Originally Posted by
Bellerophon
As an infrequent poster on this site, but a frequent visitor to the USA from the other side of the pond, perhaps I might be allowed to mention an imminent ICAO legislative change, which seems to have received very little publicity or comment within the aviation community in the USA?
A new ICAO age provision (Amendment 167 to Annex 1) will become effective on 23 Nov 2006 and will allow ATPL holders to act as P-i-C of aircraft (engaged in international commercial air transport) up to age 65, provided that the other pilot is younger than age 60.
Thus, in three weeks time, 65 becomes the new age limit for most European P-i-C’s.
In anticipation of this change, and as a result of other recent European legislation on Age Discrimination, the UK’s major airlines, and the UK CAA, have had to alter their retirement ages and licence holding ages.
In my airline, as a result of these legislative changes, the retirement age changed, overnight, from age 55 to age 65, on 01 Oct 2006.
Even the French have had to fall into line on this one!
So what....you may say....what relevance does this have to the FAA or the USA?
Bellerophon,
Thanks for your input and greetings to you on the other side of the pond. Many Europeans airlines find themselves in a server pilot shortage and were the major impetus behind the ICAO rule change. In the US, we have no such problem. In fact after 911, many thousands of US pilots have been furloughed and have found themselves in dead end stagnate jobs.
At my airline – American, we currently have over 2800 pilots on furlough. We have seen no movement the last five years. If this rule is enacted, we most likely would see no career advancement for another five years making it 10 years of stagnation. Any rule change would also curtail any serious hiring at the majors for the next five years thus keep many junior pilots from advancing to the next level and stuck at the lower paying regionals.
Though this rule is overtly about safety, it has its roots based on economics.
Besides those lucky few that get to hold on to their high paying jobs another five years; most of us will only be working to make back the money we lost in the first place due to delayed advancement and stagnation invoked by any rule change. In my personal case, I only become cash positive at age 64, some 19 years from now. I hope this puts some perspective on the major fight going on over here. The rule change will have a negative impact on a great deal of pilot’s careers.
Cheers,
AA767AV8TOR