Originally Posted by Indy refugee

Al Haynes was 59. I think he did ok, don't you?

Al Hanynes....are you kidding me??? Capt Al Haynes and the rest of his flightdeck crew and his cabin crew did an amazing job and they should be credited for that. Capt Haynes was 59 and not 65...and I dont think Capt Haynes was as sharp at 59 as he was at 43....thats all Im saying....I also said that there some out there that can perform at a high level past 60. ie: Perhaps Capt Al Haynes....Perhaps you indy refugee....





Make no mistake, Age 60 has NEVER been about safety, it's always been about money. It was started by the president and founder of AA, C.R. Smith, who wanted to get those old expensive guys out of the seat. IOW, MONEY! ALPA opposed and the FAA went with management.

Interestingly, Smith tried to impose the age 60 rule as a matter of company policy. When ALPA grieved it and won, Smith went to the FAA to make it regulatory. It seems that in the 1950's ALPA was able to refute every point AA made concerning health and safety of older pilots in the grievance process.

If age 60 was for health and safety issue in 1959, surely age 65 is a equivalent age for 2006.

Now if you want to make an economic argument, I'm willing to listen. But, Age 60 has never been about safety.