Well, 5 more years in the right seat.

[TWA]

As an outsider looking in (as I'm not quite flying professionally yet), the argument against the age 65 change honestly looks a little juvenile. The only way you can upgrade is for the government to force a more experienced and qualified pilot into early retirement? I'm not tryin to p!ss anyone off, just my $.02, an opinion.

 

[dontpost2]

Age 65 official

No sense arguing about it, Age 65 is effective today - Period!

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/12/20071213-4.html

 

[Box-Hauler]

What happens in 5 years when all that great experience again reaches retirement age. I am sure we will have another pilot shortage.

As for the I want to continue to fly til I die crowd, ever hear of part 91. Go knock yourself out. I do think it is a little hypocritical. We all got into this gig knowing that at 60 we leave. We all should have been planning for that event. I personally would like it if we could get out after 25 years regardless of age. Beach here I come.

And anyone who says that they love their job that much is crazy. I agree with the loving to fly but is a round trip to MKC really the same as flying around in a cub or citabria on a nice clear cool morning.....

 

[Bitter]

We need to stop these selfish short sighted old farts from trying in four years, when they have a year to go, doing the same sh*t and getting it raised to 70!!

I still believe that it is a safety issue, a 60 year old does not have the reaction time, that a 40 year old does.

This sucks.......now I have to collectively bargin to allow retirement age at 60, to still be allowed with out being hammered. You can be sure the company will want to change it, and treat 60 as the old 55.

Thanks guys, how selfish. May be we should give up something that these selfish f'ers need, like retirement medical......h*ll lets just get it raised to death and give up the pension!

The vocal minority just hammered the majority!!

Rant out

 

[Jetsetter]

I wonder if we will see an increase in the number of crew medical emergencies ?

 

[transpac]

I still believe that it is a safety issue, a 60 year old does not have the reaction time, that a 40 year old does.

I believe you're on to something here! Reaction time definitely does increase with age. Further, a 40 year old doesn't have the the reaction time of a 20 year old. I'm guessing the optimum balance between reaction time and experience occurs somewhere around 30-35 years of age for most airline pilots. Therefore, to achieve maximum safety the mandatory retirement age should be no more than 40 years. A side benefit would be accelerated upgrades for FOs.

 

[Birddog]

How is AGE 60 considered age discrimination and AGE 65 NOT???

In 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, whats to these guys will push for AGE 70??
(maybe I am wrong).

Excellent question which I have not heard anyone address. Also, even though Europe allows Age 65, the other guy still has to be under 60. This suggests to me that there might be an age related concern. If not, why not put two 64 year olds up front?

 

[Captain Oveur]

No question, a 50 to 60 year-old's reaction time is
slowing down, I see it in myself, it's unmistakeable.
On the other hand, us old farts have a wealth of
experience the whippersnappers just don't have.
We've seen more and done more.....if you have a
safety oriented attitude (and good health) you'll
be as safe in the cockpit as a youngster (insert
Walter Brennan cackle here)

 

[OrionFE]

We need to stop these selfish short sighted old farts from trying in four years, when they have a year to go, doing the same sh*t and getting it raised to 70!!

I still believe that it is a safety issue, a 60 year old does not have the reaction time, that a 40 year old does.

This sucks.......now I have to collectively bargin to allow retirement age at 60, to still be allowed with out being hammered. You can be sure the company will want to change it, and treat 60 as the old 55.

Thanks guys, how selfish. May be we should give up something that these selfish f'ers need, like retirement medical......h*ll lets just get it raised to death and give up the pension!

The vocal minority just hammered the majority!!

Rant out

I don't know...I just recently flew with a young 30-something yearold who had the airplane taken from him on the approach from an alomost 60 yearold because he was sitting way back on the Horizontal Stab! The Whale was too much airplane for him. However, that old "cargo geeser" did a dam fine job of putting it on and tactfully showing the "youngin" how to do it!
Sounds like normal pilot "whining" to me. It's all about Meeeeeeeeeee!

 

[Citjok]

Seems like Australia is the only place with no age limit (maybe I am wrong).[/quote]

They preserve themselves in Fosters. Yum!

 

[avbug]

No question, a 50 to 60 year-old's reaction time is slowing down, I see it in myself, it's unmistakeable.

There's very little in the airplane that needs a "quick reaction." Most of the time the best thing a pilot can do is sit on his hands and count to ten while he thinks about it, then proceed slowly and methodically. I've seen too many hotshots try to shut down the wrong engine or get too smart for their own good, reinvent he wheel. It's just not necessary.

The most dangerous thing in the cockpit is the pilot. Slow down. Age isn't a bad thing.

What we have in the crowd that's got their panties in a knot over the age issue is the "me" crowd. Gotta have it now. World revolves around them. They think they're somehow more important. Newsflash, kids; you want what the next guy has? Tough. It's not yours. The older pilot has already put in the time; he's in the position to decide to go a few more years, not you. Deal with it.

