Pilot morbidity

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Icaro

Well-Known Member
Please excuse the grim title of this post, and perhaps it should be in aeromedical section, but I wanted it to get general exposure.

I recall some time ago Doug mentioned in a post that the a lot of obits of pilots came out very very soon after their retirement.

In talking to some people who fly a lot (GA, not professionally) and who were discussing fatigue and its effects on their overhaul health I was wondering how hard on a person's health is airline flying (either domestic or international)?

I'm aware of circadian rythmns being disrupted flying long haul international flights, but is there something inherently stressful about flying, or perhaps about being subject to numerous pressurisation cycles over a periof of decades?
 
I don't know...I'm pretty heathly but I try not to work too hard and have used my seniority wisely to insure a fairly easy life. Some poor junior guys at my company work way too hard and their is no doubt in my mind that night freight is hard on the body.

I don't think the pressurization thing has anything to do with it. Flip-flopping from nights to days and circadian rythems are more of a factor. Stress? Yeah...it can be pretty busy below 10K. I know that when I get off a trip, I can't go to sleep right away cause I'm wound up. Also, sometimes I feel really fatigued and sleepy in the 10th hour of my 11 hour duty day where I woke up at 5am. What's weird about that is when I get out of the uniform and get in my car I feel fine. While an hour before I thought I was going to die.
 
Yeah, I have a lot of questions about dying right after retirememt. Personally I think retirement kills, not working.

I came to this conclusion years ago observing farmers around home who worked into their 70s. After they finally were forced to quit, they usually went pretty quickly.

Some people are made for retirement, some aren't. The ones that aren't lose purpose and death is a natural by-product of that.

My plan is to keep working as long as possible. You'll be less inclined to die if you know you are expected at work, is my theory.

I know this runs counter to my whole "retirement" thread, but I made it very clear I am definitely going to do something besides "recrational" and "home improvement" activites.
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Dave
 
I don't think that phenomonon has anything to do specifically with aviation; it is a very common thing to die soon after retirement. I remember reading somewhere that half of all NYC city workers die within 18 months of retirement. Apparently this thing is much more prevalent among men than women, but it is by no means specific to aviation.
 
Shouldn't it be "Pilot Mortality?" I mean, I've bot a pretty morbid sense of humour, but I'm still alive.
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Hopefully you know Willfly was kidding. That is Keira Knightley from Love Actually. Just turned 19 and is absolutely beautiful.
 
Back to the main topic here, after staring at that avatar for a few minutes...
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I'd rather work until 60 or 65 and die when I'm 80 and still healthy than spend another 10-20 years turning into a "vegetable."

I don't want to sound mean though. I had a job that had me around people with Alzheimer's disease and it really scared me to think any normal person could develop into that condition.

I think a part time job after "retirement" keeps your mind going and gives you something to do, which keeps you healthy. Even if it's easy and only 2-3 days a week. It's a job, and that's what people are used to doing their whole life.
 
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