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Gear Up: Eight Days on the Road

Eight days of charter flying can take you clear across the country and back several times. Dick Karl
Gemini Sparkle

Key Takeaways:

  • A Part 135 pilot's rotation on a Cessna CJ3 is highly unpredictable, involving diverse routes across the country, varied passenger needs, and navigating challenging weather and airspace.
  • Pilots constantly adapt to operational demands, such as extremely early starts, last-minute flight plan changes, unexpected weight considerations, and managing fatigue during long, irregular trips.
  • The job offers a mix of mundane tasks and adventurous cross-country flights, interspersed with crew bonding over shared experiences and opportunities to enjoy local culture and cuisine in different cities.
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When starting a rotation as a Part 135 pilot on the Cessna CJ3, I really have no idea what’s coming up. I might spend eight days shuttling around the Northeast or I might cross the country three or four times. A recent trip touched all the bases when it comes to the fanciful and the mundane.

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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