APAAD Age 60 UPDATE 06 October 2007

[CaptBud330]

Reason I'm glad I retired at 60

1) No more hotels where the pillows smell like a French whore.
2) No more Gatwick Hilton beds with skid marks on the sheets.
3)No more BS from TSA
4)No more BS from the FAA
5)No more 6 month checks
6)NO MORE COMMUTING!
7)No more flying over the Atlantic at 4am.
8)No more putting up with stupid passengers.

Damn, I love retirement! I can't imagine doing it for 5 more years.

 

[PCL_128]

Who has more greed, the pilot that wants to keep flying and continuing his career or the one that wants him fired because of his age so he can get his job?

The one who wants to change the rules at the end of the game to benefit himself at the expense of everyone else.

 

[PsubS]

9) No more paycheck...

I hope you were ready financially for retirement--I really do. Assuming so, I simply note that not everyone is.

The odds are that age 60 will eventually change. But neither you nor I can speak with absolute certitude that it will or will not change. Nor can either of us give a concrete timeframe for instituting such a change.

Andy, your's is one of the sole voices of reason on this board. I'm not disagreeing with you; frankly, there is little doubt about the eventuality of this action, but the timing is just not a given.

What I'm really pissed about is the absolute "regional" mentality of this board. It's all about "me"--with a vengance. Very little discussion, very little reason (save your most recent, Andy). It is as if many of the posters here simply want to see guys pushed out of their profession, not for rational reasons, but because it is apparently...

...fun to watch someone lose their job.

I'm outta here for another board. Glad I could tweak your souls.

 

[srv141]

The real issue with the age 60/65 rule change is not retirement, working longer, or anything else but safety, period. Face it, after 60ish your reactions/skills take a marked downturn and thats that. I know that ICAO has raised the age limit but they also have a ballbuster physical that is VERY difficult to pass for a younger pilot let alone one who is 60+. I also understand this is a blanket statment and there are always exceptions, but you have to draw the line somewhere. Sorry, but I think changing the age 60 rule is a very, very bad idea.

 

[Flashbang]

Who has more greed, the pilot that wants to keep flying and continuing his career or the one that wants him fired because of his age so he can get his job?

I only want you fired if you're incompetent beyond repair or show up drunk/high to work. However, I want you RETIRED at 60 because you benefited from the same rule your entire career. Why should you get the windfall at my expense?

 

[Tejas-Jet]

Glad these guys were busy trying to change 60 back then instead of oh I don't know, fighting to get Herb's wallet open to fund a real retirement...

....like the retirement package at ...UAL...or US Air?

 

[Yuppyguppy]

JUST GO AWAY old farts!

 

[zonker]

9) No more paycheck...

I hope you were ready financially for retirement--I really do. Assuming so, I simply note that not everyone is.



Andy, your's is one of the sole voices of reason on this board. I'm not disagreeing with you; frankly, there is little doubt about the eventuality of this action, but the timing is just not a given.

What I'm really pissed about is the absolute "regional" mentality of this board. It's all about "me"--with a vengance. Very little discussion, very little reason (save your most recent, Andy). It is as if many of the posters here simply want to see guys pushed out of their profession, not for rational reasons, but because it is apparently...

...fun to watch someone lose their job.

I'm outta here for another board. Glad I could tweak your souls.

Or maybe some are just tired of the "I got mine, screw everyone else" routine.

Kind of like the attitudes of some of the senior jetblue captains.

 

[nimtz]

....like the retirement package at ...UAL...or US Air?

How about the guys who left in the mid 90's comfortably and often a few years early. Amazing what good planning, realistic lifestyle, and a real retirement plan could do instead of fighting to fly 5 legs/day for 5 more years. Granted the formula no longer works, but it sure as hell did when these elder heroes at SWA were content with getting paid 'peanuts'. If their solution back then was simply to fight the retirement age then their contribution to our future QOL is zilch.

 

[chris69]

I'm to lazy to write anything new. I posted this during the last argument on the issue. Contrary to some individuals imaginations, the SWA retirement has been pretty good to some people. My take from the SWA side:

Everyone has their own circumstances to consider. From my perpective, it becomes harder to sypathize with those forced to retire upon reaching age 60 when the more vocal among them berate those that don't agree with them in the union fish-rap. When I started at SWA in early 03, the union web-page had a "compare your balance" feature which graphically displayed general balances based upon longevity. As the age 60 push increased, that feature disapeared. Although it may have been a legal decision vice a political one, the legal argument seems too convenient. Before it went offline, I copied down a few numbers comparing 401k and profit sharing balances. This was before the rise in the market since then, and in general, the results were as follows - 25 yrs: $2 million, 27 yrs: $2.7 million, 30 yrs: $3.3 million. Around that time I flew with a senior 4000 number Capt out of PHX (great guy by the way) that was very forthright when discussing his balance. To paraphrase "It took me 18 years to earn my first million, another 4 to earn my second, and 18 more months to earn my third." Probably a savy investor, but not uncommon based on his seniority. Again, to each his own, just throwing this out to enlighted those 1,800 guys that have joined the company behind me on what they missed.
C