Is Mandatory pilot retirement age a good thing?

Question

Is the passing of the law that allows pilots to continue flying until age 65 a good and safe thing for passengers?

Answer 1

of course its a good and a safe idea. Nowadays, with sedentary lifestyles, one cannot predict when a person will suffer an heart attack or any possible threat to life due to age related diseases.

It is because of this, that its mandatory that pilots retire at the age of 65.

However, due to pilot shortages,some countries are adopting relaxed rules, wherein, a person above 65 is retained in the service, but as a co-pilot and is not allowed complete control of flight. He is just an assistant.

In that way, persons above 65 do get their monthly incomes too and they don't get bored of life.

Answer 2

No it's one of the more rediculous rules the FAA ever came up with. As long as they're healthy they should be able to fly. If it's ok for a guy to retire from the airlines and go fly executive airliners as captain then I don't get it. Rediculous.

Answer 3

Sure, raising the age to 65 from 60 was fine. The FAA arbitrarily chose 60 as the retirement age anyway. The administrator at the time, years ago, originally wanted 50 as the cutoff age for airline pilots.

Inasmuch as a pilot will have to go for a physical every six months if he's flying as a captain (or in this case, AFTER he's 60, whatever the seat that he's flying) he'll still have to spend time in the gym and lay off the booze and fast living.

He may still fly as captain as well. Why not? You gonna let that experience go to waste?

Answer 4

Yes, I agree it's fine like the others. If they are healthy and mentally/physically able to do their job, they may be better at flying a plane than a 25 year old with less experience under their belt!

Answer 5

Yes - people up to the age of 65 are perfectly capable of flying a plane, if they pass their medical exam. Unlike many people under 25, they have experience and common sense. See how easy it is to upset people by misguided assuptions.