First 60+ pilot to die....

[BobbyB]

you're not gonna see airline pilots suddenly dying in flight now because they raised the age by 5 years...give me a break. it might occasionally happen just like it did before they changed the rule.

I think if you look at insurance actuarial tables you'd find that more guys will keel over. Not necessarily at the yoke, but they will. What if the age was 40? How many guys would keel over at the yoke? How about age 70? 75? 90? There is some age where the average pilot isn't fit to fly the line anymore. (the bell curve. I know somebody will have a great story about an 80 yr old who is sharp as a tack blah blah, i'm talking general pilot population). Age 65 moves in that direction. There won't be guys keeling over every week, but you'd be an idiot to think that it will be the same as it has been with age 60.

 

[wrgcareer]

I wouldn't expect to see a significant increase in pilot incapacitation, but there is a difference in general population health here in the U.S. versus Europe. I don't know the stats, but I think they live longer over there.

 

[say again]

Obviously he wasnt very healthy.

Hopefully, if I do some wise planning and investing, I can be retired by 50-55.

 

[Spooky 2]

Obviously he wasnt very healthy.

Hopefully, if I do some wise planning and investing, I can be retired by 50-55.

What I meant to say of course was the guy appeared to be very healthy. Was an active runner and competed in the Master swim competitions. I dont know that one can predict a stroke.

Somebody, somewhere has probbaly got the stats on the ages of pilots who have died prior to 60. I would be suspect of anything posted here supporting either side.

 

[Flopgut]

Hey listen you low life regional reprobate. The last pilot I saw die on a flight was in the right seat of my airliner as we landed at CVG. He was flying to the airpane to boot. Very healthy 49 year old. The one before that, was 39 yeras old and all appeared to be in great health.

Your are really a low life.

As much as you would like to return to the days when a captain could push the throttles up on Tenerife and was sufficiently treacherous that no crewmember would say anything, we are NOT going to do that! Nobody knows enough about how this age is going to affect things that you can strike anyones input from consideration.

That's exactly how this is going. A chain of errors is growing rapidly and the arrogant, marginal captain won't listen to anybody. Too focused on one thing. Well, I've got news for you: your fellow crewmembers aren't going to get shut out of the equation. In or out of the cockpit, even if they work for a regional and you think you're above them.

 

[whymeworry?]

Well...you can start by tracking back to November 23, 2006...the date that the ICAO age was accepted in the US airspace.

Let us know what you find...we're interested

There are only two carriers (from my knowledge of the subject) that fly into the US who allow 60+ pilots, El Al and Jet Airways. So checking on the numbers wouldn't really portray and accurate profile of said deaths.

 

[BobbyB]

It will take years before there is reliable data. In 5 years we will have the first 65yr old retire. So we will have exactly one day of data for 64/364 yr/day old pilots flying in the US. It will take a number of years of 64 yr olds flying before we know how they are going to perform.

Today, there are just a couple of guys who are past 60 that are flying. No big deal, except a few F/O's didn't just upgrade.

 

[Mach 80]

Amish,

That longevioty/retirment table you posted was discredited a long time ago, it is now considered out of date, false, and has been debunked with more modern assesments:

"Working till late in life might boost your chances of living longer, a study has said, busting the myth that taking an early retirement is linked to longevity."

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/4286.html

http://www.speea.org/general_info/files/life.html

 

[Spooky 2]

As much as you would like to return to the days when a captain could push the throttles up on Tenerife and was sufficiently treacherous that no crewmember would say anything, we are NOT going to do that! Nobody knows enough about how this age is going to affect things that you can strike anyones input from consideration.

That's exactly how this is going. A chain of errors is growing rapidly and the arrogant, marginal captain won't listen to anybody. Too focused on one thing. Well, I've got news for you: your fellow crewmembers aren't going to get shut out of the equation. In or out of the cockpit, even if they work for a regional and you think you're above them.

You talk'n to me?

 

[Flopgut]

Yes, I am.

 

[Spooky 2]

Yes, I am.

Sorry...wasn't sure what with your rambling on about some accident that happened 20+ years ago. You know little if any thing about me so I will just let this one slip by and we can go on agreeing to disagree. I hope this age 65 deal does not ruin your career expectations and can only suggest, as I have stated before, that the real career firewall is the inept and corrupt management that populates the US airline industry today. You might want to include ALPA in this list as well. Between them and the political hacks we watch everyday. it's a wonder that any of us survived.

It was not uncomon to have pilots sit at the FE panel for five, six and even seven years even at the legacy airlines before moving up to the FO seat. Somehow most lived through this experince. If you want to see what ALPA can do to destroy careers all you have to do is look back at the professional FE and how ALPA in a blatant power grap rearranged those careers. ALPA has enough warts on it to make a Leper look good. Welcome to the airline business.

 

[atrdriver]

Amish,

That longevioty/retirment table you posted was discredited a long time ago, it is now considered out of date, false, and has been debunked with more modern assesments:

"Working till late in life might boost your chances of living longer, a study has said, busting the myth that taking an early retirement is linked to longevity."

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/4286.html

http://www.speea.org/general_info/files/life.html

And how many 80 year old ex airline pilots to you know? I know that most of my dads friends died before 70. Yeah, there are exceptions to every rule, and you can tell me about all those guys you know that retired that are 120. But personally, I don't know ANY ex airline pilots over 70 to 75 years old.

 

[Spooky 2]

And how many 80 year old ex airline pilots to you know? I know that most of my dads friends died before 70. Yeah, there are exceptions to every rule, and you can tell me about all those guys you know that retired that are 120. But personally, I don't know ANY ex airline pilots over 70 to 75 years old.

You know someone just posted a age list of all the retired DAL guys and I was surprised at the high number of guys over 80+, with a couple over 90. "Snake" Smith former DAL CP and I guess a real legend just past on and think he was in his 90's. Remember that there simply were not that may airline pilots in those days that would be reaching into their 80+'s today. You are right though, a lot of pilots pass on earlier...it seems. Somewhere I was looking at a list for retired TWA guys and keeping in mind that TWA was a pretty large airline, it seemed that there were a lot of guys passing away over the last twenty-five years. You can almost look at the guys you think might be "early out" based up their demeanor and physical well being. If atitudes alone were the defining criteria, one might assume that there are a lot of early outs on this board.

 

[Flopgut]

Spooky: I was taking issue with your harsh tone toward someone you assumed was inferior to you. (who you probably haven't met either, BTW) We've got too much of that going on around this issue. We can't roll back the clocks to the day captains made decisions with no input. Although, metaphorically, that's exactly what has happened?!

This change going forward is going to require a whole new level of professionalism. Especially on the part of FOs.

 

[Spooky 2]

Spooky: I was taking issue with your harsh tone toward someone you assumed was inferior to you. (who you probably haven't met either, BTW) We've got too much of that going on around this issue. We can't roll back the clocks to the day captains made decisions with no input. Although, metaphorically, that's exactly what has happened?!

This change going forward is going to require a whole new level of professionalism. Especially on the part of FOs.

Obviously I don't know who you work for but I have not seen that kind of behavior on a flight deck for many a year now. Hopefully it does not exist at your outfit and if it does, yea, someone needs to get a grip on it quickly. I had no intentions of talking down to whom ever your refereing to so shame on me if that is the way it came accross. I think I was just getting a little wrapped up in the emotion of this issue which in it's self is kinda funny since I don't have a dog in this fight anymore. Everyone gets a little tired of being refered to as Gramps the Old Fart etc. I'll go back to rocker now and behave. Lets see where did I put my bifocals now?