[Sorry in advance, but once in a while, while looking at sailboats or 928 stuff on eBay, I get these wild notions. You should blame the car for this latest exercise in silliness~]

It occurs to me that the reason the United States is in the process of changing the FAA rule that prohibits someone from flying as captain or first officer past their 60th birthday is primarily because ICAO has changed its' own regulation up to the 65th birthday.

This regulation exists right NOW in Europe. 60+ guys and gals can now CAPTAIN a plane around Europe, and I applaud this. What worries me is ICAO medicals, which is what these 60+'s are forced to "endure" twice per year. These medicals are WAY more in-depth than US medicals. I'm not going to say who the doctor is, but my medical: it could be a "drive through" affair! To give him some credit: I've gone running with this doctor probably 50 times, since we were both members of the same running club in Orlando. He knows my physical presence nearly as much as my girlfriend does. He pretty much signs me off after a blood pressure check.

ICAO medical on me, who runs 30 miles per week...I'll probably pass. But that's not a certainty. These medicals are VERY in depth, and if your BMI or body mass index is much above 20...then you have a hard time passing, since they ratchet up the requirements above that. So much for the [nasty!] popcorn machine in the Fedex crew lounge in Memphis.

ANYWAY, to get back to the situation: Why can't a current Fedex 60+ 727 or DC10 flight engineer fly as captain on the 757 in Europe? Right now, FAA regulations prohibit part 121 operations past the age of 60, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the rule needs to exist in Europe. Especially a Europe in which the JAA allows 60+ people to serve as Captain.

There's a word I want to teach you: "WAIVER"

Perhaps the staffing problem in the impending CDG base could be alleviated by sending the 60+ types who so desperately want to keep flying over to France, via a waiver from the FAA. The guys/gals on here who are so desperate to keep flying after 60, since I"M SURE the real reason that they want to change the laws is that they simply love flying at an airline, could do that right away in Paris. An added benefit is the chance to obtain another type rating- one that hasn't up to this point been offered at Fedex. I have 727 and 747 type ratings, and both are things that "wow" people when I show them. I'm 41 and look younger...but recently when I showed my pilots licence to the flight instructor at a local FBO that was going to check me out to rent a C152..she basically flipped out. "Wow! Those are my two favorite airplanes! How the hell have you gotten these types?" So on and so forth. I'd love to have a 757/767 type rating, just to add to the two Boeing types that I already have.

[No, I didn't ask her out; I'm seeing someone already]

So why not? Most 60+ are "empty nesters". My dad turned 65 this year, and he's full of beans, despite the triple-bypass in 1998 [he eats kielbasa; I don't. His cholesterol is 290; mine is 190]. If he were a pilot, he'd be fine to fly a plane I think, since they check his cardiac arteries more frequently than they do mine. My dad, if he was a year younger, could easily take my mom to Paris for a year. What the hell do they have to tie them down? Nothing. [Maybe my idiot brother, who can't stay out of jail, but that's something else] They would enjoy a couple of years in Paris. Think about it: get up each morning, the smell of croissants in your nose. Walk out at 7 am and buy a few; bring them home to your wife. The day? spent shopping in Montmartte (sp), and then dinner in a tiny cafe. Hello? How do you want to spend your retirement? Running your Bolens riding lawnmower up and down your yard or sampling some new restaurant in Paris or Hong Kong?

They can always come back if they aren't happy.

My question: WHY can't the 60+ be sent to these overseas bases? ICAO will allow it-

N

 

The simple answer is FedEx is a US FAR 121 Airline, regardless of where we fly we operate under FAR 121 rules and Operation Specifications.

If FedEx wanted to support waiver applications for flying past Age 60, they could do it today. FedEx has publicly stated they will not file any waiver requests until the dust settles on Age 60 (from a P.C. letter on the issue, from what I recall). Even if FedEx did support waiver's, the FAA would most likely not rule anyway until they know what will happen with the Age 60 NPRM, or the pending legislation that will change the age by Memorial Day !

 

I do think they could take their 130K per year in retirement and then go fly for Okay airlines. Which would still be FDX freight. Or Tradewinds or Canex. Wouldn't that be just like still flying here?

 

"I have 727 and 747 type ratings, and both are things that "wow" people when I show them. I'm 41 and look younger...but recently when I showed my pilots licence to the flight instructor at a local FBO that was going to check me out to rent a C152..she basically flipped out. "Wow! Those are my two favorite airplanes! How the hell have you gotten these types?" So on and so forth. I'd love to have a 757/767 type rating, just to add to the two Boeing types that I already have.

[No, I didn't ask her out; I'm seeing someone already]"


Wow! Next time I'm out trying to impress the chick checking me out in a C-152 I'm gonna whip out MY license too! You rock!

 

Yea, but they wouldn't be helping FedEx out by being tax equalized!

 

Do you even need a license to fly a C-152?

And, we shouldn't be whipping things out trying to impress the girls, anyway. That's so neanderthal.

 

Good idea, OR there's always the Soylent Green plant. Then the company can save on pension pay outs.

 

Don't they serve soylent green during Holidays at the Hub?

 

There actually the orange box Scouby Snacks...............