jegermeister
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jun 30, 2003
- Posts
- 249
January 30, 2007
FAA Administrator Marion Blakey said today that airline pilots should be able to fly until they are 65.The FAA will propose to raise the mandatory retirement age for U.S. commercial pilots from 60 to 65, Blakey said during a National Press Club luncheon in Washington, D.C. In doing so, the FAA will adopt the new International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standard that allows one pilot to be up to age 65 provided the other pilot is under age 60.
The FAA plans to issue a formal Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) later this year and will publish a final rule after careful consideration of all public comments, as required by law.
“A pilot’s experience counts — it’s an added margin of safety,” said Blakey. “Foreign airlines have demonstrated that experienced pilots in good health can fly beyond age 60 without compromising safety.”
On September 27, 2006, Administrator Blakey established a group of airline, labor and medical experts to recommend whether the United States should adopt the new ICAO standard and determine what actions would be necessary if the FAA were to change its rule. The Age 60 Aviation Rulemaking Committee (ARC) did not reach a consensus recommendation, but did provide detailed insight and analysis that will shape the final rule.
Since 1959, the FAA has required that all U.S. pilots stop flying commercial airplanes at age 60. In November 2006, ICAO, the United Nations’ aviation organization, increased the upper age limit for pilots to age 65, provided that the other pilot is under age 60. The Nov. 29, 2006 Age 60 ARC report, appendices, and public comments are available online at http://dms.dot.gov, docket number 26139.
ALPA’s president, Capt. John Prater has announced the creation of an internal work group – a Blue Ribbon Panel – to develop a response to Blakey’s announcement.
“The fact that the FAA is set to put the Age 60 regulation into the rulemaking process is very significant,” Prater said. “The FAA is careful to propose rulemaking only when it is convinced that a rule will need to change.”
The mission of the panel will be to study the effects of potential changes to the FAA Age 60 Rule and to develop recommendations on how ALPA can address the issue of pilot retirement with the goal of having a positive effect for ALPA members. The panel will be composed of representatives from the four of the association’s standing committees most logically connected with the Age 60 Issue: Safety, Retirement and Insurance, Collective Bargaining, and Human Performance (Aeromedical). The committee will uphold ALPA’s 75 year-long commitment to ensuring the highest level of aviation safety.
“ALPA policy is to support the rule as it is,” Prater said, adding that since 1980 the union has opposed and continues to oppose legislation that would overturn the rule. “However, despite that policy, we cannot afford to ignore the significance of the FAA’s announcement.”
The FAA announcement and the formation of the ALPA Blue Ribbon Panel come in the wake of five years of tumult for the airline pilot profession. Furloughs, pay and benefit cuts, and a lack of job growth have put severe economic pressure on airline pilots of all ages and experience levels. The panel will present its recommendations to the ALPA Executive Board, composed of the leaders of ALPA’s 40 pilot groups, at its May 2007 meeting.
“While it is impossible to predict what the final FAA rule will look like,” Prater said, “ALPA will use its credibility and influence to protect pilot interests throughout the process.”
Please click one of the following links to watch Capt. Prater present ALPA’s views on the FAA’s announcement:
