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OMG, Insurance!

The market closes in on an aviator deemed too old.

[Credit: iStock]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • An experienced pilot, despite extensive qualifications and recent training, is suddenly unable to continue single-pilot jet operations because insurers have deemed him "too old," leading to prohibitively expensive coverage.
  • The author finds no evidence to support increased risk for experienced older pilots, attributing the drastic insurance market changes to external factors like the Boeing 737 Max accidents and the war in Ukraine.
  • This unexpected restriction causes him profound sadness, representing a significant loss of the freedom and personal accomplishment he has cherished throughout 55 years of flying.
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Yesterday I flew our Cessna Citation CJ1 single pilot from Austin, Texas, to Tampa, Florida. The weather was good at both ends, but a cold front with thunderstorms reaching upwards of 45,000 feet into the sky lay in wait across the route. At FL 390 only a minor deviation was required and our flight time was only a few minutes more than forecast. We were home safe by 3 p.m.

This Article First Appeared in FLYING Magazine

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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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