Aircraft Rental: An Overview of Wet and Dry Rates

Are you planning to rent an aircraft for specific purposes? Typically, fixed based operators (FBOs) and flight schools rent aircraft on either wet or dry rate. To know the difference between these rental rates, here is a quick overview:

Wet Rates

According to My Flight Solutions, a wet rental rate refers to the aircraft rental cost plus the price of the fuel and oil expected to be used during the flight. If the pilot needs to refuel while on a cross-country flight, he or she has to pay for the refuel costs. The FBO or the flight school will reimburse the amount upon return, as the wet rates already covered the fuel costs of the entire flight.

Each FBO or flight school will have a different rental policy, but some FBOs also provide line service staff with this kind of rental service. The personnel makes sure the tanks contain the exact amount of fuel the pilot requested. Another thing to remember is that the aircraft rental is a service so it is not subject to tax. However, the fuel and oil are taxable products, so expect that the total bill will include the oil and fuel tax amounts.

Dry Rates

Dry rental rates do not include the fuel or oil costs; they only cover the aircraft rental price. The pilot will have to pay for fuel and oil himself. Though fueling looks more convenient with wet rentals, fuel-efficient pilots may end up saving money as they only have to refuel as needed. The pilot will also have a choice to find an FBO that can offer cheaper fuel prices.

Wet rental rates may be more expensive, but they offer convenience when it comes to refueling. On the other hand, dry rentals are definitely cheaper but they may cause pilots to take extra time as they need to refuel on their own. So, it all boils down to choosing the rental type that meets the aircraft’s specific needs for a given flight.