An idea on age 65...

[Spooky 2]

Age aside, medicals are a joke. How many fat$%^ elder pilots with 6 heart attacks behind them do you see waddling up the concourse and squeezing themselves into the cockpit just because of medical demonstratibility from their AME? Then, how many otherwise young and healthy pilots lose their medical for some minimal condition that really has nothing to do with flight safety because the FAA has decided that certain congenital "defects" are permanently disqualifiable?

This whole Age 65 bit is complete bull^&$% concocted by a minority elitist group of elders who can't see beyond themselves to understand that their job as professionals is to realize when reduced safety, because of pilot health (their health), becomes a real concern.

Your starting to sound like a broken record here. Probably just as many young out of condition young guys out there as the old farts. Elitists, not so sure but obviously they out smarted you younger guys so in this case at least, they appear to be smarter, which after all, is what counted at this critical juncture in airline one upsmanship. PS, I retired at 58 so don't blame me.

 

[JPAustin]

Your starting to sound like a broken record here. Probably just as many young out of condition young guys out there as the old farts. Elitists, not so sure but obviously they out smarted you younger guys so in this case at least, they appear to be smarter, which after all, is what counted at this critical juncture in airline one upsmanship. PS, I retired at 58 so don't blame me.

Exactly my point! You take an out of condition pilot, but add age to the equation, and you have got one ticking timebomb there! That is what I mean when I say that FAA medicals are a joke. The FAA enforces only their guidance measures, not regulations, which is basically accepted practices of interpretation of the regulations (kind of like the cannonization of the bible). The problem is, no one outside of the FAA, such as operators, pilots, and AMEs are privy to that guidance. How else do you think that group of 100 some odd pilots in Northern California got away with false medicals for a decade?

Now, I have no clue what you mean when you stated that the elitists among pilots have "outsmarted" we younger guys, unless it was meant purely for spite, which when applied, really implies that you have no legitimate argument. Nevertheless, is it my imagination, or did not the majority of ALPA members vote AGAINST age 65? Is it my imagination that ALPA at one time was AGAINST age 65? Is it my imagination that APA is AGAINST age 65? If you are implying that winning Age 65 in spite of a majority vote against Age 65 is "out-smarting" us, then it sounds like the elitist "old farts" (your words, not mine) in fact cheated the majority out of a sound democratic process. No one was outsmarted, just unethically out-maneuvered.

PS -- I do find it amusing that you believe in, and are apparently in favor of, an elitist class among airline pilots. Since when is a caste system a sound and accepted practice of a democratic union? You are older and fly bigger aircraft than I, ergo you are superior me? Come on now. That kind of thinking, and this Age 65 crap, might very well be the straw that breaks ALPA's back, and the only ones to benefit will be the managements. Another fine example of pilot stabbing pilot. Managements love that! You wanna help me be a pallbearer for ALPA's casket during its funeral procession?

 

[AC560]

or did not the majority of ALPA members vote AGAINST age 65? Is it my imagination that ALPA at one time was AGAINST age 65? Is it my imagination that APA is AGAINST age 65?

Why would a union vote have any basis for a decision on health related laws/regulations?

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

This whole Age 65 bit is complete bull^&$%. .

You are totally correct. There should be no minimum or maximum age. If you can pass the physical and pass the checkrides that should be enough. Many pilots could probably fly to age 75 with no problem.

 

[USMC319]

You are totally correct. There should be no minimum or maximum age. If you can pass the physical and pass the checkrides that should be enough. Many pilots could probably fly to age 75 with no problem.

To your point, I know a retired NWA pilot that was forced to retire over 20 years ago because of the age 60 rule. As a sign of protest he has subjected himself to a first class medical every six months since then and probably can fly circles around 90 percent of most of his junior peers.

 

[pilotyip]

Astronaut physical for everyone over 39

And with the astronaut physical more prehaps more over 60 would fail than under 60, but the failure curve would start to break upward I would guess somewhere in the post 39 age group. Alot of some 60 pilots would find themselves without a medical. I know at 64 I am in better shape than many of the uniformed pilots I see walking through the terminals.