Occam's Razor said:
There is a difference between physical health and mental ability.
I already said that.
Since the FAA can't find a credible source to give them the exact minimum age when they should start worrying about the cognitive ability and reflexes of airline pilots, they think 60 is a safe, conservative age to use.
So you say the FAA is guessing. I'd agree with that. I think their guess is wrong.
The data supports it. The absence of accidents attributable to cognitive lapses by Pt 121 pilots under the current rules (ie: no minimum standard set for cognitive ability, and no testing), tells them they are doing a good job.
And on the other side of that we have THOUSANDS of fractional pilots flying for NetJets, Citation Shares, Flight Options, Flexjet, and a bunch of other mom and pop fractionals that have many pilots over 60. Haven't heard any accidents attributable to cognitive lapses from them yet either, have you?
That's what I thought.
FAA witnesses have testified that there is no compelling reason to "test the envelope" to determine the exact one-size-fits-all age.
Just as non-FAA witnesses, medical professionals in fact, have testified that there is no compelling reason NOT to allow pilots fly up to age 65. Since the FAA Aeromedical personnel are just as qualified as the medical personnel testifying against them and vice-versa, I'd say there's no compelling evidence that the FAA doctor's testimony is any more "sound" or "admissable" than the doctors advocating an increase in the age limit. It's a wash, which is why the FAA is going to lose this one.
Whoa! Do you really feel that way? You advocate more stringent medical standards?
For over age 60 applicants, you betcha. I'd like to see the standards increase after 50.
Not me. I don't think we need astronaut physicals to fly airliners.
Didn't say that, just said I believed they should be progressively harder as we age.
And that still doesn't resolve the issue of self-certification. Can a pilot self-certify their cognitive ability if it requires cognitive ability to do so?
Just as much at age 40 as at age 50, 60, and 65. Your using circular logic, you can't argue cognitive self-certification problems for a 60 year old are inadequate and still try to say they're adequate for a 40 year old. If they're good for one age group, they're good for all because you have NO WAY OF KNOWING where an individual's ability to recognize their own degradation of cognitive skills begins. Since we have no way to determine that, the test is either valid for EVERYONE or INVALID FOR EVERYONE.
Pick one.
You're already seeing problems with pilots skirting the lower fringes of the envelope. How smart then is it to raise the age?
Extremely smart, as long as the testing keeps up with the aging process. If they can pass the test, they'll be the most experienced and able pilots in the air. Period.
It's not better. It's reasonable. The FAA hasn't seen a lot of airliners plummeting to earth due to 59-year old pilots at the controls...and there is no minimum standard or testing for that standard.
Nor have they seen a lot of Boeing Business Jets at Netjets (or any other jet in their fleet or any fractional fleet for that matter) plummeting to the earth due to 64 year-old pilots at the controls. Minimum standard or testing for those guys either now? Nope.
A factor that would prompt the FAA to reconsider Age 60 would be a shortage of pilots. Seen any of that?
Again, you're missing the point. THE FAA DOESN'T HAVE ANY FREAKING CHOICE IN THE MATTER NOW. It's up to Congress, the Senate, and the President to sign it. Once that's done, the FAA will have to come up with a way to implement it. Period. Unless you have a way for the FAA to tell the President to go pound sand. If I remember correctly, the head of the FAA is an appointed position.
Which airlines conduct recurrent cognitive testing? I'm not aware of any.
FedEx still does during their initial interview.
Like I said before, use cognitive testing that a number of airlines USED to use. United and Delta are a few that used to have the 3-day testing if I remember correctly back in the 80's. Time to resurrect some of that for the age 50+ group.
Read it again. Slowly.
The more you exercise your brain, the better it gets, similar to a muscle, only you're teaching your mind how to use the synapses to store and retrieve more data. Research has shown the mind can be kept sharp almost indefinitely until some OTHER part of the body gives out with regular and constant exercise unless you develop a disease similar to Parkinson's or Alzheimer's.
I'd be interested in seeing a link to the medical research you mention. It's ipse dixit without it.
I'll see what I can dig up from my family, I'm sure they have some links to some useful medical journals somewhere...
For that reason my mom won't let him fly anymore. He passed his 3rd Class medical, but my mom has the final say.
Sounds like someone needs to grow a pair. No WAY I'd let my wife decide that for me. "It's my house, Eddie."
Self-certifying congnitives and reflexes ain't the same as a broken leg or chest pains.
I think it would have an adverse impact on safety.
You're entitled to your opinion.
I'm entitled to mine.
That's the beauty of America!
