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OMG, Insurance!

The market closes in on an aviator deemed too old.

[Credit: iStock]
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Despite extensive experience, recent certification, and no evidence of increased risk, the pilot is now deemed "too old" by the insurance industry for single-pilot operations.
  • Insurance for single-pilot flying has become prohibitively expensive, increasing nine-fold in four years to push $100,000, effectively eliminating the pilot's ability to fly alone.
  • This change, attributed to factors like the Boeing 737 Max accidents and the war in Ukraine, has caused the pilot profound sadness and a loss of flying freedom, forcing him to consider drastic changes to his aviation lifestyle.
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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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