Pilot Retirees may come back

[Tejas-Jet]

You know what's really scary? My grandfather is 65 and we had to take his car keys away. He now just sits in a nursing home all day pooping in his diaper and drooling on himself.

Is this the kind of person you really want flying your loved ones around? LOL

WOW..at age 65? thats sad. So my answer to your question is...no, I don't want somebody like your grandfather flying anyone around. but just because your grandfather is pretty much an invalid at age 65 doesn't mean everyone else his age is the same. I know my dad isn't and he is older then your grandfather.

My mom and dad walk a few miles every morning....is involved in his community, keeps the family business going, and still has a beer or two a couple of nights a week. Him and my mom still go dancing a couple of nights a month. He is 76 years old and still going strong.

Your genetics play a huge part in how you will age. Of course, how one takes care of himself plays a role also.

If you eat at McDonald's 5 nights a week...you are looking for trouble, no matter your genetic history.

All of my dad's brothers are still living. Only one is older than him...the youngest is 63...and ( sadly) still chasing women...and continues to get caught. not good. His genetics may be good...but his lifestyle may cause him some problems.

 

[Tejas-Jet]

Your dad or father in-law are not airline pilots. Fly the airlines for 30 years and you will be in a nursing home taking a crap in a diaper all day.

Does flying airplanes stress you out? Low vis approaches make you scared? Do you have any proof that "flying the airlines for 30 years" will put one in a nursing home?

I'll say for myself, this is a relatively easy job...especially with all the scheduling options we have at "my house"

 

[Floatplane]

Your dad or father in-law are not airline pilots. Fly the airlines for 30 years and you will be in a nursing home taking a crap in a diaper all day.

Your right they did not fly for 30 years. Both have been working for over 50+ years. So you tell me, since you seem to be the brain trust, what is so hard about piloting an airplane for 30+ years that would make someone in such poor shape at the age of 65. The only reason I can see is that person has a very unlucky set of genes or they took very poor care of their personel health. I would suspect the latter.:smash:

 

[C-150ETOPS]

One is a retired Army General, former President of a very large law firm, and law partner. The other has built up a construction business to become the second largest in the state. Both have been working for over 50+ years. :smash:

I'll tell you what. Neither of your relatives isn't going to making major legal or critical engineering decisons at 4:00 am after being awake for 20 hours.

They make those types of choices during meetings from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

I've heard enough of "my old man is still a sharp guy" talk. I flew bizjets with a few. Sharp guys between 10:00am-2:00pm, they faded fast after that period and after long days.

Don't let the facts get in the way.

 

[ferlo]

F'em. They knew the rules...

 

[Floatplane]

I'll tell you what. Neither of your relatives isn't going to making major legal or critical engineering decisons at 4:00 am after being awake for 20 hours.

They make those types of choices during meetings from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.

I've heard enough of "my old man is still a sharp guy" talk. I flew bizjets with a few. Sharp guys between 10:00am-2:00pm, they faded fast after that period and after long days.

Don't let the facts get in the way.

Okey, I'll bite. Give me the facts. 10:00-4:00 pm. huh, I will give you a challenge. When was the last time you put in a 3200 hourin a year? 120 hours in a week? or 18 hours in a day? We have it extremely easy compared to what they do. But, I am still on the side that we are not adequately compensated for what we do. We just cannot expect the same pay as other professions because there is no comparison. Give it a break that airline pilots are just as hard working as other professions because we are not. We do however need to bring the profession back to the level that is deserved and required to attract the best and brightest.

With that said, I think I am done with this topic.

 

[boxjockey]

I don't think the issue for us is the amount of work we do, but the way we do it. As a regional pilot, if you are working a four-day, first day maybe you go to midnight by the time you're in bed. Then a 6am wake up for another 14 hour day, and so on. Guys who have to do two or three days in a row of transcon redeyes. I know from personal experience, that long-haul flying, while quite easy from a stress standpoint, truly does fatigue you over time. Crossing 8 or 9 time zones at a time, staying in the dark for three days in a row. I know that if I didn't stay on my home time when I am away, I would be wrecked trying to catch up when I got home, just to do it all over again. My point is, it's not the amount of work that we do, but the way we do it. This type of work does wear on you over time. Just my opinion.

