Skiles and Age 65+

[BobDDuck]

Well, there goes any respect I had for that guy. And he lived through the age 65 change too.

Hero Pilot Backs Easy Fix To Pilot Shortage: Just Let Us Fly Past Age 65

Pilot hero Jeff Skiles, first officer on US Airways Flight 1549 that landed in the Hudson River 13 years ago this week, sees a simple solution to the pilot shortage. Just let pilots who are over 65 keep flying, Skiles says.

www.forbes.com

 

[///AMG]

Perfect solution. Presents no significant concerns. To be fair, maybe FAs can become certified nursing home people/staff?

 

[Screaming_Emu]

I've flown with a few guys approaching 65 who have been extremely sharp and it was a surprise when they told me how little time they had left in this career.

Unfortunately, that has not been the majority.

 

[///AMG]

I've flown with a few guys approaching 65 who have been extremely sharp and it was a surprise when they told me how little time they had left in this career.

Unfortunately, that has not been the majority.

Sure, I imagine there are plenty of counterpoints. My dad was pretty sharp at 65, and continued flying his plane until age 83 when he sold. I remember sitting as his safety pilot in his 70's for some approach currency though. Granted he didn't do it every day, but I imagine he flew more regularly than a high seniority 65 yr old pilot. I did have to interject myself a few times.......nothing scary, but he wasn't the current and proficient aircraft commander he would have been at the end of his flying career in the late 70s (or when I was a kid and we did a lot of GA flying as a fam). I imagine there is a difference between his situation (retired from USN and only flew for fun in the 40+ years since) and a mainline CA still slugging away. But the mental clarity and SA diminishes with age pretty predictably I'd imagine.

 

[Phantom017]

Well, there goes any respect I had for that guy. And he lived through the age 65 change too.

Hero Pilot Backs Easy Fix To Pilot Shortage: Just Let Us Fly Past Age 65

Pilot hero Jeff Skiles, first officer on US Airways Flight 1549 that landed in the Hudson River 13 years ago this week, sees a simple solution to the pilot shortage. Just let pilots who are over 65 keep flying, Skiles says.

www.forbes.com

I lost respect for him when he claimed regional pilots weren't good enough for mainline because... well they're regional pilots.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Just tell them if they want to hang around they have to go back to the right seat at right seat pay rates.

As soon as they realize they'll be on the receiving end of all of the BS they've been dishing out for two decades...

I will say this. I was still on furlough when they raised the retirement age to 65, and I will never forgive ALPA for that. It was unconscionable to make such a dramatic change while thousands of us were still on the street. Even a graduated increase (this year is 61... next year is 62... year after that is 63...) would have been better than what they did. We had already been on furlough for 5 years and just when there was a light at the end of the tunnel... BAM!

All that to say, I look at any increase in retirement age with a skeptical eye. On the one hand I could use the extra couple of years (presuming I'm healthy enough to take advantage). On the other hand, I would really like to enjoy retirement and travel before I kick the bucket. Wasn't there some study a while back about the difference in life expectancy for pilots who retired at 55 vs 60 vs 65?

 

[Screaming_Emu]

Sure, I imagine there are plenty of counterpoints. My dad was pretty sharp at 65, and continued flying his plane until age 83 when he sold. I remember sitting as his safety pilot in his 70's for some approach currency though. Granted he didn't do it every day, but I imagine he flew more regularly than a high seniority 65 yr old pilot. I did have to interject myself a few times.......nothing scary, but he wasn't the current and proficient aircraft commander he would have been at the end of his flying career in the late 70s (or when I was a kid and we did a lot of GA flying as a fam). I imagine there is a difference between his situation (retired from USN and only flew for fun in the 40+ years since) and a mainline CA still slugging away. But the mental clarity and SA diminishes with age pretty predictably I'd imagine.

I think a big variable too is the kind of flying you're doing. Long haul stuff isn't that difficult, but it definitely has the potential to fry your brain. 30 years of doing that vs 30 years of something else will probably age most people differently.

If there's cognitive testing, I don't see a much of a problem medically but at the same time I think current medical standards are a farce. We all have heard about the medical exams that are basically non existent and I guess I don't really have faith in the system to test cognition uniformly.

