Beechcraft Bonanza Cost of Ownership: V35B vs F33A vs A36 vs G36 Compared

This is the family comparison: four Bonanza variants, one set of assumptions, and annual and per-hour budgets side by side. Use it to pick the variant that fits your budget. Then go to that variant's own page for the costs specific to it.

How much does each Bonanza variant cost to own per year?

The table uses one illustrative purchase price per variant so the math is comparable. These prices are placeholders for the arithmetic, not valuations. Asking prices swing widely with engine time, avionics, paint and damage history, so check current listings and a valuation service such as Vref or Aircraft Bluebook before you set a budget. Every loan line assumes 15% down and 20 years at 7.75%.

Operating cost is fixed costs plus variable costs × 100 hours. All-in adds 12 loan payments. Loan payments include principal, which builds equity, so the all-in figure overstates the true economic cost and understates the cash you need.

Bonanza cost per hour at 50, 100 and 200 hours

Utilization changes the per-hour number more than the choice of variant does. The first figure in each cell is operating cost per hour. The second includes the loan payment.

At 50 hours a year the A36 example carries about $312 of fixed cost in every flight hour. At 200 hours that falls to about $78. If you expect to fly 50 hours or less, a partnership often beats sole ownership on cost. See partnership vs sole ownership.

What the assumptions include, line by line

• Fuel is priced at $7.24/gal, the AirNav national average, September 2026 (AirNav fuel report). Regional averages ranged from $6.76 to $7.88, so adjust for your base.
• Engine reserve is an illustrative overhaul budget (including removal and reinstallation) divided by Continental's published TBO. Continental's TBO table (SIL98-9) lists 1,700 hours for the IO-520-B, -BA and -C. For the IO-550-B it lists 1,700 or 1,900 hours depending on engine serial number. Every model also has a 12-year calendar limit. Factory-rebuilt and new engines cost more than the budgets used here, so get a written quote. See SMOH vs TBO explained.
• Annual inspection figures include an allowance for typical squawks, not just the flat-rate inspection. The V-tail figure is higher because of its AD-driven tail inspections, and the V35B also carries a separate ruddervator reserve. See annual inspection cost by aircraft type.
• Insurance figures are labeled planning assumptions for an instrument-rated owner with retractable-gear and make-and-model time. They are not quotes. BWI's review of 110 Bonanza renewals in Q1 2026 found a weighted-average premium change of −19.6% and a median of −3.8% (BWI, June 2026). Low-time pilots pay more.
• Hangar at $400 a month is a middle-of-the-road assumption. Rents range from far less at rural fields to well over $1,000 a month at busy metro airports. See hangar vs tie-down costs.

How much does the loan add to a Bonanza budget?

For most buyers the loan payment is the largest single line, and it scales directly with the purchase price. AOPA Aviation Finance lists a 15% minimum down payment for singles built after 1960 and 20% for older aircraft. That matters for pre-1960 V-tails. Terms run up to 20 years on loans of $75,000 or more (AOPA). As of September 2026, lenders quote piston rates from about 7% for well-qualified borrowers to roughly 10%.

Rate and term move the payment as much as the choice of airplane. Here is the A36 example's $276,250 loan across a realistic rate band:

Loan amount $276,250. Principal and interest only; excludes insurance, taxes and fees. Illustrative, not a quote.

Stepping up from the A36 example to the pre-owned G36 example adds about $2,268 a month in loan payment alone, before the higher hull premium. For the documents lenders ask for, see aircraft loan requirements.

Which Bonanza fits which budget?

Use these as starting rules. They are not verdicts. Condition and engine time on the specific airplane can outweigh the model choice.

• Lowest total cost, and four or five seats is enough: V35 or V35B. The V-tail has the lowest entry prices in the family. Budget for the tail: recurring AD inspections, ruddervator balance and magnesium ruddervator skins. See the V-tail Bonanza cost page.
• Conventional tail at a similar budget: F33A. Its engine and operating costs are close to the V35B's. It uses the shorter cabin and lacks the A36's aft double doors. Details are on the F33A model page.
• You regularly carry more than three people or bulky cargo: A36. Club seating and double rear doors make it the family and utility Bonanza. It is also the variant where panel and engine upgrades change the budget most. See the A36 cost page.
• You want glass, a newer airframe and fewer surprises, and can carry the loan: pre-owned G36. Expect roughly twice the loan and hull premium of an A36 at similar operating cost. See the pre-owned G36 cost page.
• A factory-new or late-production NXi airplane. Textron announced in November 2025 that it would end G36 production once current orders are filled (AOPA), so new availability is limited. Depreciation and financing a high hull value are covered on the new G36 cost page.
• Weighing a twin instead? A Baron roughly doubles the fuel and engine-reserve lines. Compare on the Baron cost comparison and read the Bonanza-to-Baron upgrade guide.

What changes a Bonanza budget the most?

1. Engine time at purchase. An engine near TBO or past its 12-year calendar limit means paying for most of an overhaul soon. Price that into the offer. See how engine time affects value.
2. Pilot experience. BWI's 2026 Bonanza data puts pilot qualifications ahead of the aircraft model as the premium driver. A low-time owner can pay well above the assumptions here.
3. Avionics. An older panel that needs a GPS navigator, autopilot or engine monitor can add five figures in year one. Some lenders will finance upgrades.
4. Utilization. Going from 50 to 200 hours a year roughly halves the operating cost per hour in every variant.
5. Where you base it. Hangar rent and fuel both vary by region. Sales or use tax on the purchase can add thousands. See aircraft sales tax by state.

How this page differs from the other Bonanza pages

This page compares annual budgets across the family. For the buying decision, meaning which Bonanza, what to inspect and first-owner advice, read the Beechcraft Bonanza buyer's guide. For specs, typical prices and payment examples by model, see the V35B, F33A, A36 and G36 model pages. Variant-specific budgets are on the V-tail, A36, pre-owned G36 and new G36 pages. To move up to a twin, see the Bonanza-to-Baron upgrade guide. Other aircraft are on the cost of ownership hub. If a twin is on your list, see the Baron 58 model page and the Baron buyer's guide.

Frequently asked questions

Figures are illustrative planning numbers as of September 2026, not quotes or appraisals. Fuel, insurance, hangar and shop rates vary by location and pilot. Loan examples are principal and interest only.