Do you believe the Earth is warming? I do. Do you believe that man contributes to this warming trend? I do, but I don’t know how much. Do you believe that the Earth’s supply of fossil fuels is finite? I do. Do you believe that aviation contributes to climate change? I do—but not as much as other sources of greenhouse gases do. Do you believe that raising cattle contributes to the rise in the Earth’s temperature? I do. Do you like steak? I do. Do you like to fly airplanes powered by fossil fuels? I do. Well, then, that’s a problem.
Gear Up: The Prius and the Private Plane
Key Takeaways:
- The author acknowledges the environmental impact of aviation and finite fossil fuels but struggles with his personal passion for flying fuel-intensive aircraft, highlighting a conflict between virtue and personal enjoyment.
- His nearly 50-year history of aircraft ownership illustrates a consistent trade-off where his pursuit of greater speed, comfort, utility, and reliability came at the direct expense of fuel efficiency.
- Despite feeling "a little" bad about the wastefulness, the author prioritizes his current enjoyment of flying, rationalizing it as the "pinnacle of my flying life" and accepting the personal compromise.
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