Originally Posted by rickair7777

I'm making a point... "safer is better" isn't always practical.

In 121 we actually already have a benchmark number: 10^-9

They should try to align retirement age with that. Even then it might not be practical, but we don't know.

Originally Posted by guppie

This business is ripe with new hire geniuses that will retire early with 10M in their B-fund. (I was certainly one of them) Just look at the seniority progression reports.... ALL y'all will be WB captains in like xx years!! That 17% B/C fund pumping. And that's with NO GROWTH!! What could go wrong? Like Tyson said, everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. I'm not special, but I am typical of a guy who's been here 25+ years and managed to miss the furloughs. So I will post these fun facts as a history lesson for those of you who think all of the old guys are just idiots with poor financial planning skills.

My first 3 years at UAL. Avg annual pay $47K (about $88K in 2024 dollars) B-fund contribution was 1 or 2% as we were getting ESOP stock instead (later made worthless in the bankruptcy) But hey, we had a pension, so not bad!!

Contract 2000 money was eye watering. Plus the ESOP was over and we went back to a 9% B-fund contribution. YEE HAW. I avereraged $135K the next 3 years as a WB bunkie ($234K in 2024 dollars)

In 2001 United parked 2 fleets and announced the furlough of 22% of our pilots. The next few years were horrible. Furloughs, bankruptcies, mortgage defaults, divorces, and suicides.... not pretty.

Contract 2003 was the bankruptcy contract sporting a 28% decrease in payrates compounded by all the downgrade paycuts and shinkage.

I earned an average of $103K ($150k in 2024 dollars) for the next 9 years throwing gear in the guppy and the 757. That average includes 18 months as Guppy Captain at $130/hr ($198/hr in 2024 dollars) before being downgraded during the financial crisis and Age 65. And I was one of the lucky ones. No furloughs!

That's how the first 15 years of my career went.... ymmv. Good luck.

I finally made Captain (on reserve) in domicle in my 18th year. Been "feeding at the trough" since then I guess.

Disclamer: I do NOT advocate a change in the retirement age, I BACK THE PAC to the max and I'm VERY pleased with how ALPA has been able to hold this off as long as we have. It's just disgusting to read the comments from the know it all newbs. I get it, you've got the world by the balls... but the world can (and probably will) fight back. Know your history. Come talk to us at the end of your career.

Originally Posted by bugman61

My guess is the letter ensures that the senate committee doesn’t pass the Blackburn amendment to include age 67 in the reauthorization this week. It also gives cover to supporters of the standalone LEPF act to not fight to add it in the full senate.

A floor amendment is certainly still possible, or an agreement in conference, but it seems far less likely than 24 hours ago.

Originally Posted by Me103

I would say it's not the FAA letter, but this quote that's the death knell:

"When it comes to raising the pilot retirement age, the FAA has made clear that a scientific and safety analysis must come first. That has not happened. Aviation safety is paramount, and now is not the time to take a shortcut," said Senator Maria Cantwell, the committee chair.

Originally Posted by guppie

This business is ripe with new hire geniuses that will retire early with 10M in their B-fund. (I was certainly one of them) Just look at the seniority progression reports.... ALL y'all will be WB captains in like xx years!! That 17% B/C fund pumping. And that's with NO GROWTH!! What could go wrong? Like Tyson said, everybody has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. I'm not special, but I am typical of a guy who's been here 25+ years and managed to miss the furloughs. So I will post these fun facts as a history lesson for those of you who think all of the old guys are just idiots with poor financial planning skills.

My first 3 years at UAL. Avg annual pay $47K (about $88K in 2024 dollars) B-fund contribution was 1 or 2% as we were getting ESOP stock instead (later made worthless in the bankruptcy) But hey, we had a pension, so not bad!!

Contract 2000 money was eye watering. Plus the ESOP was over and we went back to a 9% B-fund contribution. YEE HAW. I avereraged $135K the next 3 years as a WB bunkie ($234K in 2024 dollars)

In 2001 United parked 2 fleets and announced the furlough of 22% of our pilots. The next few years were horrible. Furloughs, bankruptcies, mortgage defaults, divorces, and suicides.... not pretty.

Contract 2003 was the bankruptcy contract sporting a 28% decrease in payrates compounded by all the downgrade paycuts and shinkage.

I earned an average of $103K ($150k in 2024 dollars) for the next 9 years throwing gear in the guppy and the 757. That average includes 18 months as Guppy Captain at $130/hr ($198/hr in 2024 dollars) before being downgraded during the financial crisis and Age 65. And I was one of the lucky ones. No furloughs!

That's how the first 15 years of my career went.... ymmv. Good luck.

I finally made Captain (on reserve) in domicle in my 18th year. Been "feeding at the trough" since then I guess.

Disclamer: I do NOT advocate a change in the retirement age, I BACK THE PAC to the max and I'm VERY pleased with how ALPA has been able to hold this off as long as we have. It's just disgusting to read the comments from the know it all newbs. I get it, you've got the world by the balls... but the world can (and probably will) fight back. Know your history. Come talk to us at the end of your career.

Originally Posted by khergan

Cheers to the FAA administrator coming out aganist this.

Not sure it will overcome the greed of the pro-67 crowd, but at least it's a step in the right direction.

Originally Posted by guppie

I would expect no less from a Biden appointee. The Biden administration (via Buttigieg, Sect of Transportation) came out against age 67 over a year and a half ago when Lindsey Graham (R) first introduced the bill in the Senate.

Originally Posted by StoneQOLdCrazy

it was DOA until a Delta 350 captain convinced his corrupt Congressman brother (Troy Nehls) to hook him up with another couple of years at the top.

Originally Posted by Meme In Command

This isnt a left vs right thing...

Originally Posted by dailyops

There's a congress hearing on it today, with Troy Nehls in attendance. It's pretty clear he's just taking marching orders from his brother/LEPF. Basically every person in attendance took one turn asking well crafted and important questions, mostly on Boeing. When Nehls gets the microphone, it's incoherent yelling and rambling for about a minute, barely allowing Whitaker to answer. He then yields his time multiple times to probably get feedback and additional speaking points from his brother/LEPF. Some of his incoherent ramblings include comparing basic med to age 67, and that Taylor Swift flys on supersonic jets by age 67+ pilots (seriously). He took the microphone at least 5 times for these ramblings while everyone else spoke once in real engaged conversation and concern on getting an FAA authorization passed. It's quite eye opening and concerning how this came to be.