I understand the pain of the young pilots who are facing furlough and seniority stagnation, but what about all of us who were forced into unemployment without pensions, benefits and health care because we just missed the age 65 rule change? No social security for years, jobs are scarce and our 401Ks are down in the toilet.

 

It is unfair that some were able to benefit from the rule change while others were not, but I guess that's just how things go. I do feel for the pilots who were promised pensions and relied on that promise. After seeing that happen to others, it has educated me to never rely on the promise of a pension for my retirement. And same goes for social security benefits. Those rules will change by the time it comes my turn since it's just not possible for Washington to keep all of the promises that it has made.

 

Timing...it's the name of the game. There is no greater sin in aviation that bad timing.

Only a tiny handful of people benefited from this...most just got a five-year stagnation followed by working later than they really wanted to in order to make up for it.

 

I'm using that quote for sure. Don't worry, I'll give you the credit for it.

 

You mean they did not learn from what happened to pension at Pan Am and Braniff? So, once again the younger generation is being punished for the older gen lack of preparedness. It would be different if age 60 had been recently established but everyone of those old geezer benefited from the age 60 rule. Now when its my turn I am told I have to wait another 5 yrs after waiting 5 yrs from the severe downturn of 9/11. Gee, so I have to wait 10 yrs from the day I had an interview setup to get my shot at the brass ring. What a bunch of crap.

I love how they claim the experience is needed at Brand X airline. Funny part is, when the majors finally do start hiring again, they new hires will have the same or greater experience of the out going old farts.

 

And at whose expense?

X

 

[quote=rickair7777;645487]Timing...it's the name of the game. There is no greater sin in aviation than bad timing.
quote]

All else being equal, timing is the most important element which determines whether your career will be successful or not. "Shoulda, coulda, woulda" haunts me as I try not to feel sorry for myself about how I ended up where I am.

I think back to my first new hire class, at airline #1, and I can think of only a handful of contemporaries whose careers have prospered in this industry. None are still at that airline. Neither am I.

I've got three companies under my belt now. When I was Captain I flew with many pilots who were on airline number 5 or 6 plus. I was sympathetic. Subconsciously, I was terrified of finding myself in their shoes. All else being equal, I knew, the only reason I was the Captain on that flight and not these poor souls was because I got hired before them.

I jumped ship to a brand new carrier. At 38, I was the youngest in the company. Within a few years I was to sky rocket up to near the top of the list!

Age 65 was enacted. That was okay with me. It would only delay me by a few years. I was still under 40. After selling a house, moving to another state and buying a more expensive house the airline went belly up.

That was in early 08. Within a month I was called six times and invited for job interviews, twice in one day! I accepted three and was offered jobs by all. It was tough to have to choose. How fortunate I was to be in such a dilemma.

Now , with hindsight, it wouldn't have mattered which job I chose, because they've all furloughed scores of pilots. The only consolation is that the company I did choose furloughed last, barely.

Twelve months later after my second airline went belly up, I find myself drawing unemployment again because of airline number three. This time the phone isn't ringing. It hasn't rung at all.

Is it because of age 65? Yes, I believe it has a lot to do with it. I won't begrudge those pilots who stay on for a little while longer.

I'm where I am today because of the well reasoned career decisions I made based on the relevant facts at that time, my intuition, sound advice from peers, and the one thing I have no control over, timing.

 

Ok. I'm gonna guess, Pinnacle, ATA, and Continental. :)

 

It also meant that the age 65 issue went from a safety issue the FAA could fight and win in court to a straight age discrimination issue they could never win. If its safe for pilots over 60 to fly in the US from international airlines then its safe for US pilots. Once ICAO changed to 65 the rule was going to change in the US and change quick. ALPA among other realized this and was able to at least shape the implimentation of age 65 with the key point be not allowing over 60 pilots to return. That issue was almost lost and would have really been a mess.

 

FINALLY! Someone who gets it. Age 60 is gone and its never coming back. Time to get over it, boys. All our careers have been put on hold for 5 years.