Age 60 rules reviewed

[My Flight Surgeon]

Press release today
http://www.faa.gov/news/press_releas...fm?newsId=7415

[I_Money]

Doc, I would be interested in medical facts about aging (60+) and cognitive function - it seems strange that 60 years old is the limit for pilots, while surgeons keep operating many years later. It seems they would require similar dexterity, precision, and congnitive function.

[lostplanetairman]

Just keep in mind that the origin of the Age 60 rule was about money to be saved by forcing pilots to retire and not about safety at all.

[Champcar]

I thought it was because ICAO has (or had) a Age 60 rule?

[lostplanetairman]

It is--that goes into effect in November. But US pilots are not on board. So international pilots can fly to age 65, but US pilots have to retire at age 60 with no Social Security and often, no pensions. And no, not every pilot has three ex wives, multiples of kids and boats, etc. Many just bounced around from one bankrupt carrier to the next--through no fault of their own!

[flyover]

Duane Woerth embarrassed himself and ALPA by saying ALPA opposed it because: "it's impossible to determine which older pilots might suffer a sudden catastrophic medical problem."

Well, if that's true then how do they determine which 59 year olds might suffer a sudden catastrophic medical problem? Oh yeah, it's those expensive medicals I take every 6 friggin' months.

ALPA has no reasonable argument against this rule change so they trump up a false safety argument.

The age 60 rule was an arbritary rule set by government bureaucrats years ago. No basis for it then, and definitely none now.

[surreal1221]

Increasing the age needs to wait til after this "mass retirement boom."

but not really at the same time.

[kellwolf]

Honestly, I think it has to happen, especially with those that were close to retirement getting their pensions yanked. I doubt this guys and gals WANT to keep working for another 5 years, they might HAVE to.

I don't want to work all the way until 65, but it would be nice to have the option like a lot of the other ICAO countries. Remember, just b/c 65 is mandatory doesn't mean people can't retire early.

[surreal1221]

I agree Kell. These guys need it. BUT . . . it's only going to keep the pipeline clogged.

Have to pay our dues I suppose. They had to, so we must as well.

[My Flight Surgeon]

This is the opinion of the author and not the FAA.

Being a Geriatrician (I am a Fellow of the American Geriatrics Society) in a former life, I don't think it makes any sense to have an arbitrary retirement age. If there is a safety concern (PC term) , then just set the pairing computer to have one pilot in the cockpit under the age of 60. As we age, cognitive function declines for us but our experience makes up for the speed of processing data. (I can still run circles around young residents who think they know everything but lack my years of experience). As far as a test for cognitive functionm, there is not one specific enough out there to identify who is at risk between the ages of 60 and 65 of becoming impaired.

Regarding outher health issues, if one keeps themselves in good shape, eats right and watches their weight, cholesterol and blood pressure, there should be little to no increased risks for them.

This is the opinion of the author and not the FAA.

[Beechlover]

Great news for guys like me!!! Beginning my flying career at 42 it would be terrific to have the possibility of a 20 plus yr career as a pilot!

[kellwolf]

Originally Posted by surreal1221

I agree Kell. These guys need it. BUT . . . it's only going to keep the pipeline clogged.

Have to pay our dues I suppose. They had to, so we must as well.

I don't think the pipeline will be much more clogged than it already is. I'm of the opinion that the "Airlines will be in trouble due to mass retirements" is Darby-esque hype to get people into flight schools. There are still plenty of places to go in fractionals, 135, etc. Most of those majors aren't hiring now, anyway. Hiring won't slow down at SWA since they're growing, I'm betting the same will stay true at AirTran. jetBlue is another story, but I think they have bigger problems to deal with. Continental is also in a good place as far as growth goes. The ones facing the "problem" with retiring pilots are the ones that haven't been hiring for years anyway.

[FlyChicaga]

I for one am all for upping the mandatory retirement age to 65. Who says you can't retire before that? For those who plan, how many will really stick it out that long? Not many in the cargo sector from what I hear, who have health problems due to circadian rhythm disruption. I think that a detailed First Class medical exam would be sufficient to keep these guys flying.

ALPA's argument is BS. It's not like the day you turn 60 you become incapacitated and a danger to powered flight. Many of these pilots retiring at 60 are continuing to fly in the corporate sector/fractional or other civilian-type flying, so they share the same airspace as us.