US Senate panel votes to reject hiking pilot retirement age

Ian_J

Ian_J

Hubschrauber Flieger
Staff member
Ian_J said:
Kicked down the road it appears.

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I feel badly for those of you who want this but as an old fart at just shy of 70 who knows the reality of cognitive and response time decline, I believe firmly this is good thing. Of course, we're all individuals who respond differently to the passing years - some better than others; still, there is a genuine cognitive/response difference which comes with aging, sadly, and there is a time when it's necessary to face that reality, hard as that actually is.
 
Bob Ridpath said:
I feel badly for those of you who want this but as an old fart at just shy of 70 who knows the reality of cognitive and response time decline, I believe firmly this is good thing. Of course, we're all individuals who respond differently to the passing years - some better than others; still, there is a genuine cognitive/response difference which comes with aging, sadly, and there is a time when it's necessary to face that reality, hard as that actually is.
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Without commenting on this particular topic, watching close relatives, it always seems to hinge on that “first fall”.

Whether one causes the other, that first time someone goes down seems to be a harbinger of a fairly significant decline in overall health, and often seems to be a gateway more specific ailments.
 
Richman said:
Without commenting on this particular topic, watching close relatives, it always seems to hinge on that “first fall”.

Whether one causes the other, that first time someone goes down seems to be a harbinger of a fairly significant decline in overall health, and often seems to be a gateway more specific ailments.
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Anecdata only, but this has been my observation as well, with family and non-family members alike.
 
Richman said:
Without commenting on this particular topic, watching close relatives, it always seems to hinge on that “first fall”.

Whether one causes the other, that first time someone goes down seems to be a harbinger of a fairly significant decline in overall health, and often seems to be a gateway more specific ailments.
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Agreed, sadly, from a personal perspective. The future comes hard and fast. We all meet it one day, long before we want to.
 
There is a definite difference in the demeanor and abilities in the folks I work with who are 60+, more so with those near the current end (63-65). We all would like to Bob Hoover it and fly as long as they'll let us, but the reality is different and will be different for each of us. Even learning the Bus at 45 wasn't as easy as it would have been in my 30's. When I did my initial, the upgrade I was paired with was 62 and wanted to upgrade and retire as a captain after 17 years in the right seat of the Bus. He knew the plane well, but the ideas of being in command had been squashed years ago. If I don't upgrade in 9 years by 55, I don't think I will.

This aging thing is hard and I don't want age 67 to pass. I hope to be done before 65. This is a great job, I'm very happy to have it and do it. But it's not easy on us as humans.
 
Max Power said:
There is a definite difference in the demeanor and abilities in the folks I work with who are 60+, more so with those near the current end (63-65). We all would like to Bob Hoover it and fly as long as they'll let us, but the reality is different and will be different for each of us. Even learning the Bus at 45 wasn't as easy as it would have been in my 30's. When I did my initial, the upgrade I was paired with was 62 and wanted to upgrade and retire as a captain after 17 years in the right seat of the Bus. He knew the plane well, but the ideas of being in command had been squashed years ago. If I don't upgrade in 9 years by 55, I don't think I will.

This aging thing is hard and I don't want age 67 to pass. I hope to be done before 65. This is a great job, I'm very happy to have it and do it. But it's not easy on us as humans.
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As I approach 40 I agree with what you’re saying. However my dad is 72 and is in better shape than at least 50% of people I fly with in their 20s/30s. Comes down to genetics/ personal health habits.
 
HJB said:
As I approach 40 I agree with what you’re saying. However my dad is 72 and is in better shape than at least 50% of people I fly with in their 20s/30s. Comes down to genetics/ personal health habits.
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Oh 100% a contributing factor that we have little control over. You can live well, eat right and exercise, but if there's a nasty hereditary gotcha in your blood, all bets are off.
 
The pension is what got me to quit at 60. Couldn't turn down that passive income even though I was making three times that figure working 18 weeks a year with vacation seniority. It's all about what ones lifestyle is and needs to be after retirement.
 
DE727UPS said:
The pension is what got me to quit at 60. Couldn't turn down that passive income even though I was making three times that figure working 18 weeks a year with vacation seniority. It's all about what ones lifestyle is and needs to be after retirement.
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Smart man! you’re not missing anything but ball busting schedules. In the pax world I can see folks going to the bitter end if they’re doing widebody flying with 20 days off or something, but here I always scratch my head when someone mentions punching out at the last minute. The last guy was complaining and throwing around the phrase “Z Mestic” while boasting about staying until 65. But like you said it all depends on the individual.
 
Soul Brotha' said:
I’m 47, soon to be 48. I’ve talked with my financial advisor to punch out at 55. If I could it would 50. This job is fairly simple but time on the road and in the air take a toll not to mention the sleep schedule changes. I want to enjoy my retirement with Mrs. Soul.
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hold up....ok 47 to 48...math checks out.

I'm on the same page, 58 will be the end...my wife and I call everything after that "beer money"...we don't need it but its' nice to have...

...this of course pending on, you know...life.
 
Every pilot I know at my shop nearing 65 is flying insane amounts to pad that check. I don’t believe it for one second when a guy who is top 10% seniority, getting 41 days vacation, holding 19-20 day off lines (before any vacation), is going to punch out early.

Punch out of what? You already are semi-retired.
 
Soul Brotha' said:
I’m 47, soon to be 48. I’ve talked with my financial advisor to punch out at 55. If I could it would 50. This job is fairly simple but time on the road and in the air take a toll not to mention the sleep schedule changes. I want to enjoy my retirement with Mrs. Soul.
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I stay on East coast time but still, getting up at 3:30 am, the traffic, the s-show that is work. I’ll try to get out as early as possible as well. I feel so much better after a week or two away…
 
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