Conklin & de Decker Releases Latest Life Cycle Cost 2012

Jan. 13, 2012
Live demonstrations of the latest LIFE CYCLE COST program will be available at the Heli-Expo convention in Dallas, TX on February 12th – 14th, at booth # 6928.

Orleans, MA – January 2012 -- Conklin & de Decker announced the latest release of their innovative LIFE CYCLE COST 2012 Volume I. The most comprehensive aircraft budget and financial analysis tool available, LIFE CYCLE COST from Conklin & de Decker, provides aircraft owners, operators, flight department managers, and aircraft consultants with extensive ownership and operating cost data for more than 400 jet, turboprop, helicopter and piston aircraft.

The LIFE CYCLE COST budgeting software is part of a family of aircraft operating & acquisition products developed by Conklin & de Decker that places all cost aspects of owning and operating an aircraft into one easy-to-use program. Aircraft acquisition costs, operating costs, taxes, final residual values and revenues, if the user’s aircraft is used in commercial operations, are all pre-loaded into this business aviation budgeting tool.

The latest update for this valuable tool includes new features that will enhance and make the budgeting process more complete. The new features include:

  • The added option for charter revenue for co-ownership aircraft.
  • An ability to edit each individual engine’s costs.
  • The separation of an aircraft’s Insured Value from its Residual Value, which allows for more accurate analysis.
  • A 7-year MACRS option and expanded program length for Fractional Programs.
  • Nine Additional Aircraft added to the database –

Jets: Gulfstream G650, Falcon 2000S

Turboprops: King Air 250, King Air 350iER

Pistons: Piper Archer LX, Tecnam P2006T.

Helicopters: Eurocopter AS350B3e, EC135T2e, and EC135P2e

Fuel and maintenance costs, as well as aircraft acquisition prices, have all been updated for 2012. Other unique features of LIFE CYCLE COST include the ability to:

  • Edit the maintenance costs, or add your own data.
  • Choose a guaranteed maintenance program, or “pay as you go.”
  • Name your own “Other” cost per hour and “Other” cost per year categories.
  • Show managed aircraft with or without supplemental charter.
  • Compare New versus Used with only a few clicks.
  • Prepare cash flows that a CFO will love!

Live demonstrations of the latest LIFE CYCLE COST program will be available at the Heli-Expo convention in Dallas, TX on February 12th – 14th, at booth # 6928. Special 15% show discounts on Conklin & de Decker products, including LIFE CYCLE COST 2012 Volume I, will be offered at Heli-Expo 2012.

Output from the program can help the user in a variety of ways. The operations department will benefit from a 12-month budget analysis; or up-to a 20-year cost projection for variable and fixed costs. The program calculates the Net Present Value (NPV) and after-tax cash flow for a corporate or commercial program which will enable the finance department to quickly compare the net present value of different acquisition or disposition methods for multiple aircraft, while also learning more about the factors (betterment/detriment) that affect an aircraft’s value. 

Running LIFE CYCLE COST requires a Windows PC with Microsoft Excel 97 or later. Mac users with Excel 2011 or Excel 2004 can run the software? Database options include Jets, Turboprops, Helicopters, Pistons and the major US-based Fractional Ownership programs. 2012 prices for the software (delivered in the US/Canada) are $695 for the jets database, $595 for the turboprop or helicopter database and $450 for the piston database. The Fractional database is free with the purchase of any other LIFE CYCLE COST database. A single aircraft version is also available. Users can specify from one to five aircraft and pay for only those aircraft that they need. Pricing is $225 for the first aircraft, with a 20% discount when ordering more than one aircraft.

About Conklin & de Decker

Conklin & de Decker, celebrating more than 25 years in business, is a leader in aviation research, consulting and education with offices in Massachusetts, Texas and Arizona. The company, founded in 1984, focuses on fixed- and rotary- wing aircraft operating cost, performance and specification databases, maintenance management software, financial management, fleet planning, market research, aviation tax issues, and financial, tax and management seminars. Conklin & de Decker consults with numerous individuals, corporations and government agencies worldwide. More information on their products and services and copies of articles can be found on their website, www.conklindd.com.