Southwest Airilnes Crosses into the Gray

[sigler]

That's all we needed....

Oh please... Now I'll NEVER make it to the majors. Great.

 

[semperfido]

I would imagine this would slow upgrades a bit.

Do they have a specific number in mind or will this be as long as one passes the medical/fligh test, because any number would be as arbitrary as 60!

my guess is that it will be a conservative change to something between 62 and 65....so it jives with soc sec. those that wish to leave at 60 can still go but at least it gives pilots the option.

 

[boxjockey]

I don't have any problem with them changing the retirement age. I plan on retiring by the time I hit 55. The problem I will have is if I'm penalized on my retirement because I don't want to work until I'm 70.

box

 

[Dizel8]

"my guess is that it will be a conservative change to something between 62 and 65....so it jives with soc sec."

But why 65? Particularily in light off, that we may see changes in SS rules and that the longer your delay taking SS the more you get. Still strikes me, that any specific number proposed would be arbitrary.

Why not just make it, that as long as you are medically fit and can pass the training, you may continue to fly?

Personally, I would rather see change to the SS rules, that allows pilots to collect at 60, since it is a federally mandated law that forces retirement. Of course, since the general population thinks we a "overpaid fat cats", that would probably never happen.

 

[semperfido]

"my guess is that it will be a conservative change to something between 62 and 65....so it jives with soc sec."

But why 65? Particularily in light off, that we may see changes in SS rules and that the longer your delay taking SS the more you get. Still strikes me, that any specific number proposed would be arbitrary.

Why not just make it, that as long as you are medically fit and can pass the training, you may continue to fly?

Personally, I would rather see change to the SS rules, that allows pilots to collect at 60, since it is a federally mandated law that forces retirement. Of course, since the general population thinks we a "overpaid fat cats", that would probably never happen.

anything is possible. i am just guessing what they might do. it seems to me that they won't want to make the change too drastic at first. it will simply open the door for future changes.

 

[Dizel8]

I agree with your point, but is there an age where it would be "appropiate", I mean do we want 75 YO flying and if not, why not?

 

[michael707767]

I agree with your point, but is there an age where it would be "appropiate", I mean do we want 75 YO flying and if not, why not?

Hey I have flown with some 58 year olds who should not be in the cockpit. The older guys/gals are definately losing a step. Sorry, but there has to be an age where we say enough is enough. There are all kinds of jobs where you can no longer work past a certain age. The police dept in my area has a mandatory retirement at 58. You can't be an air traffic controller past 56. Why is it only descrimination when its a pilot?

 

[semperfido]

they won't change it to 75. they will play it safe and make it between 62 and 65. and as far as SS is concerned, it is in enough trouble already. the ages are being raised, not lowered.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

I have heard they are tying it to either SS or Medicaire age. It makes sense to tie it to Medicaire, because that way pilots can have some type of health insurance when they are forced to retire. There are lots of pilots at smaller companies, and when they retire, they have to get another job to get health care benefits, as their companies don't have any for retirees.

Safety:
The oldest pilots are statistically the safest. When you say there are 58 year olds who shouldn't be flying, you are right. There are also 55 and 50 and 45 year olds who shouldn't be flying because of their ill health, but they are able to skate through their physicals. None of that changes the fact that the oldest pilots are the safest. When I fly with my family, I want the safest pilots flying them, not someone younger and less safe, just because the older guy was forced out of the cockpit. The new law would make older pilots subject to much stricter physical requirements to keep their medical.

ALPA:
ALPA has always been for keeping Age 60, until about 6 months or so, when they changed their position. They are now supporting raising the age, I believe because so many of their union constituents are losing their retirement packages.

SWA:
SWAPA, and I believe also SWA itself as ALWAYS been against the Age 60 rule.

Younger pilots trying to get to the majors:
If you have to wait, for example, 5 years, then you have to wait. You will have 5 more years to fly, so your total years of flying at the major will be the same. Also, as stated above, there is no one holding a gun to your head and making you fly past 60 if you don't want to. If you're in a union, you can negotiate some sort of early retirement if you desire.

Age discrimination isn't fair. If we take the attitude that the Age 60 rule is OK, what is to prevent the FAA from changing it to 40? I'm over 40, and I wouldn't want to have to end my career now so some 21 year old can take my job today!

Cliff
YIP

 

[Dizel8]

But what is to prevent someone from saying age discrimination at 62-65, which it really is. If it is changed now, it probably will be changed in the future etc, so we may end up with 75 YO on the flight deck.

Either we accept, that 60 is arbitrary but it is what we can live with or we may be facing no age limit. This case now, if won, probably will set precedence and then there realistically will be no age limit.