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Gear Up: The Prius and the Private Plane

One family’s 20-year-old Cessna Citation CJ1 and 12-year-old Toyota Prius. Courtesy Dick Karl
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The author grapples with the environmental impact of aviation and his personal contribution through owning fuel-intensive aircraft, acknowledging a conflict between environmental awareness and personal passion.
  • A 50-year retrospective of his aircraft ownership reveals a consistent trade-off: increased speed, comfort, utility, and reliability have invariably come at the cost of significantly decreased fuel efficiency.
  • Despite knowing the environmental implications, the author ultimately prioritizes his personal enjoyment and the fulfillment derived from flying high-performance aircraft, largely dismissing guilt with a sense of unapologetic indulgence.
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Do you believe the Earth is warming? I do. Do you believe that man contributes to this warming trend? I do, but I don’t know how much. Do you believe that the Earth’s supply of fossil fuels is finite? I do. Do you believe that aviation contributes to climate change? I do—but not as much as other sources of greenhouse gases do. Do you believe that raising cattle contributes to the rise in the Earth’s temperature? I do. Do you like steak? I do. Do you like to fly airplanes powered by fossil fuels? I do. Well, then, that’s a problem.

Dick Karl

Dick Karl is a cancer surgeon who appreciates the beauty and science involved in both surgery and flying. Dick’s monthly Gear Up celebrates the human side of flying. He writes about his enthusiasm for both the machines and the people who fly and maintain them.

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