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We were delighted to hear Oprah Winfrey happily, unabashedly telling Duke University graduates that she loves her private jet – a custom-built Bombardier Global Express XRS. Robert Frank, a Wall Street Journal blogger, went so far as to suggest that the aviation industry forget productivity and economic arguments and just run a picture of Oprah with the line, “It’s great to have a private jet.” It’s certainly true that having someone with Oprah’s influence weigh in on the topic does more than any conventional ad possibly could. We just hope that, as the debate continues, she has a chance to expand on why her jet is great, how it helps her manage her diverse enterprises and maintain her standing as an American pop culture icon.

Of course, we know that the vast majority of people using private aviation aren’t boarding large-cabin ultra-long-range jets but instead are flying small single- and twin-engine piston aircraft.