I agree with you completely. Definite team effort. But have you ever been on a team where the same guy keeps getting penalties time after time? Everyone picks up the slack and wants the team to be successful. But sometimes it’s more exhausting than it needs to be.

I’ve flown with some 65 guys who could fly circles around me and it was truly sad to see them retire. I’ve also flown with some 60yo pilots who should clearly have hung up the spurs. The question becomes…how does the FAA determine which category someone is in, so they can keep flying if they’re able?

 

Managing your fatigue is hard for everyone, but from my experience it get harder the older you are. That's where old guy seniority helps out. Use it. Throttle back. Don't pretend you are still 30 and can fly 7 days in a row (or more) plus a five day greenslip like you used to. So if you can manage you fatigue I don't see why 67 is a problem.

 

I do that now on RES. It pays better too. I've been low key retired since I quiet quit in 2019.

 

I honestly don’t care.

I’ve learned quite a bit from senior guys. But I’ve also learned to be more on my toes with them.

Especially if they say things like “I do things by the book”…

 

Managing your fatigue is only one element of it.

Even the best MLB pitchers will never take themselves out of the game. They always want the ball. Just one more batter, come on coach, they can do it.

Age related declines aren't a binary issue; they're progressive and iconsistent to predict and measure. That's why an age limit exists in the first place. Its just a last line of defense against something that's very real but by its nature very difficult to accuratly pinpoint at given measurement time.

Even if we had some magical First Class Medical that could somehow accuratly, consistantly and fairly measure an exact cognitive metric, we'd still have to buffer it with something prior to that metric. And we don't have anything like that in the first place.

The effects of aging are real and they are relevant to this profession. While there may be some 90 year olds or 9 year old Capt Dougie Howser, ATP's out there who could do it on a flight by flight basis, we as a species lose cognitive ability with age. Its not at all unfair to have a reasonable stop gap age even if its not the one and only one way to address human age related cognitive issues.

 

Good post ...

Both candidates for President of the United States are past their 76.4 year expiration dates. Biden is in better health (see controversies over his Peloton & falling off bikes. Can anyone even imagine Trump on a bicycle?) Both routinely have major flubs in public. The point being, folks picked for POTUS are usually pretty smart people. Are either willing to give up the keys to the White House? Even for the good of our nation?

Even more stark examples are found on the Hill.

I think for the age 67 to infinity crowd it is about relevance. The longer you are at the top, the harder it is to be anywhere else.

It takes maturity to realize that and move on to your next thing. God bless those who realize the greatest feat of masculinity is found in the service of others.

 

People want to have a purpose and an identity. Some people get their identity from their profession. For those individuals being closer to the top feeds the identity. It was therefore not surprising the "letter" came from pilots who had lost their identity and were searching for a new way to be relevant by pushing for 67. I don't fault them for human nature.

The R&I committee could take a lesson from Gen X by helping our soon to be retired pilots find purpose in life. A fewsuggestions for making the mental preparations for retirement, not just financial ones is a start.

 

I never understood the motivation to keep working longer than neccesary. Maybe it's my blue colar union family roots but everyone I knew was trying to retiire as early as possible. Yes, pensions were the norm but all we have done is shift the resposibility and planning to the individual. My father retired at 57 and absolutely enjoys his retirement. I hope to emulate that. My experience is that those who plan and go early find things to do that have meaning for them, while those that hang on as long as possible become "that guy" at work.

 

No cognitive decline occurs prior to age 65, then? Magical number, that 65. Of course, it used to be magical at 60, too. Politics.

I'll be sure to let my senator know, though. I'll strongly encourage them to approve the increase to age 67. Thanks for the reminder.

 

Staffer: Who was that senator?

Senator: idk some guy asking to go to work longer?

Staffer: ...oh, weird

Senator: yeah....anyways, put [insert campaign donor here] on the phone please