Cost Per Hour: C152 to Cirrus SR20

Operating a modern Cirrus SR20 in the UK costs approximately £320 per tach hour wet, compared to £175 per hour for a two-seat Cessna 152.

Many pilots assume that higher fuel consumption accounts for this difference. In reality, fuel burn explains less than 30% of the cost gap between standard trainers and advanced touring aircraft. Capital depreciation, mandatory parachute repacks, avionics database subscriptions, and specialized maintenance reserves drive the remaining 70%.

Below is an itemized cost comparison across four common general aviation aircraft presets in the Airfield Atlas system: the Cessna 152, Cessna 172 Skyhawk, Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II, and Cirrus SR20.

The benchmark comparison table

Burn rates below are the POH-sourced figures already used in the Airfield Atlas trip cost calculator, priced at Sywell's current £2.15/L Avgas as a fixed reference point, not a national average. The Cessna 152 and Warrior wet rates are real published rates — The Pilot Centre at Denham (£175/hr) and Freedom Aviation at Cotswold (£250/hr) respectively. We don't yet hold a directory-verified wet rate for a Cessna 172 or Cirrus SR20 specifically, so those two rows use a representative figure drawn from the range published by UK schools renting similar types — treat them as indicative, not a specific quote.

Parameter / Metric	Cessna 152	Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II	Cessna 172 Skyhawk	Cirrus SR20
Engine Model	Continental O-235-L2C	Lycoming O-320-D3G	Lycoming IO-360-L2A	Continental IO-390-C3B6
Rated Horsepower	110 hp	160 hp	180 hp	215 hp
Seating / Useful Load	2 seats / 230 kg	4 seats / 410 kg	4 seats / 395 kg	4-5 seats / 465 kg
Preset Burn Rate (POH Cruise)	23.1 L / hr	33.3 L / hr	28.0 L / hr	34.8 L / hr
Hourly Fuel Cost (@ £2.15/L)	£49.67 / hr	£71.60 / hr	£60.20 / hr	£74.82 / hr
Engine & Propeller Reserve	£12.00 / hr	£18.00 / hr	£22.00 / hr	£32.00 / hr
Maintenance Buffer & Consumables	£15.00 / hr	£20.00 / hr	£24.00 / hr	£48.00 / hr (Capsule reserve)
Direct Variable Cost (Dry)	£76.67 / hr	£109.60 / hr	£106.20 / hr	£154.82 / hr
Typical Club Wet Hire Rate	£175.00 / hr	£250.00 / hr (Freedom Av)	£245.00 / hr	£320.00 / hr
Preset Cruise True Airspeed	104 knots	110 knots	115 knots	144 knots
Cost per Nautical Mile (Wet)	£1.68 / nm	£2.27 / nm	£2.13 / nm	£2.22 / nm

The Cirrus SR20 costs £70 more per hour to rent wet than a Piper Warrior (£320 vs £250), but its 144-knot cruise makes it faster over distance — enough to bring its cost per nautical mile (£2.22/nm) below the Warrior's (£2.27/nm).

Aircraft	Time for 200 nm	Wet rate	Total cost
Cessna 152	1.92 hrs	£175/hr	£336.00
Piper PA-28	1.82 hrs	£250/hr	£455.00
Cessna 172	1.74 hrs	£245/hr	£426.30
Cirrus SR20	1.39 hrs	£320/hr	£444.80

Over that 200-nautical-mile cross-country, the Cirrus completes the trip 26 minutes faster than the Warrior for £10.20 less in total rental cost.

Detailed aircraft operational profiles

1. Cessna 152

• Preset Burn Rate: 23.1 L/hr | Cruise Speed: 104 kts | Weight Band: sub_1000kg
• The Cessna 152 is the most economical certified platform in UK general aviation. Consuming just 23.1 litres per hour of 100LL (£49.67/hr), it keeps direct fuel expenditure under £50 per hour. Weighing under 1,000kg MTOW, it qualifies for sub-1,000kg landing fees at UK aerodromes (median £15.00 vs £19.00 for 4-seaters).
• Operational Profile: Optimal for initial PPL training and solo hour building; limited to two occupants.

2. Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II

• Preset Burn Rate: 33.3 L/hr | Cruise Speed: 110 kts | Weight Band: band_1001_1500kg
• The Piper Warrior is the standard four-seat touring platform. Powered by the 160hp Lycoming O-320, it burns 33.3 litres per hour (£71.60/hr at median fuel prices). Maintenance facilities across the UK stock all routine airframe spares, keeping unscheduled maintenance downtime low.
• Operational Profile: Standard four-seat touring and syndicate workhorse; forgiving handling on grass and paved runways.

3. Cessna 172 Skyhawk

• Preset Burn Rate: 28.0 L/hr | Cruise Speed: 115 kts | Weight Band: band_1001_1500kg
• The Cessna 172 delivers a favorable balance between cabin utility and fuel efficiency, burning 28.0 litres per hour (£60.20/hr). High-wing visibility and two large cabin doors make it popular for family touring and aerial photography.
• Operational Profile: High-wing stability, comfortable four-seat cabin, and efficient 28 L/hr cruise burn.

4. Cirrus SR20 G6

• Preset Burn Rate: 34.8 L/hr | Cruise Speed: 144 kts | Weight Band: band_1001_1500kg
• The Cirrus SR20 delivers modern high-speed cross-country performance. Cruising at 144 knots on 34.8 litres per hour (£74.82/hr fuel), it requires specialized maintenance reserves:
  • CAPS Parachute Repack: Required every 10 years (~£14,000 to £18,000, adding ~£15–£18 per tach hour).
  • Line Cutter Replacement: Required every 6 years (~£2,400).
  • Avionics & Perspective+ Subscriptions: ~£1,800 annually.
• Operational Profile: Fast point-to-point cross-country touring, integrated glass avionics, and high situational awareness.

Fuel burn as a share of total operating cost

In modern touring aircraft, direct fuel burn accounts for between 25% and 35% of total hourly operating cost. Fixed hangarage, hull insurance, scheduled maintenance inspections, and regulatory compliance account for the remaining 65% to 75%.

Break a Cessna 172's £245/hr wet rate down and fuel (28.0 L @ £2.15/L = £60.20) is only 24.6% of it — the other 75.4%, £184.80, is fixed overhead and reserves built into the school's rate. A 10p/L swing in fuel price only moves the hourly cost by £2.80, about 1.1% — which is why chasing a cheaper pump matters less here than it does when you're paying for fuel alone.

Sourced aircraft presets summary

Preset ID	Aircraft Label	Fuel Burn	Cruise TAS	Weight Band	Fuel Grade
c152	Cessna 152	23.1 L/h	104 kts	sub_1000kg	Avgas
c172	Cessna 172 Skyhawk	28.0 L/h	115 kts	band_1001_1500kg	Avgas
pa28_161_warrior	Piper PA-28-161 Warrior II	33.3 L/h	110 kts	band_1001_1500kg	Avgas
pa28_181_archer	Piper PA-28-181 Archer II/III	36.0 L/h	122 kts	band_1001_1500kg	Avgas
pa38_tomahawk	Piper PA-38 Tomahawk	26.5 L/h	102 kts	sub_1000kg	Avgas
da40	Diamond DA40 (Lycoming)	37.9 L/h	147 kts	band_1001_1500kg	Avgas
da20	Diamond DA20 Katana	29.5 L/h	125 kts	sub_1000kg	Avgas
dr400_160	Robin DR400/160	27.0 L/h	118 kts	band_1001_1500kg	Avgas
sr20	Cirrus SR20	34.8 L/h	144 kts	band_1001_1500kg	Avgas
sr22	Cirrus SR22	47.0 L/h	166 kts	band_1501_2000kg	Avgas
p2008	Tecnam P2008 (Rotax 912)	17.0 L/h	116 kts	microlight	UL91
ikarus_c42	Ikarus C42	12.0 L/h	90 kts	microlight	UL91
rv7_9	Van's RV-7/RV-9	27.0 L/h	150 kts	sub_1000kg	Avgas

Use the Airfield Atlas trip cost calculator to select your aircraft preset and calculate door-to-door flight costs across UK routes.