Originally Posted by
Jetjok
I'm sorry, I must have missed these laws. Which ones are they then? Besides, back in Truman's day, if you were 60, and an airline pilot, you were OLD. It's just not so anymore. Aircraft have changed, FAA and company contractual duty limits have both helped to eliminate the effects of long-haul flying, and at the same time, improvements in health care, nutrition, and less smoking have all done their share to allow us to lead longer, more productive lives.
Not a law, a report. Back in Truman's day, there were no commercial pilots over the age of 60 - there was concern about the future safety risks, as was pointed out in the Doolittle Commission report.
Yes, 60 is the new 40. Or is it the new 20? Sorry, cognitive abilities start deteriorating in the mid-30s. There are no inexpensive, easy ways to test cognitive abilities for the masses, hence the reason why you can't simply screen pilots to see who's 'lost it.'
While smoking rates have decreased over the last 50 years, have you bothered to take a look at what has happened with US obesity rates over the same time period? Frightening, really. There are MANY health problems associated with obesity.
Longer lifespans do not necessarily equate to quality life. The technological advances made in the medical field over the last 50 years have definitely led to longer lifespans. But many are reduced to low quality lifestyles.