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The Wandering Hearts of Pilots

Illustration by Robert Goyer
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • Pilots are universally dissatisfied with their current aircraft, always finding something that could be improved or desired.
  • This inherent discontent often manifests as a desire for greater speed, extended range, or more cabin space.
  • Even seemingly content pilots secretly harbor aspirations for a "better" or different airplane, demonstrating that the pursuit of the ideal aircraft is an ongoing quest.
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I’ve been lucky to have flown a lot of airplanes over the past 20 years, almost all of them belonging to other people. Some were high wings; some were low. Some were taildraggers; some were nose pushers. Some were brand new; some were downright decrepit. Some were fast; some were painfully slow. Some were pleasantly roomy; others were tiny. Some were technologically advanced; others were technologically challenged.

They were as different as different could be, but the one thing that they all, every single one of them, had in common—and this is a secret: they left something to be desired.

FLYING Staff

FLYING Magazine is a one-stop resource for everything aviation, including news, training, aircraft, gear, careers, photos, videos, and more.

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