Flaming Foliage Sky Tours is a small sightseeing tour company in New Hampshire. The firm specializes in aerial tours of the New England countryside during September and October, when the fall color is at its peak. Until recently, the company had not had an accounting department. Routine bookkeeping tasks, such as billing, had been handled by an individual who had little formal training in accounting. As the business began to grow, however, the owner recognized the need for more formal accounting procedures. Jacqueline Frost has recently been hired as the new controller, and she will have the authority to hire an assistant. During her first week on the job, Frost was given the following performance report. The report was prepared by Red Leif, the company’s manager of aircraft operations, who was planning to present it to the owner the next morning. "Look at these favorable variances for fuel and so forth," Leif pointed out, as he showed the report to Frost. "My operations people are really doing a great job." Later that day, Frost looked at the performance report more carefully. She immediately realized that it was improperly prepared and would be misleading to the company’s owner. FLAMING FOLIAGE SKY TOURS Performance Report For the Month of September Formula Flexible Static Budget Actual Budget (per (33,ee0 air (35,0ee air miles) $412,50e air mile) $ 12.50 miles) Variance $437,50e $25,e00 u Passenger revenue Less: Variable expenses: Fuel Aircraft maintenance Flight crew salaries Selling and administrative $62,4060 $1.80 2.35 1.20 2.90 $8.25 $4.25 $63,0060 82,250 42,000 101,500 $288,75e $148,75e $600 F 7,500 F 1,000 F 7,100 F $16,200 F $ 8,800 U 74,750 41,00e 94,400 Total variable expenses $272,55e $139,95e Contribution margin Less: Fixed expenses: Per Month Depreciation on aircraft Landing fees Supervisory salaries Selling and administrative $ 10,4060 4,400 41,000 50,000 $105,80e $ 10,4060 $ 10,4060 4,400 41,000 50,000 $105,80e $ 42,9560 4,900 39,300 55,900 500 U 1,700 F 5,900 U $ 4,700 U $13,500U Total fixed expenses Operating income $110,50e $ 29,4560
1. Prepare a columnar flexible budget for Flaming Foliage Sky Tours’ expenses, using air miles as the cost driver at the following activity levels: 33,000 air miles, 35,000 air miles, and 38,000 air miles.
Activity level(Air Miles)
33,000 35,000 38,000
Variable expenses
Total variable expenses
Fixed expenses
Total fixed expenses
Total expenses
2. Prepare a revised expense variance report for September, which is based on the flexible budget prepared in part (1).