Would you quit with age 68?
 

Hearing grumblings of the age limit raised to 68. How many RJ guys would throw in the towel?

Where did you hear this? Do you have a credible source on the Hill?

ALPA has been bouncing this one for a couple of years. If it does go into effect it will be the pilot shortage, candle on the cake. Problem is, 58 years is problematic , finding more than a few guys to go to 68 will be almost impossible. It is the industry just kicking the can down the road until they can get monkeys certified for the right seat, because the guys who can fog a mirror cost more than bananas.

Doesn't matter, I'll just go to PSA for the quick upgrade.

Total rumor at this point. It DID NOT make my day even to hear this though.

Will I still fly? Sure.
Are there really that many pilots willing and able to fly for an airline until 68? I know I want out sooner than that, even though I love my job.

I worry, without cause ,about them raising the retirement age to 90. Who's with me?!

Have you considered going to an aviation program offered by a community college? You can learn to fly and get college credit and get the college general requirements out of the way. So in the future, you'll just need to study for major. Check out aopa flight training on line, they have a directory of schools.

I won't make it to 65 in this gig let alone 68. Have you flown with a 64 year old? I did and I was baby sitting the whole time. Almost went down the wrong taxi way and I caught it. Dialed in wrong altitudes. Then gave me hell for joining a LOC outside the FAF on green needles instead of pink needles.

That's what people said about age 65. And then look what happened, only a handful of pilots left the majors each year between 2008 and 2013. My guess with age 68 most pilots will try to hang on for three more years, some will medical out a few will just be ready to retire, but the majority will hold on and get special issuance medicals if they need to. Why leave when you're at the top of the pay-scale and seniority, flying the plane and the routes you want???

I'd rather spend my late 60s enjoying what little decent life I have left. I'd rather not go straight from the airlines to the retirement home.

Were you dropped on your head by a FA when you were young? You really seem to love them!

ALPA has not been bouncing this around at all. They have not considered or even looked at it. No one at the FAA, government or ICOA is discussing it. The rumors are all from forums.

Sailing,
Thanks.. That's good to hear. Ignorant on this one. Must this go through the normal channels of NPRM?

Nope. Age 65 didn't. Just slam, bam through Congress. Thank you, M'am!

Thanks. Couldn't remember. CRS.

He's just trying to get someone's goat. Either that or to notice him. Hard to say. I still think he got burned by an F/A somewhere along the line.

He seems to like his women like his coffee....cold and bitter.

I think you'd be an outlier. From talking to mainline guys on the 60-65 change, most started out saying they'd still retire at 60, but it was hard to pass up that paycheck when they were only working 9-12 days a month.

That being said, I'm totally with you.

The second I can retire and sustain my standard of living I will be done. With the huge pile of debt I'm sitting on that will be tough. However I still have 36 years until 65 so I have a little time to get it worked out. Personally, I'm shooting for 55.

Even when your working 9 to 12 days a month you're still working. Still away from home. Still subject to the whims of whatever company you work for.

Again, I think you're going to be an exception to the rule. Don't forget the stagnation that happened in the industry after 60 turned to 65. Enough pilots chose to stay for 5 more years that there were minimal retirements. I suppose the majority of them had pensions ripped away and are still playing catchup so they can survive after retirement, but most the ones i've talked to are hanging on because its a cake job and you're making oodles of cash flying wide bodies across the pond.

Plus when you retire you have to see the wife/husband everyday :p

^^^ This is spot on ^^^ At 300K, if you can sit, you'll do it for another million before the grave.

Haven't met any 60-65 year old guys who've been forced out due to retirement age that aren't still bitter about it. The argument of course is "you knew what age you had to retire when you took the job" but that doesn't stop the complaining.

This was true for college instructors I knew who were former Braniff, TWA, American, etc...and even recently I ran into major airline pilots who are now retired, and are clawing for the feds to change the mandatory retirement age so they could do SOMETHING involving a 121 cockpit again.

One such argument I heard, was having retired guys sit as ACMs in the jumpseat to keep the flight deck safe from "rouge pilots" following the German Wings crash...because the 65+ year old ex-pilot is more intimidating than the battle axe flight attendant....yeh, ok.

Japan raises age limit for commercial pilots to 67 amid drastic shortage RT News

Japan has lifted the age limit for commercial pilots to 67, in response to a drastic shortage of aircraft commanders in Asia. The move will result in Japan having the oldest pilots in the world.

Call Rhino at ALPA Hdq, he asked me what I thought. Ask anyone who Rhino is they will shoot you over to him. Ron is his first name BTW.

That doesn't change the fact that it is not even on the horizon at ICAO, and even farther out the US feds.

That's what a lot of people said the first time around, but when it came down to it a lot of guys found walking away from flying was a lot easier said than done.

And SHE has to see YOU!

Its amazing how much you miss it once you're done. Enough to find a Part 135/91 flying job instead of hanging out with the 80 year old dudes at the golf course.

Way easier...Especially when you look up, see the contrails and wish you were there.

Your example is about a specific individual. IMO he probably has been like that since he was 45.