Over AGE 60 PILOTS TO FLY IN UNITED STATES

[Dash Power]

ive seen a lot of good discussion on this issue and it seems to come down to one thing...personal choice...if the rule change benefits you then u are for it...if it does not benefit you (delay of upgrade) then u are against it....we can talk all we want but it is personal choice...for me it doesn't matter as of yet...already being a widebody captain..retirement in place...24 yrs to go...hoping all goes well for fdx and my health i hope to retire early...but everyone is different with different circumstances...but i do figure that when i retire someone will get to upgrade...who knows...

Many talk about early retirement but my experience is that few take it.

When the time comes to seriously contemplate the actual severing from the company, you begin to realize how much it will cost.

It is a personal choice. When I was an FO I wouldn't have wanted anything to do with the rule change. Now that I am a Captain with some seniority I have become more neutral. As time continues to go by fast I'm sure I will be more interested in the rule changing.

 

[CaptainMark]

well in my case...the fdx seniority calculator shows i will be #1 on the seniority list at 57...so u may be right...life will be good my last 10 years...again different circumstances for different people...and i have known many here at fdx to get out early...most had one wife and invested wisely in the market and real estate...i learned a lot from the ones i personally knew...

 

[Phaedrus]

It is a personal choice. When I was an FO I wouldn't have wanted anything to do with the rule change. Now that I am a Captain with some seniority I have become more neutral. As time continues to go by fast I'm sure I will be more interested in the rule changing.

So refreshing to read an honest post. Discrimination, schmiscrimination. Fair, schmair. The bottom line is it's all about me/you/I. Quite simply that's the way it is. Just fess up and so many more would at least have a minimal amount of respect for your position.
Good work Dash. It really is a lonely word.

 

[Bringupthebird]

The air industry all over the world is booming and here in the US it is dismal. We can change the age rule, but not until after this industry stabilizes a little bit.

What will continuing to screw pilots out of the opportunity to continue working do to help to stabilize the industry? Should Lincoln have waited until the industrial revolution had brought about advances in agricultural technology before he signed the emancipation proclamation?

No more fully-capable pilots should be fired soley because of having the wrong birthday.

 

[CoolSidePillow]

Comments?

This is what I say to all veterans. My deepest apologies that you were lied to and tricked to risk your lives for rich people to get richer. Can I buy you a beer?

 

[Dash Power]

well in my case...the fdx seniority calculator shows i will be #1 on the seniority list at 57...so u may be right...life will be good my last 10 years...again different circumstances for different people...and i have known many here at fdx to get out early...most had one wife and invested wisely in the market and real estate...i learned a lot from the ones i personally knew...

Wise investing and one wife will indeed help in your long term security. I would not be surprised if fdx pilots retired early. Good pay with, for most, tough schedules. But 200,000 a year plus pay and benefits working an average of 10 days a month is difficult to walk away from unless you really don't like your job. Here at SWA, I have heard many Captains talk of early retirement, but only a few seem to have acted on.

 

[CaptainMark]

Wise investing and one wife will indeed help in your long term security. I would not be surprised if fdx pilots retired early. Good pay with, for most, tough schedules. But 200,000 a year plus pay and benefits working an average of 10 days a month is difficult to walk away from unless you really don't like your job. Here at SWA, I have heard many Captains talk of early retirement, but only a few seem to have acted on.

you are right...who knows what the future entails..it is all a guess...i just have a plan..well see...but the big deal is the 1 wife thing...if you can do that you have at least a shot at it....i have a good one...lucky me...fly safe

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

I just have a plan..well see...but the big deal is the 1 wife thing...if you can do that you have at least a shot at it....i have a good one...lucky me...fly safe

All sounds good for now but many things can happen. Many great wives and husbands go through a mid-life change of some kind and become totally different people. Then everything can go from just fine to terrible. In fact, in case you haven’t heard, that is more the norm than the exception in our line of work. Also, the stock market could easily lose 2,000 points tomorrow and 1,500 the next day, you panic and take all your money out and put it into the Money Market only to find the market recover 3,000 points the next day. There goes possibly 50 to 100K in 72 hours. You could have a Katrina type of loss on your home by fire or flood and the insurance company wiggles out of paying by a close reading of the fine print.

So the message is: You just don't know what your position to retire at 60 will be even with the best of planning. Things just change. So it's certainly nice to be able to keep working if that is your need or choice.

 

[CaptainMark]

and that is why i said "who knows what the future entails"

 

[UndauntedFlyer]

I guess you did say that.