Originally Posted by Grumble

If cognitive decline isn’t a real thing in old age and isn’t a threat to safety, how come the FAA has never raised the retirement age for controllers beyond 56? How come every country has a retirement age below that of pilots?

The actual controller shortage is far worse than any perceived pilot shortage. Shouldnt they be getting the extension? Is it because they don’t have a younger, sharper copilot to supervise them?

There has never been any move to raise their retirement age if being 65-67 really carries no more inherent risk.