The Skinny on the Age 60 Rule

[Phaedrus]

Just let me fly until the mandatory federal retirement age... not some arbitrary age agreed upon over 3 decades ago. It's age discrimination... black and white.

So is getting picked last for the pick-up basketball game. Not all discrimination is evil.

 

[FoxHunter]

The Mandatory Federal Retirement age, agreed upon over 3 decades ago is 60. Nobody is trying to lower it, so you're currently getting what you want.

Agreed by who? CR and Pete? American, Western, and I believe TWA tried to impose an age 60 retirement. ALPA fought it and won the grievance. American's CEO, C.R. Smith contacted his WW2 buddy that happened to be the first Administrator of the recently created FAA. General Quesada pushed through a new regulation that required FAR121 pilots to retire when they reached their 60th birthday. ALPA fought it for years, until around 1979 then reversed their position. Funny thing is that when it was imposed the pilot population was a lot less healthy. Smokers were the norm, heavy drinking was the norm, you would have to look far and wide to find a health club in a hotel. I recall when I was hired we had one guy that ran, considered very, very strange.

 

[CaptainMark]

FOXHUNTER..bottom line..its over..go put on your white shoes..hed down to florida and tell all your stories to people who care...we'll handle it from here...oh i forgot your exwife gets all your retirement..sorry..i guess you can be a wallmartgreeter!!!

 

[FoxHunter]

FOXHUNTER..bottom line..its over..go put on your white shoes..hed down to florida and tell all your stories to people who care...we'll handle it from here...oh i forgot your exwife gets all your retirement..sorry..i guess you can be a wallmartgreeter!!!

CaptainMark, you never could handle it.

 

[CaptainMark]

whatever

 

[CaptainMark]

This thread is over..later

 

[MemTrash]

George, I've flown (several years ago) with you and learned a lot from you. You were talking up the age 60 deal back then too. It just isn't going to happen for you. Too bad that a guy like you with so much to offer would end up in 3% group. Now if we are in the same place or run into each other somewhere in the world I can't hang out with you. You are dead weight to 97% of the guys you work with. Even if you are right in everything you say and ALPA is evil and the undoing of the airline industry there is no way I'd end my career being thought of by the crewforce as a scab. I hope the extra 1.5% pay is worth being left out and having your co workers hoping your last day will be soon. Too bad man I hope I don't end up bitter.
It's never too late to change. Hopefully you are not still making the FOs build little pink lines to the ground while you are flying downwind.

 

[Swaayze]

Swaayze, the good 'ol boy thing exists at every airline. Perhaps it's only the recipients of those checkride gifts who are not cognizant of it occurring on EVERY airline's property.

That's exactly my point.....it's not beneficial and could be exacerbated with a raising of the age limit.

 

[Swaayze]

Every Pilot that has ever voted Republican has done so against his economic best interest.

Wrong. Maybe against the interest of his union backed compensation.....

 

[Spooky 1]

That's exactly my point.....it's not beneficial and could be exacerbated with a raising of the age limit.

Not sure where Andy was coming from as I could find his original post, but if he is suggesting that there is a special dispensation during check rides at all of these airlines I think he is mistaken. Maybe the one he comes from, but I doubt that also. Certainly not the one I came from and if Andy knows otherwise he needs to step up. I am keenly aware that the issue of 60+ FE's might be the source of this idea, but I am looking for Capt. examples. Please no general statements, just facts without the names of course.

 

[FoxHunter]

George, I've flown (several years ago) with you and learned a lot from you. You were talking up the age 60 deal back then too. It just isn't going to happen for you. Too bad that a guy like you with so much to offer would end up in 3% group. Now if we are in the same place or run into each other somewhere in the world I can't hang out with you. You are dead weight to 97% of the guys you work with. Even if you are right in everything you say and ALPA is evil and the undoing of the airline industry there is no way I'd end my career being thought of by the crewforce as a scab. I hope the extra 1.5% pay is worth being left out and having your co workers hoping your last day will be soon. Too bad man I hope I don't end up bitter.
It's never too late to change. Hopefully you are not still making the FOs build little pink lines to the ground while you are flying downwind.

