Urgent Action Required To Keep Age 60!

[sydeseet]

Dairy Air,
Corporate aviation does NOT have the best safety record, in fact is is far worse than 121. However, neither one is shameful by any measure. I'm speaking as a corporate pilot who just read the latest numbers a few weeks ago.

Everyone else,
I cannot believe that some of us are asking those nearing 60 to retire so that furloughed pilots may return to work sooner. How pathetically short sighted we really are. Do you honestly believe that said 747 captain making 200K was blessed with that position by some sort of divine placement??? Don't you suppose he/she has probably been furloughed a time or two, been on strike, been displaced, been JA'd, sat reserve, and all the other goodies of this career?! They EARNED that seat boys and girls just like the rest of us are EARNING that seat as we speak. They earned the seat through years of toleration of BS, hard work, a few lucky breaks, and playing the game. It is morally, leagally, medically, and logically wrong to say "happy birthday captain, now get out........." If said pilot is able to pass the same First Class Physical they did when they were 40, 50, & 59+1/2 then they should be welcomed to stay, thanked for the experience and please try to pass it on to the next generation who WILL get their turn sooner or later.
I'm furloughed 121 and I'm just as unhappy about it as anyone. I am thankful everyday that I have the oppurtunity to keep flying and earn a living during this mess. But I want to return to work the right way when it is truly time to do so. The age 60 rule is outdated, inappropriate, and WRONG and we all know it. The 747 pilot didn't cause any of this yet it seems that many of you want to tell them how much money they should earn and when they should leave their job. Like somehow in some warped way that would allow you to upgrade sooner, make a little more money, and fix all of YOUR problems. Who is the seflish person in this equation???? The age 60 rule affects us as a group, whether today, next year, or in 30+ years. Let's do the right thing in this case so that our group, our stance, and our future is strengthened. Look down the runway, not at the pavement directly in front of you.

Just an opinion.

 

[46Driver]

Same as above, thanks for the heads up. I wrote in as well. Regardless of who is in the majority, it is discrimination which makes it illegal.

 

[tdvalve]

I'd like to see the reactions of the 60-99 year old Senators when they read comments about needing a babysitter.

 

[Boeingman]

I agree that at some time in the future we should eliminate the age 60 rule. Now however, is not the right time. We have thousands of pilots out on the streets and I'm supposed to feel sympathetic to the 747 captain making 200k a year who wants to fly 5 more years to get more retirement money? Give me a break. Wait a few years when the furloughed pilots are back on the job and then increase the retirement age. There is not reason to change this rule at a time when so many pilots are on the streets. Let's stabilize the industry a little before we start shaking things up like this.

And we call those who scab opportunists.

 

[Andy Neill]

I think that since 1959, the national health has improved. I believe that ailments which were once fatal are now easily controlled with medication or surgical procedures. I think that since 1959, qualifying age for receipt of Social Security has increased in response to the trends cited. I think the flight deck workload has decreased since 1959.

Do YOU think today's 60-63 year old is better equipped to handle airline work than his/her counterpart was in 1959? I do.

 

[Boeingman]

CCDiscoB,


Change the SS and medicare ages? Talk about a generation used to entitlements!

When you look at the thousands upon thousands of dollars over a career put into the system, it is only fair to be able to benefit from that immediatley upon retirement. Especially if it is forced.

If not, refund my money, stop taking it out of my pay and I'll worry about myself.

 

[DairyAir]

Sydeseat

Thank you for pointing out my mistake, my information came from a report that I read a few years ago and the data may be a bit dated, but I guess the point I was trying to make is that very few accidents have occured soley because of the incapacitation of either pilot due to his or her age. Stupitity, ignorance of procedure, laziness, these factors cause many of the accidents that are attributed to pilot error and if you did study the ages of all of these pilots you would probably find that more of them are younger than older. P.S. thanks for supporting my arguments regarding age 60.

 

[FD109]

Say that again?

Actually, Al Haynes did have a baby sitter. The much younger DC-10 instructor pilot who came up from his seat in first class, and took over flying the airplane with nothing but the throttles.

michael707767,

You must not have read the same accident report and or listed to the same tapes I did. From that and from talking to all 4 of the people in that cockpit it sure seemed to be a team effort that probably couldn't have been done (or not as well) without all of them working together.

I guess you were trying to make a point that the younger guy saved the day because he was younger (otherwise why bring up his age). Well, if so, you DID NOT make your point!

I've worked with, trained, and checked a lot of pilots over the years and I've never seen one single instance of competence determined by age.

 

[CRJ200FO]

And we call those who scab opportunists.

Too many people through the word scab around nowdays for just about anything. It's beginning to lose its true meaning. You would compare what I said to scabbing? I think you need to read Flying The Line a few more times so that you can see what scabbing is really about. I would sooner die than cross a picket line. This has nothing to do with that. We need to do what is best for the pilot community in general. We need to see the big picture.

You would increase the retirement age while thousands of highly qualified pilots struggle to get by while they're on furlough. That shows a complete lacking of common sense. As a pilot group we need to do what is best for the majority. Even for the pilots reaching 60 that are not the highest paid in the industry, they will still get their 401k and pension. I'm sure the furloughed pilots out there would love to have some sort of income right now.

For all the pilots reaching retirement age out there, I'm not saying that you make too much money or that you didn't work hard to get where you are as someone else accused me of saying. All I'm saying is that there will be a time in a few years when this will not have such a negative effect on the industy. Let's wait until then to increase the retirement age.

Flame away!!

 

[FD109]

The Majority Rules? Screw the Minority?

As a pilot group we need to do what is best for the majority. Even for the pilots reaching 60 that are not the highest paid in the industry, they will still get their 401k and pension. I'm sure the furloughed pilots out there would love to have some sort of income right now.

For all the pilots reaching retirement age out there, I'm not saying that you make too much money or that you didn't work hard to get where you are as someone else accused me of saying. All I'm saying is that there will be a time in a few years when this will not have such a negative effect on the industy. Let's wait until then to increase the retirement age.

Flame away!!

Better be careful what you wish for!! If the majority is truly entitled to screw the minority, you better get ready to kiss your RJ goodbye, because the majority pilots will probably take it away from you.