Robinson Helicopter Company. Lines marked “estimate” are the midpoint of a stated range for piston helicopters, not a quote. Nothing here comes from another cost calculator or a broker's budgets.
- Not included: the purchase price, financing, depreciation, sales tax, upgrades and paint or interior work, and any rental or charter income.
- What moves it most: hours flown (fixed costs spread thinner), the fuel price, where it is hangared, the pilot's experience (insurance) and the aircraft's age (maintenance).
Spot something wrong? Tell us.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Robinson R22 Beta II cost per hour?
About $320 a flight hour flown 200 hours a year, in CRAFT's estimate: $221 an hour in direct costs (fuel, maintenance, engine and parts reserves, fees) plus $20,139 a year in fixed costs spread over the hours. Flown 100 hours it is about $420 an hour; flown 400, about $270. That assumes the owner flies it, with no pilot salary.
How much does it cost to own a Robinson R22 Beta II for a year?
About $64,000 a year flown 200 hours: $20,139 in fixed costs (crew training, hangar, insurance, miscellaneous fixed) and $44,200 in hourly costs. The purchase price, financing and depreciation are not included.
How much does a Robinson R22 Beta II cost to buy?
The maker's list price new with standard equipment: $375,000 (Robinson Helicopter Company). Used aircraft sell for less, depending on age, hours, engine time and equipment.
How much fuel does a Robinson R22 Beta II burn?
8 gallons of 100LL avgas an hour (Robinson Helicopter Company, R22 Estimated Operating Cost - 2026). At $7.41 a gallon, the u.S. average FBO price for 100LL avgas on October 4, 2026, that is $59 a flight hour. Every dollar a gallon moves it by $8.
Does the Robinson R22 Beta II estimate include a pilot?
No. Most piston helicopters are flown by their owners, so the crew line is $0. Hiring a pilot adds about $121,000 a year with benefits, from BLS pay data; the calculator on this page has a switch for it.
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