How Much Does a Gyrocopter Cost?
A UK price guide
A new factory-built gyrocopter in the UK starts from £125,000, and running one costs about £35 an hour in fuel, oil and servicing. Those are the published figures for the ARGON 915 iS; the larger ARGON GTL starts from £165,000. Both exclude taxes and delivery, and both are built to order, so the final figure moves with the engine, avionics, propeller and finish you choose. Second-hand changes the first number and not the second.
Those are our own prices, published by Argo Aero UK as the United Kingdom dealer for Manufaktura Lotnicza - not an industry average, and worth checking against anyone who quotes you differently. What follows is where each part of the money goes, including the lines people forget until the first invoice. If the aircraft itself is new to you, what a gyrocopter actually is comes first.
Gyrocopter price at a glance
Every figure below is published by us as UK dealer, excludes taxes and delivery, and is explained further down this page.
| New ARGON 915 iS | From £125,000 |
|---|---|
| New ARGON GTL | From £165,000, around £202,000 fully specified |
| Used two-seat gyroplane in the UK | From roughly £45,000 to £50,000 |
| Cost to fly, per hour | About £35 in fuel, oil and scheduled servicing |
| All in, per hour at 150 hours a year | £89.11, on the manufacturer's figures |
| UK gyroplane licence, PPL(G) | From about £8,500 |
New, factory-built: from £125,000
A new, factory-built ARGON 915 iS starts from £125,000, and the larger ARGON GTL from £165,000 - both excluding taxes and delivery. You will not find a fixed sticker price, because every ARGON is built to order: the engine (ROTAX 915 iS or 916 iS), glass cockpit, propeller, rotor, interior and paint all move the number. Think of the base price as the starting point of a configuration, not the final cheque.
Used gyrocopters: from around GBP 45,000
The used market is where most first-time buyers start. In the UK, an older two-seat gyroplane with a few hundred hours can be found from roughly GBP 45,000-50,000, with newer, low-hours machines running well into six figures. A used aircraft saves money up front, but you take on its history - remaining engine and rotor life, maintenance records, and any updates it still needs. Buy on the logbook, not just the paint.
Kit vs factory-built
Buying a kit lowers the entry price - the ARGON kit is around USD 99,000 - but a kit is not a shortcut to cheap flying. You invest hundreds of hours of skilled work, and the finish, reliability and resale value all depend on how well it is built. A factory-built aircraft costs more because it arrives complete, tested and to a consistent, certified standard. For most buyers, factory-built is the safer investment; for hands-on builders, a kit is a project as much as an aircraft.
The cost of ownership
The purchase price is only the start. Owning a gyroplane in the UK means budgeting for:
- Annual maintenance - the CAA requires servicing at least every 12 months; see our gyrocopter maintenance page for what that involves
- Insurance - hull and liability cover, priced on the aircraft value and your experience
- Hangarage or a trailer - gyros fold down and store compactly, which keeps this lower than for a fixed-wing
- Fuel and consumables - the ROTAX runs on unleaded or avgas, and low fuel burn keeps hourly costs modest
- Training - budget separately for your Gyroplane Pilot Licence
The good news: mechanical simplicity means a gyroplane is far cheaper to run than a helicopter, and often comparable to a light aircraft. It is the closest thing to owning a performance car that also flies.
So, what should you budget?
As a rough guide: from about GBP 45,000 for a used two-seater, or from £125,000 for a new ARGON built to your specification, plus training and annual running costs on top. Still weighing it up against other rotorcraft? Read gyrocopter vs helicopter, and what the UK used market actually costs, or against the two aircraft you are most likely to be cross-shopping in Cavalon vs M24 vs ARGON GTL. Weighing it against aeroplanes instead? We put ours beside a Sling TSi and a Cirrus SR22 - one of which we own. For the cheaper of our two aircraft, see the ARGON 915 iS in detail. Ready for real numbers on your configuration? Contact us for a quote, or browse the ARGON gyrocopters for sale.
One cost that appears on no schedule: a mandatory ROTAX service bulletin - though the current one carries a labour credit.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a new gyrocopter cost in the UK?
A new, factory-built ARGON 915 iS starts from £125,000 and the ARGON GTL from £165,000, excluding taxes and delivery. The final price depends on your configuration - engine, avionics, propeller, interior and finish - because every aircraft is built to order.
What is the price of a gyrocopter?
In the UK, a new factory-built gyrocopter is priced from £125,000 for the ARGON 915 iS and from £165,000 for the ARGON GTL, excluding taxes and delivery; a fully specified GTL is around £202,000. A used two-seat gyroplane starts at roughly £45,000 to £50,000. These are Argo Aero's own published prices as the UK dealer for Manufaktura Lotnicza.
How much weight can it carry?
On the ARGON GTL, 110 kg on one seat, 200 kg on both seats together and 600 kg all up, with 20 kg of luggage in the boot. Subtract the aircraft's empty weight and the fuel you load to see what is left for people - the sum is worked through in our gyrocopter weight limit guide.
Are used gyrocopters cheaper?
Yes. Used two-seat gyroplanes in the UK typically start around GBP 45,000-50,000 for an older airframe with several hundred hours, rising towards six figures for newer, low-hours examples. A used aircraft costs less up front but you inherit its maintenance history and remaining component life.
Is a kit-built gyrocopter cheaper than factory-built?
A kit lowers the purchase price - the ARGON kit is around USD 99,000 - but you invest significant build time and skill, and the finish and resale value depend on the quality of the build. A factory-built aircraft costs more but arrives complete, tested and to a consistent standard.
What does it cost to run a gyrocopter?
Budget for an annual inspection (required by the CAA at least every 12 months), insurance, hangarage or a trailer, fuel, and consumables. Gyroplanes are mechanically simple, so running costs are far lower than a helicopter - closer to a light aircraft or a performance car.
How much is gyrocopter training on top of the aircraft?
Getting the UK Gyroplane Pilot Licence (PPL(G)) takes a minimum of 40 hours of training, or 25 if you already hold certain licences. Training is charged per hour by the flight school, so it is a separate cost from buying the aircraft.