The pathetic whining about what you think is your due only speaks poorly of you, each of you. It's not your due. You don't have a right here (even your pilot certificate is a privilege). You think you're owed something? You're wrong. Get over it. You're owned nothing.

Welcome to reality. Take some prozac and move on.

 

[Box-Hauler]

World revolves around them. They think they're somehow more important. Newsflash, kids; you want what the next guy has? Tough. It's not yours. The older pilot has already put in the time; he's in the position to decide to go a few more years, not you. Deal with it.

You Sir sound like the whiner. You obviously support the change, and your best argument is to deal with it because you put in the time. With logic like that we should let these geezers go until they die.

This whole issue was pushed by the unions and the companies. I do not know why but now we have only delayed the "pilot shortage" for 5 years. I guess that is until you get your buddies to change age 65 to age 70. The whole issue of a shortage could be corrected by the free market. Pay more and more people will become pilots. Pay crap and get a 200 hr newbie flying your RJ.

This issue is all about economics. The pensions went bust, and now you have to fly till you die to pay for your home, wives, and vices. If the pilots (read ALPA) would have stood up and shut down the whole industry the first time a Legacy airline put the pilots pensions into the PPG this would not be an issue. We can only blame ourselves. I for one want to thank all you senior geezers for screwing me again. Now I will have to fly until I die just to make captain.:beer:

 

[TWA]

What makes everyone think that just because you CAN fly until you're 65 means you WILL fly until you're 65??? There is nothing that says you have to fly until they force you out. Any smart pilot has long since established his own retirement fund, and can retire whenever he dam well pleases.

 

[freight dork]

I've been staying out of this until now, but you all do realize that there are tons of pilots in Europe and Asia that are flying until age 65 and their doing a great job at it, even with 200 hour fo's sitting in the right seats of Boeing and Airbus aircraft.

 

[dutch747]

I've been staying out of this until now, but you all do realize that there are tons of pilots in Europe and Asia that are flying until age 65 and their doing a great job at it, even with 200 hour fo's sitting in the right seats of Boeing and Airbus aircraft.

This is the reason this whole thing got passed in the first place. Anyone who thinks that in 5 years they will pass another law making the age cutoff 70 is an idiot. They have actually been trying for 20 years to get it up to age 65, and now only because Europe did it, the law was passed.

 

[ABXbooger]

They will eventually force you to stay until the retirement age, or take a penalty in your retirement, etc.

Those that think this won't happen are smokin' crack.

Every year longer you work is less time they have to pay your pension...

And back side of the clock flying kicks your butt, much more so than the average people carrier.

 

[Box-Hauler]

Well said Booger,

This is now something that will have to be negotiated for. To get to keep age 60 as an option will cost us something else, maybe a day off a month maybe a buck less an hr of flt pay, who knows. Difference now is that it will be negotiated and at a cost, all to keep the least productive, most costly group of pilots. I still do not see the benefit to this age 65 deal but then again I am just a lowly first officer.

 

[shooter]

Not that this has any imapct on me, (I am the office stiff that will more than likely die by 50 anyhow) but I have to agree with the ones that were against this. As it was posted in another forum:

Age at ////////Average Age
Retirement// At Death

49.9 .......... 86
51.2 .......... 85.3
52.5 .......... 84.6
53.8 .......... 83.9
55.1 .......... 83.2
56.4 .......... 82.5
57.2 .......... 81.4
58.3 .......... 80
59.2 .......... 78.5
60.1 .......... 76.8
61 ............. 74.5
62.1 .......... 71.8
63.1 .......... 69.3
64.1 .......... 67.9
65.2 .......... 66.8





http://faculty.kfupm.edu.sa/coe/gutub/english_misc/retire1.htm

...you should plan your career path and financial matter so that you can retire comfortably at the age of 55 or earlier to enjoy your long, happy and leisure retirement life into your golden age of 80s and beyond...

If possible I will try and shoot for 55 myself. But I do not fool myself that big corp. greed had something to do with pushing this over on you all. There may be some that wanted it, but there is a reason it passed so effortlessly. Sorry guys!

 

[CrimsonEclipse]

Honestly, I wouldn't have a problem with NO age
limit, IF and ONLY IF we could eliminate the Drive-by
medical exams that permeate the USA.

CE

 

[DC8 Express]

<<<<<<<<<<<<<<They will eventually force you to stay until the retirement age, or take a penalty in your retirement, etc.<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

You can bet management will try to nego a penalty leaving before 65. They are probably salivating at the thought of taking up to 5 more years to fund your pension and you dying up to 10 years sooner; according to the chart in a previous post.

Another bet: at least 70% of the 121 pilots will fly past their 60th birthday. Maybe not till 65 but a year or two anyway.