By DENNIS CONRAD
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP) -- For 37 years, Allan Englehardt has been a pilot for
United Airlines, flying hundreds of passengers at a time to such faraway
places as Honolulu and London.
Barring an act of Congress, his career will end in six months.
Under a Federal Aviation Administration rule, pilots for both passenger and
cargo airlines must quit flying at age 60. For Englehardt, a Lake Bluff,
Ill., resident, that not-so-happy birthday arrives on Jan. 29.
Englehardt, along with some other fellow pilots facing forced retirement,
have gone to Capitol Hill to press for legislation to enable them to fly
until age 65, as long as they are fit and healthy. Meanwhile, the Ohio-based
Airline Pilots Against Age Discrimination, has hired the prominent lobbying
firm of Patton and Boggs to fight for a higher retirement age. There are
bills pending in the House and Senate that would raise the age to 65.
What stands in the way are some members of Congress, the FAA, and even the
leadership of the Air Line Pilots Association International, the largest
pilot union in the world with some 61,000 pilots.
They argue it's too risky to let older pilots, who might suddenly be struck
by some health problem, to keep flying.
But even if Congress doesn't act, some older pilots - foreign ones - will
still be flying American skies.
Under current international standards, foreign pilots over age 60 may fly
into the United States as co-pilots. Effective Nov. 23, the International
Civil Aviation Organization will raise the age limits for pilots, too.
That means foreign pilots will be able to fly in the United States up to age
65, so long as they're accompanied by a co-pilot under 60 and they undergo
medical testing every six months.
"What is so special about foreigners that they can fly into the same U.S.
airports, fly over the same U.S. airways and in the same types of airplanes
which are full of passengers, while U.S. citizens and military veterans who
are the same age are to be grounded and prevented from earning a living in
their profession?" asked Englehardt.
The retirement rule doesn't make any exceptions for pilots in good health or
who routinely pass physical exams. An estimated 1,631 will be forced to
retire this year, and a total of about 35,000 by 2017.
The Senate Appropriations Committee in mid-July approved a multi-agency
appropriations bill that includes a temporary, one-year provision that would
let pilots continue to fly after they hit 60.
Pilots have twice questioned Illinois Sens. Dick Durbin and Barack Obama
about the issue at their regular weekly constituent breakfasts, but the two
Democrats are not ready to support a change, at least on a permanent basis.
Durbin, the Senate's second-highest ranking Democrat, supported the
Appropriations Committee's move toward a one-year exception.
"From the senator's perspective," Durbin spokeswoman Sandra Abrevaya said,
"we need to strike a balance, being fair to airline pilots while ensuring
the safety for airline passengers."
Permitting a change for one year would be a temporary fix that would allow
for the debate to continue, she said.
Obama spokesman Tommy Vietor said the freshman lawmaker has met with pilots
on both sides of the age argument. He said Obama is sympathetic but, because
of safety concerns, wants to hear more from the FAA.
FAA spokesman Les Dorr said that the age 60 rule has served the purpose of
aviation for four decades, and there is "no compelling scientific or medical
evidence that would cause us to reconsider the current age limit." He noted
that Congress could require a change in the age-60 rule, and the FAA would
have to adhere to that.
Duane Woerth, president of the Air Line Pilots Association, testified before
a Senate aviation subcommittee last year that a survey of members found that
56 percent supported maintaining the current rule on age, while 42 percent
wanted to change it. On the question of whether it should be changed to age
65, only 39 percent backed that.
Woerth said the age-60 rule is based on fundamental principles of medical
science that are indisputable.
"First, the risks of incapacitation and unacceptable decrements in
performance increase with age," he said. "Second, medical science has not
developed a regimen of reliable tests that can be administered effectively
to determine which aging pilots will become incapacitated, or whose
performance will decline to an unacceptable level."
Nancy McKinley, a spokeswoman for the International Airline Passengers
Association, said her group does not object to pilots being allowed to fly
up to the age of 65 with similar controls to those applied in Europe and
other areas where it is permitted.
"Our understanding is that the evidence supports such a policy and no
reduction in safety would result," she said.
For Englehardt, the question is not just a matter of principle. He needs to
keep earning money.
United Airlines terminated its pilots' pension plan in 2004, meaning
Englehardt won't get the $142,000 annual retirement income he once counted
on. Instead, the government's Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. will pay him
$36,000 a year in retirement benefits.
For pilots like him, flying an extra five years could mean close to an extra
$800,000 to $1 million in income.
"My big problem if I am forced to retire this coming January 29th,"
Englehardt said, "is how am I going to support my family that includes my
wife and my 15-year old son?"
