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Let’s Try This Again

Finished with pre-buy inspections in Nashville, it’s ready for us. Dick Karl
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • The author's first jet purchase (Beechcraft Premier 1) was an emotional decision that resulted in persistent maintenance issues, parts scarcity, and ultimately a "painful breakup" after a bird strike.
  • Learning from this, the author is now approaching a second jet purchase with a rational, cautious strategy, enlisting experts and prioritizing reliability, parts availability, and thorough maintenance history over initial appeal.
  • This new approach led to the selection of a more modest, proven Cessna CJ1, for which a purchase agreement has been reached and the aircraft is currently undergoing a pre-buy inspection.
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It is said that a second marriage is the triumph of hope over experience. The same might be said of a second attempt at buying a jet just a few months after having suffered a painful breakup. Things are surely different the second time around.

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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