Box

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

After I was "fired" because of the age 60 rule, I was offered a positon with Air India flying Captain on a B777, JFK to Bombay and back, a 32-hour turn-around with a 3-day layover in Bombay. It was 144K per year. After much thought I turned it down because it's just too hard to fly those types of trips. I think its easire to fly a 4-day domestic trip worth 28-hours with 16 legs than the 6-day Bombay turn.

 

[CopilotDoug]

When was the last time you put in a 3200 hourin a year? 120 hours in a week? or 18 hours in a day? We have it extremely easy compared to what they do. But, I am still on the side that we are not adequately compensated for what we do. We just cannot expect the same pay as other professions because there is no comparison.

Let's be realistic here...how many hours in that "120" hr work week were spent surfing porn on the internet. Are you still in highschool or something? Oh yeah, well my daddy is better than your daddy! A "bad day" at the office for an airline pilot will trump sitting safely behind a desk every time!

Undaunted...the question is: Are YOU coming back?

 

[Andy]

Undaunted...the question is: Are YOU coming back?

No, he's changed his mind. He's admitted that the work was too hard for someone over 60.

The irony in all of this is that due to UF and others who got 65 passed, pension reform's now a dead issue. There's no way that any version of the Akaka Bill will see the light of day.

 

[CopilotDoug]

Yeah, it's pretty much a free for all from here on out. You can't count on the company to provide you with anything after retirement, gotta CYA.

 

[Andy]

Yeah, it's pretty much a free for all from here on out. You can't count on the company to provide you with anything after retirement, gotta CYA.

That was true post-911. If any pilot thinks that their DB plan is safe (that includes boxhaulers), they may be in for a rude awakening.

 

[instructordude]

Did any of the prior posters actually read the article. It clearly says that any retiree must start at the bottom. No one will do that. So what is the issue? Surely no one has a problem with that, so why take exception to the post or to UndauntedFlyer for posting it? The posted article only reaffirms your security. Does it not?

I read the article and agree we are in a hiring shortage of pilots. A way to fix the shortage problem would be to bring back those who were fired at age 60, give them a quick Capt course and get that experience back on line. Just a thought and idea. It kills two birds with one stone, fixes the shortage and makes flying safer by getting all that experience back up front in the left seat.

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

Undaunted...the question is: Are YOU coming back?

My position has always been the same: Retire from airline flying when one is ready, be it 55, 58, 60, 62 or whenever, including when a person can no longer pass their class I physical. In my case I was not ready to retire at 60, so I did what I could to permit all pilots to extend their choice to age-65. So what's wrong with that? Nothing I would say. Was I effective, probably not very effective compared with the success of others. In any event I was forced to "retire" at 60 and that's the way it went. That's behind me.

Other opportunities have presented themselves as I have previously posted, including an opportunity to have what many would call a dream job flying as an international B777 captain, commuting to JFK, 7 on 6 off. I just decided to not accept it, so by my own decision, not some government authority I decided to quit airline flying in favor of other things. And I have no interest in returning to airline work.

I am certain of the following, while many will say that they want to retire early, at 55 or age 60, that just will not happen. Very few, no matter what they say now or even based on what they believe to be true when they say it, will retire at age 60. Most will fly to age 65, you can count on it. Now I know there are those like ANDY who will dispute this and not that ANDY doesn't believe what he says himself, the truth is, most everyone will fly well past age 60.

Was it right to change the age-60 rule? You bet it was because it was wrong from the beginning.

Co-Pilot Doug: You are DG right?

 

[blzr]

Dude,
For the money, flying in the airlines (OK, major airlines) is about as easy as it gets...ever had a real job?

Yeah Yeah Yeah, you sound like every other person that talks about pilots. "you go to work, drink coffee and bang flight attendants. Wow, you have it so easy".

Ask a doctor how important his job really is. I mean, if the doc screws ther pooch in the O.R. only one person is going to die. Now, conversely, if you screw te pooch on takeoff (i.e. Comair at KLEX) who pays the price?

Ahh, who am I kidding, easiest job I ever had.!