Originally Posted by
OV1D
I chose to work at my present airline job in 1989 over flying for a legacy airline for two reasons. First, is my desire to live in my hometown and not have to commute. Second, I chose my airline company because at that time, it was a very a stable Part 135 carrier and I was counting on flying until retiring at age 65. Then in 1995 the FAA forced us to convert to Part 121, thus destroying my plans of flying to 65. My airline has never provided its pilots a pension. We only have a 401K. I have planed my career as best as I can. I served in the military, 11 years over seas including Vietnam. Now that I am finally earning a decent living, I would now like to help my parents who recently moved into an assisted living care home and my daughter with college. The financial obligations only increase for most people around the age of 60.
There are too many such situations where pilots have been trapped by rule changes, failed companys, one way or another, that screwed up their careers. I don't even want to read any more C%#&P that "senior guys have benefited from the Age 60 rule as they moved up the list".
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First I commend you on wanting to help your parents, daughter and your service in Vietnam. I also have a daughter (I'm building her college fund even though it's another 13 years until she goes), I had to help support a parent in an assisted living community, and I served in the latest two rounds of war.
Second, I understand that you're career plans were shifted due to the change in 135 to 121. But how many other pilots have plans changed during their careers. Trust me no one at EAL really wanted Lorenzo to screw up the company, force a strike, and loose their jobs. What about the guy who has to stop flying early due to some medical condition that the FAA says is unsafe (diabetic), yet the pilot could easily continue to fly safely. Was that fair?? NO but that's life.
Third, You STILL have not answered my question on age discrimination. IF you truly believe the age 60 is discrimination would you protest at age 65 AND would you support the 18yr old that wants his ATP TODAY. Let's call it what it is. Whether you believe it or not, you did benefit from age 60. A friend of mine who flew DC-3's had to retire, others took his job. If he was still flying 121 (and he is flying for fun part 91), the guy who took his job would have applied at your employeer and gotten your job before you got there.