Airline Pilot Retirement Age Could Be Raised To 67, And It's Controversial

What we really need is a mandatory retirement age for Congress.

Ted Cruz wants to abolish term limits, go figure

Erik & David,

Ted Cruz almost every congressional session he’s been in has introduced a bill to add term limits to congressmen, including as recently as this year. Now, does he seem to want to abide by serving a limited number of terms? His reelection campaign would suggest otherwise.

@Lucky says:

'I don’t think anyone would argue that someone who is 66 is more likely to have health issues than someone who is 46.'

I was flabbergated to read that, given that almost all of the time, Lucky's positions are sober and well-reasoned if maybe not well-researched.

It's inevitable that someone who's passed more than three-quarters of their expected lifespan (80 years, for simplicity, give or take) will have significant health issues and most likely more than one in addition to things that can't necessarily be described as 'health issues' but nonetheless are very important when flying a plane, such as decreased motor skills and reaction times.

A cursory Google search would have turned up plenty of research, much of which is from legitimate, well-respected sources not selling anything, that indicate this is so. I'm not familiar with Lucky's links policy or I would have posted a few, but they're easily found for anyone who cares to look.

@ Gentleman Jack Darby -- Whoops, that was a typo on my part, thanks for catching it. I meant to write "I don't think anyone would disagree," but instead wrote "I don't think anyone would argue." Fixed now!

I'm 66 and have ZERO health issues. Don't go to a doctor. Do long distance hiking. Now can I do the physical things that I did at 46? No. My eye site has naturally deteriorated, particularly with a life of staring at a screen.

Truthfully, since I'm not a pilot I can't comment on skills needed to successfully fly a plane during stressful situations. That should be left to the professionals.

Ben, Lucky or whatever name you choose to use today, I find it necessary to respond to something which you have written, that being:

“I don’t think anyone would disagree that someone who is 66 is more likely to have health issues than someone who is 46”.

Do you have any collaborated evidence to support your statement? I know of none whatsoever, furthermore, it is my submission that today the 46 year old pilot may well be suffering from far more mental/substance or alcohol health issues that his older colleagues.

Physical health issues are far easier to diagnose and treat than any of the mental/substance or alcohol abuse related disorders.

Absolutely George, I know far more capable veteran pilots who I would trust to fly with than the alternative.

It is called Life expectancy tables, and there is a whole industry, life insurance, that works on the corroborated assumption that a random 66 y.o. person will be in worse shape than a random 46 y.o. person, and so consistently and over millions of random pickings.

If we change "random person" to "random pilot" , this assumption will hold.

My dad at 86 still managed to drive 1,500 miles in 2.5 days without killing anyone, but we will have a serious talk when he will try to repeat this drive (one he has done once or twice a year over the last 30 years) come October.

It's obvious that you are unfamiliar with the FAA Medical and its inherent conflict of interest. It clearly does not provide the means for differentiating between mentally fit and unfit pilots. Therein lies the problem.

JS, thank you for your response …. It is such a pity that the author of the article has to rely upon others to respond to a legitimate question …. unless of course “JS” is another one of his login aliases?

I know a naughty suggestion …. 🙂

Rebel, the same criteria applies here on the right side of the pond. The reassuring situation is that currently that there is no known published information, which might indicate that younger UK based pilots, are as likely to suffer mental/alcohol or substance abuse as in say the U.S.

Over eight decades ago, teenage and early twenties pilots helped to save Great Britain and thereby the world, from Nazi Germany. Thankfully, soon afterwards (U.S.and many other countries) young pilots joined the fight. Does the youth of the same nations today, have equal courage or resolve to face such a daunting task? One is unconvinced, likewise writing off older pilots without adequate study is unreasonable to say the least.

It is incumbent on those wishing to change the status quo that safety would be enhanced and until the FAA medical includes a means to determine mental fitness the retirement age should remain unchanged. Safety far outweighs other considerations.

Are the airlines in favor of raising the age limit of pilots? I have zero idea but, since these pilots would be at the upper levels of the pay scale does that affect which way they lean? On one hand you would have more experienced pilots but at a significant cost I assume?

So raise the age and so 6 month medical checks?

Biden had frequent checks and got perfect scores yet watch his debate performance. Trump is healthier than any president ever and look how he keeps putting his foot in his mouth.

Medical checks can catch blood pressure and cholesterol issues but is not so precise with mental issues and lapses in judgment

“Trump is healthier than any president ever.”
Surely you jest. Just look at that obese, cognitively impaired man.
I’d like to wear your rose colored glasses to hide me from the reality of this presidency.

Exactly, he introduces it, and even campaigned on it, knowing it would never happen so as long as he continues to not practice what he claims to preach, I will call him out.

For a Class 1 medical after age 40 you have to get one every 6 months anyway. So nothing will change here. EKG once a year. FAA medical are a joke. If they actually did a proper assessment half of the airlines would be grounded.
DEFPOTEK 20/20 line eye chart for anyone wondering.

Probably we need a change to the seniority system. Should pilots be able to fly when they are 65+? Sure, why not. Should they be flying long route? Maybe not? I think a merrit based system that takes both experience and the ability to quickly react in emergencies into account. I would imagine that there is a curve that goes down at some point, which is fine, all this age based system is plain stupid. (the same is true for FAs, the ones that provide the best service while having the ability to stay calm in emergencies should be the ones with the best routes - not just the most senior.

How about, no one over 65 flying a single-pilot aircraft, and for those with two pilots, at least one has to be under 65 (preferably, under 60).

33 US senators are 70 or older. I wonder how they would vote on this.

Many men who don't go to a doctor have ZERO health issues until they wake up dead one morning.

The bigger issue are DEI pilot hires and allowing women to pilot commercial. Get rid of those two and we will be assured a safe flying experience.

I have no problem with the "here should be the rules for all of us" genuine attitude coupled with a "but I am not going to follow such a rule if you don't enact it for all" stance.

I love it. A person suggests there is no evidence that health issues increase with age. "I know of none whatsoever." If I suggested people tend to get taller in their first 20 years, do you not know of any evidence of that? Sadly, you now qualify to be the next Secretary of HHS when the current one dies from eating roadkill.

I am not in favor of raising the retirement to 67 especially considering the LEPF crowd wants to actually make it age 68 by allowing an age 67 pilot to continue until their 68th birthday. Cognitive decline in older persons can come quickly and suddenly.

Disgusting Comment!

Hey Martin. Thank you for the thoughtful response. Do you have any statistics or facts to support your statement?

Time for another story / discussion of mandatory retirement ages for commercial pilots v. air traffic controllers. Yes, yes, many job description differences, yet common threads include cognition, response times, fatigue factors, and so forth.

“Cognitive decline in older persons can come quickly and suddenly”.

As does alcohol and substance abuse, not forgetting the wet, woke, TikTok invoked mental perturbations in some younger generations …. as proved by your illogical comment, yes Guest?

Purely financially driven: no basis in safety - or safeguarding the health of pilots

I agree the retirement age should be increased to 67.

We, airline pilots already have strict FAA medical exams every six months. We're required to have an EKG every year. I look about fifteen years younger than my actual age and have worked my entire career to stay healthy. Experienced pilots with 40 plus years of flying are invaluable teaching the younger generation the complexities of high altitude jet flying. As I get closer to 65 I think airline pilots should be allowed to fly til 67. Just look at judges, doctors, POLITICIANS! Especially as healthy lifespan increases and the government constantly wanting to raise the age of retirement. If we are healthy enough to work, then let us work