The funny thing about this topic is that some pilots actually think that we have a say in this matter. Nothing individual pilots do, nor what ALPA does, will make any difference.
Congress is looking at a shortage of pilots and flight cancellations. A quick, easy way to address this shortage is to increase retirement age. I'd say lowering minimums, but Duckworth already made it clear that's unlikely.

To use a terribly inappropriate remark from Clayton Williams: "If it's inevitable, just relax and enjoy it".
We don't have any say in this matter.

 

You mean yelling on the internet has no influence? Come on, man!

Next step: ALL CAPS.

 

When it went from 60-65 we wrote letters, harassed congressman, ALPA took a poll and was decisively against raising the age, there were people on furlough from the majors at the time and the industry was chock full of pilots, yet at the last minute, ALPA said, sorry, it's going to happen so were now for it so we can help shape it (ie make sure all the recently retired pilots can come back on top). So Andy is correct. This is controlled by forces that dwarf anything ALPA and/or pilots can control.

 

I seem to recall a second alpa vote after several lost a pension that barely passed then congress raised no? I do remember voting no the first then the second I wasn’t alpa (went xjt alpa to f9 which was Fapa) but understood and was fine (majority rules) with it passing due to the circumstances. I was about to upgrade when that happened.

 

Back the PAC

 

Andy, just curious, aren't you the same Andy that was screaming bloody murder across various old platforms (PPWorld, Flightinfo) when Age 65 was rearing its ugly head? If so, what happened? Seniority-related epiphany?

 

Same Andy. Based on that experience, I accepted that i am only pawn in game of life
i also spent more than 3 of the first 5 years it took effect on furlough .

Politicians will tell you what you want to hear and even cast votes they know are meaningless. In the end, they will let 67 occur because it helps the ss trust fund and relieves some of the pilot shortage.
I emailed every senator and a ton of reps. Made zero difference.

Personally, I'm ambivalent.

But you're welcome to take on the Sisyphean task.

 

A question for those who support raising the age. If the international aviation community raises the age to 67 or some other number, should US pilots also meet their more stringent medical standards? Our flight physicals are extremely relaxed and most pilots seek out that “easy” AME that doesn’t really ask many questions. Do you want the extra years while maintaining our current lax physical requirements, or would you be willing to play by the same rules as other countries?

 

I doubt more thank 75% of American pilots would pass an initial EASA one and less than 50% the Chinese or any Asian medical.
For example I just let my EASA license go, since I needed to do an initial medical again, it’s been over 1 year since it lapsed. And they now want close to 3000$ to do it. On the initial medical you need to spend a whole day with two phycologist at your own cost. Ever had a kidney stone, nope you can never fly again etc etc etc…

 

For one the US is the leader in aviation, always has been, always will be, we shouldn’t look at inferior systems as a guide

Two, medicals are safety theater, just like the age limit, the smart thing would be to remove medical from the FAA and use a basic med model for all classes of medical, have a doctor acting and signing off as a doctor to go over a checklist and sign the airmen off, all FAA does is verify all the boxes were checked on the sheet and update the database.

Our current system is crap, and even more “in depth medical” please… As it stands the system encourages pilots to not seek help if they have a problem

Based on the FAAs own study, probably stung to write up how they are pointless lol, it showed basic med is just as safe as a 3rd class

https://www.faa.gov/data_research/re...dia/202118.pdf

Having a doctor have skin in the game, unlike AMEs and OKC, and having a doc who has a better relationship with the airmen, and having a less punitive system, that’s the best way to do this

However I don’t anyone on ether side of this BS
really thinks this regulation has Jack to do with health, evidence based medicine, or the physical age of the pilot “the spice must flow”