Over AGE 60 PILOTS TO FLY IN UNITED STATES

[matt1.1]

Astronaut Physicals

If Congress changes this against the FAA's will, the FAA is going to react in a non-discriminatory way against all commerical pilots.

Astronauts are going to be glad they are not commerical pilots after they see the new medical standards published.

And LTD rates are going to soar from the $100 per month today to three or four times that figure. Your paycheck is going to be further reduced.

LTD companies are also going to write new fine print that will be required for enrollment by all that will establish all kinds of new requirements. Fat boy programs will be established. Pilots will be worried about their body mass index, running, eating right all the time, hoping their vision is stable for the next twenty years, keeping their cholestrol below 150 without meds, etc. or losing the LTD protection.

And do you think Congress is going to stop any of this? Not on your life.

So get ready for the rubber glove and bend over because these old farts are going to have all of us in a world of hurt in another year if they get their way.

 

[matt1.1]

Lear 70

decided not to respond to lear 70s insults and erased it myself

 

[Tejas-Jet]

If Congress changes this against the FAA's will, the FAA is going to react in a non-discriminatory way against all commerical pilots.

Astronauts are going to be glad they are not commerical pilots after they see the new medical standards published.

And I can already see the lawsuits coming. Why? Because the FAA has already set a standard for medicals of all classes for pilots who are over age 60.

There are many pilots today over age 60 who hold 1st class medicals. So the FAA will then have a higher standard for a pilot only because of where he works? YGBSM !!! And the CFI, Crop Duster, Corporate Pilot, and Part 135 pilot will all be able to hold 1st class medicals at a different standard?

OK...the NTSB Law Judge dockets will be full....And, give the adversarial relationship history of the FAA and the NTSB....how do you see those rulings going?

Tejas

 

[matt1.1]

standards will increase for the commercial airline pilot

post below is edited version of this one

 

[matt1.1]

Changes are going to occur for the medical exam

Bank on medical standards changing. It is a sure thing.

Contrary to newbie, Lear 70's page 2 or 3 comments who starts his career Monday, the FAA is going to be involved in the implementation. Even if Congress puts some language in the change outlining medical standards stay the same, the FAA will find ways around it and medicals will be changed.

And even if the FAA doesn't do it the LTD companies might put their own restrictions in their language to reduce their risks and by default increase commerical pilots medical standards without the FAA's even being involved. LTD companies are not just going to sit back and watch what happens managing hundreds of millions of dollars hoping for the best. They are going to act and act swiftly and in a harsh manner to protect their money.

And the pay cuts will come in the form of higher LTD rates, you can bank on that one too. Insurance never misses an excuse to raise rates and make paying out more difficult.

 

[CaptainMark]

hey...noone answered my question...i know there are not a lot of airlines out there with b-funds..but in my understanding they were set up for the age 60 retirement...if the rule changes any brainiacs know what might happen to it..it is the best thing out there..i wish our union would opt to get rid of the a-plan and increase the b-fund because holding on to the a-plan will be a constant fight contract after contract...

 

[Flopgut]

hey...noone answered my question...i know there are not a lot of airlines out there with b-funds..but in my understanding they were set up for the age 60 retirement...if the rule changes any brainiacs know what might happen to it..it is the best thing out there..i wish our union would opt to get rid of the a-plan and increase the b-fund because holding on to the a-plan will be a constant fight contract after contract...

Your B fund is fine Mark. Its so far off for you the only problem you will have is not forgetting to spend it! B fund is better than an A plan, unless the A plan remains fully finded, then the A plan is better.

Don't you have a full time employee to handle this for you? With the amount of money you make I'm surprised you don't have someone on the payroll just to post on here for you!:laugh:

 

[Bringupthebird]

If Congress changes this against the FAA's will, the FAA is going to react in a non-discriminatory way against all commerical pilots.

How about only those pilots choosing to hold 1st Class Medicals.

And LTD rates are going to soar from the $100 per month today to three or four times that figure. Your paycheck is going to be further reduced.

Did you do the voice over for Chicken Little? You should have.

LTD companies are also going to write new fine print that will be required for enrollment by all that will establish all kinds of new requirements. Fat boy programs will be established. Pilots will be worried about their body mass index, running, eating right all the time, hoping their vision is stable for the next twenty years, keeping their cholestrol below 150 without meds, etc. or losing the LTD protection.

So which is it? Will the LTD boogeymen raise everyone's rates to accomodate the Floppy Guts and Big Beer Bellies among us, or will companies be encouraged to implement wellness programs that allow their valued employees to continue working? Again, why should healthy, qualified pilots be fired on their 60th birthday to accomodate someone else's lifestyle?

So get ready for the rubber glove and bend over because these old farts are going to have all of us in a world of hurt in another year if they get their way.

Maybe higher medical standard will send a message to airline management that perhaps everyone who can muster a fake Texas accent on the radio and pass a perfunctory checkride isn't suited to this job. Maybe then the pool of potential pilots will shrink, supply and demand can do it's job and the value of a pilot will return as reflected in the paycheck.

 

[Flopgut]

RE LTD: The next thing we can look for from APAAD will be an effort to change FAE computations to allow for them to go on LTD and not have it effect retirement. There are a lot of dollars there and they are going to want to help themselves to it. A legion of them will go on LTD, those of us still working will pay exponentially higher premiums. The Captains that can still work won't really care about their contempories on the dole because, hey, they're Captains! This generation of senior pilots will close the door on the whole thing if they can. They don't want money from CBAs, they want it out of the hides of the junior pilots, and there sure are a lot of people more than happy to help them to it!

Watch out for proposed legislation amending FAE computations to allow senior pilots 3-5 of full LTD benefits with no affect on A plan. It is probably already underway!

 

[Flopgut]

So which is it? Will the LTD boogeymen raise everyone's rates to accomodate the Floppy Guts and Big Beer Bellies among us, or will companies be encouraged to implement wellness programs that allow their valued employees to continue working? Again, why should healthy, qualified pilots be fired on their 60th birthday to accomodate someone else's lifestyle?



Maybe higher medical standard will send a message to airline management that perhaps everyone who can muster a fake Texas accent on the radio and pass a perfunctory checkride isn't suited to this job. Maybe then the pool of potential pilots will shrink, supply and demand can do it's job and the value of a pilot will return as reflected in the paycheck.

I carry a little weight right now and thats why I call myself Flopgut. But it is "tongue in cheek". I'm actually in pretty good shape. I used to be in awesome shape, probably just as good as Lear70. However, I had a seriously intrusive major surgery to correct a sports injury and it has really messed me up. My point: that can happen to anyone, even you. LTD was a hard won benefit for this profession to take care of us all. Not necessarily for things we could think of like lack of good diet, exercise etc. But for things we could not think of. Its not there for some flake like you to flip into better pay for yourself. Its there to take care of families and dependents that count on the affected pilot. Not allow some 60+ bozo to keep buying new cars during a period of opportuned LTD.

I think we have a lot bigger problem in pilots like you than one might see at first. This goes past simply working to 65 for you doesn't it? Your going to want to grow this adminisrtative attack on your coworkers aren't you? You see a chance for personal gain. Not in a straight up way, but in a more perverse and insidious manner. I bet the pilots that helped you somewhere in your past are regretting it right now.