Originally Posted by Randal
ICAO favours older pilots;
ICAO recommendations adopted last week are that pilots(subject to medicals) can fly in either seat of a heavy jet up to age 65, but the other pilot must be under 60.
This is about the dumbest thing I've ever heard.
Here in the states, the argument includes age discrimination & 60 being arbitrary ...
Yet some in that same circle think ICAO is the way to go ... that flying past 60 is not a safety hazard.
If flying past 60 is not a safety hazard, why does the goofy ICAO stipulate only ONE pilot may be over 60???
I appreciate the issues of those approaching 60: lost pensions, ... even carriers ... but I do not think insulating the PBGC from additional liability by making pilots fly past 60 is the right way to fix that problem.
For crying out loud, controllers have to retire in their mid 50s. I fail to see a significant difference which makes a reasonable, logical argument that a controller needs to retire before a pilot needs to retire.
I really do not see how raising the PIC limitation age is going to help this profession. As for the rest of the post ... well ... we'll see, huh?
AV