Selfishly, I don't want this. The industry improvements we've enjoyed over the last decade have been a slow reclamation to what this industry used to be. We aren't even close yet, but if they want to be staffed, the industry needs to motivate people to want to be airline pilots again. The staffing problem is a direct result of them treating us like ass.

-FUPM/MMMTO

 

[///AMG]

Wasn't there some study a while back about the difference in life expectancy for pilots who retired at 55 vs 60 vs 65?

I believe the number, and maybe this was just FDX specific (or otherwise weird night hours/crazy circadian damage flying), was one year for 65 yr retirees. Like dead at 66. Good news is the 3rd wife in her 40's gets unlimited years alone in the pool you just had installed I guess.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

I believe the number, and maybe this was just FDX specific (or otherwise weird night hours/crazy circadian damage flying), was one year for 65 yr retirees. Like dead at 66. Good news is the 3rd wife in her 40's gets unlimited years alone in the pool you just had installed I guess.

Average age of a Delta retiree is something like 67.5.

 

[SlumTodd_Millionaire]

I will say this. I was still on furlough when they raised the retirement age to 65, and I will never forgive ALPA for that.

Blame Prater, not ALPA. That was entirely his baby. And I generally like the guy, but this was one massive failure.

 

[Skåning]

Nothing altruistic, just selfishness, typical boomer.

Skiles, a Chicago-based American Airlines pilot, was hired by predecessor US Airways in 1986. Now 62, he would like to fly after he turns 65. “I’m healthy,” he said. “I think of myself as 35. I definitely believe [my career] should extend to 67.”

It’s not our problem you didn’t manage your finances well and have alimony payments. You’ve had your time, move on.

 

[JordanD]

Nothing altruistic, just selfishness, typical boomer.



It’s not our problem you didn’t manage your finances well and have alimony payments. You’ve had your time, move on.

Take, take, take.
I like my job but I feel kind of sorry for anyone that wants to keep doing 121 flying after 65. Get a hobby, there’s more to life than going to work.

 

[bike21]

At most, the age limit would go to 67 which very few would actually make it to anyway for a myriad of reasons. Just another band-aid on a problem the industry doesn't want to truly address. Keep it at 65, go enjoy life while you still can and don't forget to have fun along the way.

 

[mikecweb]

The only thing I liked in his reasoning is that at 67 he wouldn't be by himself up there which I guess justifies at least two pilots. So that's uh cool.

 

[ppragman]

old dude refuses to give up the reins and wants to pretend he’s still 35 so he can keep flying indefinitely?

color me shocked.

don’t these guys have hobbies?

 

[Autothrust Blue]

Nothing altruistic, just selfishness, typical boomer.



It’s not our problem you didn’t manage your finances well and have alimony payments. You’ve had your time, move on.

SkyWest once tried, real hard, to create a program to pair post-65ers with sub-1500ers to do non routine, Part 91 repositioning flights.

Given the multimillion dollar hole the SJI pension default left in my family’s finances, I was sympathetic, but still an emphatic “hell no.”

 

[bike21]

SkyWest once tried, real hard, to create a program to pair post-65ers with sub-1500ers to do non routine, Part 91 repositioning flights.

Given the multimillion dollar hole the SJI pension default left in my family’s finances, I was sympathetic, but still an emphatic “hell no.”

I'd forgotten all about that, shenanigans I say.

 

[Skåning]

Take, take, take.
I like my job but I feel kind of sorry for anyone that wants to keep doing 121 flying after 65. Get a hobby, there’s more to life than going to work.

Exactly, that's why I live below my means, don't have expensive hobbies, and keep the first wife - shooting for retirement at 59 or 60 - and continue working only if I choose too.

don’t these guys have hobbies?

This is what happens when guys make their JOB part of their personal identity, they just can't let it go.

 

[Autothrust Blue]

I'd forgotten all about that, shenanigans I say.

This is also the five year anniversary (more or less, by a few days) of PBS transparency becoming a thing.

what a thing, though. “You want to do what? NO.” I think I did almost 150-200 hours empty as a reserve captain, though.

 

[mikecweb]

Exactly, that's why I live below my means, don't have expensive hobbies, and keep the first wife - shooting for retirement at 59 or 60 - and continue working only if I choose too.

That's my plan too. If we still have the same pension terms I'd have my full pension at 59. If that goes away I'm banging out at 55.