thefoxsays

Average life expectancy... That's a funny thing. You never really know when you will die.

Hate to break it to some, but living an airline life isn't normal. We are gone a lot. We miss a lot of normal things 9-5er's don't. Not to mention the schedules play havoc on our bodies.

ALPA really screwed the pooch on allowing the age to increase to 65. I'm sure they'll do it again.

For the crowd that wants to fly more after mandatory retirement, go ahead, just not at a 121 carrier.

I got my balls busted for suggesting out of base pot-swapping. Why? Because it would hurt the jobs (require less staffing, etc). Well this is no different.

I feel for the guys who lost their pensions, I do. But now no one counts on those for retirement. We should all be able to plan to retire at 65 (or sooner). I'm still planning on 60 or earlier if I can. That's my goal.

I could go on about the negatives of aging, but I won't. I don't support raising the age, and I won't be swayed to change. Sorry.

Dirtdiver

KLM has an interesting deal for pilots working after 60. You only work a partial schedule. Their monthly schedule bidding is not totally driven by seniority, everyone rotates thru (in groups).

badflaps

Skin cancer is a real problem after 65. There is a salve called Carac that a dermy can prescribe, put that on and see what pops up, scares the he!! out of you.(Goes after bad cells.)

airspeed1974

Is this used like a pre screener for cancer or as a medication?

airspeed1974

I'll tell you one MAJOR reason I wanna come back to the states is these astronaut physicals the CAAC gives us every year. Chest X-rays once s year have got to add to our exposure level.

Company asked me on many occasions to fly that same day and my answer has always been NO. I've had enough rads for one day....

dalad

I think it's a treatment like Effudex, it goes after pre-cancerous skin cells, it works great. If you treat your face with it you need to do it a bit at a time, not the whole face, or you will scare people off.

Boomer

If they raise the age to 67 will Delta cut a break for the poor kids in the EtD program?

They were told "You can be at Delta in five years!"

forgot to bid

I'm sure ALPA will fight for it, but I'd be interested if the companies would want it even with the pending pilot shortage. They have the data from their training departments.

Everyone is an individual and things happen at different times. I flew with a thin in shape 52 year old that had the mind of a 75 year old and completely lost. I flew with an overweight 64 year old that had the mental sharpness of a 20 year old and was a iPhone/iPad junkie and fun to fly with. Ironically flew with a workout/diet junkie at age 64 that ran the cockpit at 85-90F and complained everything was cold, circulation issues? Anyways, the notion that we're forcing experienced Captain Sully types to the street isn't accurate.

But I think they seriously need to study dementia first. I don't think that's an "age 60 thing" but an age 50 thing when it starts. You're giving them 2 more years of flying completely untested?

I really think age 67 is fine, but start it in 10 years. We finally just ran age 65 to 65 2 years or so ago, let it ride for at least another 3-10 to get the data on how it's working out before you raise it without restrictions.

badflaps

What dalad said, it is considered chemo for the outside of youse. It does leave a bit of a crust, probably best to use around Halloween.

ysslah

You can always fly at night for your entire career at UPS/FEDEX and make sure you clock out within 5 years of retirement