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Aging and commuting

Old 08-03-2017, 10:41 AM
  #21  
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Originally Posted by tm602 View Post
I have to disagree here. Your example is the exception and not the rule. Its like the youtubers with the video of a cat and dog napping on eachother peacefully. NASA and the AMA have extensive proof that 50 is a valid threshold of where the physiological breakdown for the average person begins.
Physiological breakdown how? I think you nailed it when you said average. Mean, median, mode, variability, etc. all matter. The fact that the cancer rate is X doesn't imply I'll get cancer. Does the AMA have studies on airline pilots or the general population? So we're dealing with similar but not exact sample populations (with age being the only correlate)? Speaking of, what's the statistical power of those studies. If I'm on your Ph.D committee you're going to have to do a lot more convincing.

"Proof." A very, very strong and confident statement.
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Old 08-03-2017, 11:07 AM
  #22  
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Originally Posted by Std Deviation View Post
Physiological breakdown how? I think you nailed it when you said average. Mean, median, mode, variability, etc. all matter. The fact that the cancer rate is X doesn't imply I'll get cancer. Does the AMA have studies on airline pilots or the general population? So we're dealing with similar but not exact sample populations (with age being the only correlate)? Speaking of, what's the statistical power of those studies. If I'm on your Ph.D committee you're going to have to do a lot more convincing.

"Proof." A very, very strong and confident statement.
Look, I'm just trying to get some experiences here, not get in a debate (I never debate without a little bourbon...it loosens me up to listen better). The data provided by NASA studies are performed by people smarter than you and me, are thorough, and pretty darn conclusive. Their data does reference pilots vs the average population and the term breakdown was my term, not theirs (I'm trying to keep it layman's terms). Let's not treat this like advanced snowflakes whose feelings of sensitivity about age and mortality are a factor. You know how quickly rockets will fly sideways in these forums.
All I am doing is seeking the experience from commuting from professional pilots who commute before and after work, especially across multiple time zones (which often results in shorter overnights before the assignment begins than they have during the assignment). And to see the results of how it affects them as they age.
The simple fact is that if you take a group of 100 pilots age 30 and a group of 100 pilots age 50, there WILL be a difference in health and stamina stacked rather well in favor of the 30-somethings. Anyone who disputes this is in denial or just has to do a little studying. I don't care about people's red herrings, their little felings or whatever. Just the facts, the facts and nothing but the facts. There are 60 year-old men who can bench press more than many high school kids, does that mean we should put them on the gridiron to play football with them? Let's keep things factual and real here.
Now, back to the issue at hand....
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Old 08-03-2017, 11:38 AM
  #23  
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Old 08-03-2017, 01:42 PM
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I quit early, I notice a good many of my commuting F/O's turned commuting "A"s are no longer with us. FWIW.
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Old 08-03-2017, 01:50 PM
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Good topic, OP. I just turned fifty recently and I'm commuting from Pacific to Eastern and back again obviously. I honestly don't stress the commute at all. So, aside from the lack of sleep if I choose to catch a mid-afternoon flight which arrives at 2200ish in base for an earlier show the following day, I don't feel like it has any effect at all. I'm probably taking a year or two off the back end by spending so much time at altitude and breathing bleed air. It really boils down to management for me. I'lll always have a place of my own in my base whether an investment property or a rental. And I diligently keep an eye on weather. I plan out my trips based on loads the day before. In eleven years I've never once used a commuter clause or had to call off sick because I was stuck and couldn't get back. The only stressful commute I've ever had was at the hands of a notorius Capt. at a certain West Coast airline who flat out refuses to carry jumpseaters. Even his own. So what should have been a 2145 arrival turned into a ten hour airport sit, followed by a redeye, then a second flight instead of my usual direct, followed by a shower and some packing and a long day at work. Thanks brother! I really enjoyed that experience.

One other thing about me is I eat very healthy and love sports. I'm an active outdoorsman and get a well above average amount of cardiovascular fitness training per week along with at least a couple of strength training sessions. I'm certain that that helps with stress and dampening the physiological and memtal effects of a long commite.

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Old 08-03-2017, 06:20 PM
  #26  
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I used to commute PHX to IAD. It wasn't bad (pre 9/11 days) because planes were not often overbooked because loyalty programs weren't very big back then and big planes ruled.
Now with loyalty programs and an A320 being considered a "big" plane, I assume it is tougher. I'm so thankful to not be doing it anymore.
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Old 08-04-2017, 05:44 AM
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Summed it up tidy didn't they? Goodman & badflap, in style as always. Which isn't to say I'm not impressed with those proclaiming to shrug off the deleterious effects a commute piles on the aging road warrior. Packed bare essentials to go out west for a few days skiing late last season. Standing at the gate in the middle of all the commotion & people drama I don't have to deal with anymore, glanced down at my wife. She just looked so small and tired already. 20 years commuting ORD still in her eyes? Then I started mulling over getting the car, pleading for a decent room, lift tickets, boot fitting, $14 overcooked cold hamburgers, $8 beers and of course, doing the whole deal in reverse "if" the wx plays along. Sprang for an awesome breakfast & two bloody Mary's on the way home.
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Old 08-04-2017, 05:55 AM
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Haha true! The two funniest guys on here (goodman, badflaps) are Delta retirees. These are the guys to have a drink with!
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Old 08-04-2017, 09:49 AM
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Badflaps be running on decafe and Shirley Temples these days, but as Pogo says; "Sounds toothsome."
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Old 08-05-2017, 02:37 PM
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In my experience sleep depredation is sleep depredation. Being 20 years old doesn't make you immune. Being 50 doesn't make you shrivel up and die. I'd say, for me, I don’t notice much difference between 20 and 50. If anything I'd say it takes slightly longer to recover from commutes now than before. I'd say the same thing about hard exercise. My body can still do the same things, but seems to need a little more recovery time afterwards to get back into hemostasis. Obviously I think there is a lot more difference the older one gets though. There's a reason why pilots are/were forced to retire from 55-65, depending on the time/place.

To a certain point experience can compensate for age, like previous posters alluded to. You learn best practices. You don't get as stressed out. I used to get terribly stressed out about commutting. To the point I'm sure it had a bad physical effect on me. I still don't enjoy commutting, but I've learned to not stress out about what I can't control. If I don't make it it's not the end of the world. Airlines should really plan for that eventuality. If they really wanted me there they would positive space me. You learn to let go.
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