We all make choices. It was the pathetic ALPA education campaign on the age 60 issue, talk about unbalanced, that made me decide to withdraw my membership. Now if Congress passes the change I guess I would have to reconsider my membership status. I'm not angry or bitter towards anyone. Just can't support an organization that is working so hard against the interest of a large percentage of the crew force at FedEx. I still enjoy the people I work with, never bring up issues, and have no problem with eating alone. Yes, I still like those magenta lines.

 

[fr8doggie]

It was the pathetic ALPA education campaign on the age 60 issue, talk about unbalanced, that made me decide to withdraw my membership.

You're the one who is pathetic. You only think it was unbalanced because it didn't turn out how you wanted it to. Please do not ask to rejoin ALPA. We don't need people who take their ball and go home every time an issue doesn't go their way. Dissenting opinions are great. Find some like minded people and get things changed. You just say "Wah, wah wah, ALPA won't back changing the age 60 rule. I quit!" PATHETIC!!

The majority (large in my opinion) of FedEx pilots does not want age 60 to change. Prove that is not true.

 

[FoxHunter]

You're the one who is pathetic. You only think it was unbalanced because it didn't turn out how you wanted it to. Please do not ask to rejoin ALPA. We don't need people who take their ball and go home every time an issue doesn't go their way. Dissenting opinions are great. Find some like minded people and get things changed. You just say "Wah, wah wah, ALPA won't back changing the age 60 rule. I quit!" PATHETIC!!

The majority (large in my opinion) of FedEx pilots does not want age 60 to change. Prove that is not true.

The campaign had all the balance that you would expect if WAL-MART management conducted a union drive. No, I quit before the outcome. In any case any poll can result can be slanted by the way the question is asked. One third of the FedEx pilots were over age 50 last year. I've found that 90% of those I asked about flying past age 60 would if they had a chance. Not the PC answer in the crew room. Enjoy the rest of the evening, I will.

 

[Hamburger]

Wrong. Maybe against the interest of his union backed compensation.....

You're right, I should have said his PROFESSION and his FELLOW PILOTS best interests. I guess I wasn't talking about the independently wealthy guys who do the job as a hobby.

 

[seefive]

Fox,

It doesn't matter how many people you ask at FedEx about flying past 60. We voted on the issue and the results were plain. If anything, they were fixed the other direction by not allowing probation guys to vote. If the vote turned out the other way, I wouldn't have liked it, but I wouldn't have quit. Sorry to say this, but you're just flat out selfish.

 

[CaptainMark]

Selfish is right..Foxhunter benefitted from the age 60 rule for his upgrade..even if it was 80 yrs ago..now he wants to screw the younger guys and delay their upgrade while penalizing pilots who want to retire at 60 with possible penalties..noone talks to him anyway...i could understand his view if he was at an airline that trashed their retirement...but the only reason he wants to keep flying is that the longer he flies the longer the ex does not get his retirement $...SELFISH IS RIGHT

 

[Andy]

...but the only reason he wants to keep flying is that the longer he flies the longer the ex does not get his retirement

We had over 60 FEs at United that did it for that reason.
Doesn't FedEx still have some aircraft with FEs? Can't he go back to the FE seat?

 

[CaptainMark]

Yes...dc-10 and 72s..but he has ego problems as well...

 

[Saabslime]

I don't know what ya'll are getting so upset about. Let's say this dog does pass in congress. The way the FAA moves, by the time they figure out what kind of medical qualifications they want someone to have to fly past 60, we'll all be sipping Jim Beam in our rocking chairs anyway.

 

[Andy]

Yes...dc-10 and 72s..but he has ego problems as well...

That's what I figured on both counts.
Sounds like he could be as rich as Bill Gates, as muscular as Aaahnold S, married to Morgan Fairchild (gawd, I loved Jon Lovitz's SNL skit), have the nicest house in the world, and still be unhappy. What a miserable way to go through life.